Put em' to work young!
by Rebecca Ball 11/23/11
A common topic in my classes has been, what are good energy drain activities* a technique of love and logic parenting. Most importantly what are great chores that even little ones can do?
We believe that everyone in the family should have a sense of purpose and therefore even little one’s who are just learning to walk should be given simple chores to help out.
Furthermore, we believe and Love and Logic teaches that kids also should start earning a small allowance at a very young age, 3 or so. This way that can begin to learn basic money management and the affordable lessons of spending all their money and not having enough. But that’s for another blog another day!!
On the spot in class it can be hard to come up with a good list, but for the sake of my online followers and those of you who are interested here are some samples of chores that your toddlers to elementary school kids can do.
A few tips for helping kids to participate and enjoy helping around the house:
1. Speak about your own work home/or out of the home with joy or at least satisfaction mentioning how you really are happy to get to provide for the family or make sure everyone has clean clothes to wear etc.
2. Make sure to use wording with offering chores to little ones that encourages them to feel like part of the family for getting the honor of helping things to run a little bit smoother by doing their part.
3. For kids who have a sense of time give them a deadline in the next 30 min. for a 4 year old, and a little longer for older kids that way they don’t have that pressure that nobody likes of someone telling them to do things and do them right now or else.
So here’s a list of a few options, feel free to email me with more I’d love to have a long extensive list. :)
The quicker you can pass on chores to your children, the more responsibility they'll have, and the less you'll have to do! Make sure you are expecting great things from your children, and give them the gift of independence.
Toddlers (18 months - 2 years)
1. Wiping baseboards with duster or dry rag
2. Taking laundry to appropriate room — tell them where the items go and see whether or not they remember after the first few times you do this chore with them.
3. Matching socks — also a good skill for teaching concepts of "same" and "different"
4. Bringing safe, unbreakable dishes in from table, clearing table
5. Putting safe, unbreakable items on table (napkins, cups)
6. Picking up toys — they may not want to, but they can
7. Putting stuffed animals on bed in the morning
8. Pushing laundry basket to appropriate room
9. Putting trash in wastebasket
10. Putting clothes in hamper
11. Handing adult an item from grocery bag
Preschoolers (3 - 5 years)
12. Wiping windows with cloth and spray bottle filled with water
13. Setting the table
14. Clearing table
15. Putting dishes in sink or dishwasher
16. Drying dishes
17. Sweeping small messes with hand broom
18. Put away laundry in correct places — teach him how to carry folded items so they won't come unfolded
19. Folding simple clothing items — jeans and pants
20. Sort laundry by family member
21. Dusting with a dry cloth or dust mitt
22. Wiping low windowsills with a damp cloth
23. Bringing newspaper in from outside
24. Wiping spots on kitchen floor with wet rag
25. Putting books on bookshelf correctly
26. Helping water garden
27. Pulling weeds — teach him which ones are weeds, and which ones are not
28. Pulling sheets up, straightening sheets on bed
29. Helping carry laundry basket
30. Assisting adult in the kitchen with measuring, pouring dry ingredients, stirring and mixing
31. Hanging up coat and hat
32. Carrying small bags of groceries
33. Assist in putting away groceries
5 - 7 year olds
34. Folding their shirts and other clothing items — teach them how to do it, and don't expect perfection
35. Sweeping the floor — consider getting a short broom if the regular one is awkward for her to use
36. Emptying small trash cans/wastebaskets into trash bag
37. Straightening books on bookshelf
38. Wiping table after a meal
39. Making bed
40. Putting items in car
41. Picking up trash in car
42. Picking out clothes and dressing without assistance
43. Helping prepare their own lunch — sandwiches, simple side items
44. Helping prepare meals with supervision
A common topic in my classes has been, what are good energy drain activities* a technique of love and logic parenting. Most importantly what are great chores that even little ones can do?
We believe that everyone in the family should have a sense of purpose and therefore even little one’s who are just learning to walk should be given simple chores to help out.
Furthermore, we believe and Love and Logic teaches that kids also should start earning a small allowance at a very young age, 3 or so. This way that can begin to learn basic money management and the affordable lessons of spending all their money and not having enough. But that’s for another blog another day!!
On the spot in class it can be hard to come up with a good list, but for the sake of my online followers and those of you who are interested here are some samples of chores that your toddlers to elementary school kids can do.
A few tips for helping kids to participate and enjoy helping around the house:
1. Speak about your own work home/or out of the home with joy or at least satisfaction mentioning how you really are happy to get to provide for the family or make sure everyone has clean clothes to wear etc.
2. Make sure to use wording with offering chores to little ones that encourages them to feel like part of the family for getting the honor of helping things to run a little bit smoother by doing their part.
3. For kids who have a sense of time give them a deadline in the next 30 min. for a 4 year old, and a little longer for older kids that way they don’t have that pressure that nobody likes of someone telling them to do things and do them right now or else.
So here’s a list of a few options, feel free to email me with more I’d love to have a long extensive list. :)
The quicker you can pass on chores to your children, the more responsibility they'll have, and the less you'll have to do! Make sure you are expecting great things from your children, and give them the gift of independence.
Toddlers (18 months - 2 years)
1. Wiping baseboards with duster or dry rag
2. Taking laundry to appropriate room — tell them where the items go and see whether or not they remember after the first few times you do this chore with them.
3. Matching socks — also a good skill for teaching concepts of "same" and "different"
4. Bringing safe, unbreakable dishes in from table, clearing table
5. Putting safe, unbreakable items on table (napkins, cups)
6. Picking up toys — they may not want to, but they can
7. Putting stuffed animals on bed in the morning
8. Pushing laundry basket to appropriate room
9. Putting trash in wastebasket
10. Putting clothes in hamper
11. Handing adult an item from grocery bag
Preschoolers (3 - 5 years)
12. Wiping windows with cloth and spray bottle filled with water
13. Setting the table
14. Clearing table
15. Putting dishes in sink or dishwasher
16. Drying dishes
17. Sweeping small messes with hand broom
18. Put away laundry in correct places — teach him how to carry folded items so they won't come unfolded
19. Folding simple clothing items — jeans and pants
20. Sort laundry by family member
21. Dusting with a dry cloth or dust mitt
22. Wiping low windowsills with a damp cloth
23. Bringing newspaper in from outside
24. Wiping spots on kitchen floor with wet rag
25. Putting books on bookshelf correctly
26. Helping water garden
27. Pulling weeds — teach him which ones are weeds, and which ones are not
28. Pulling sheets up, straightening sheets on bed
29. Helping carry laundry basket
30. Assisting adult in the kitchen with measuring, pouring dry ingredients, stirring and mixing
31. Hanging up coat and hat
32. Carrying small bags of groceries
33. Assist in putting away groceries
5 - 7 year olds
34. Folding their shirts and other clothing items — teach them how to do it, and don't expect perfection
35. Sweeping the floor — consider getting a short broom if the regular one is awkward for her to use
36. Emptying small trash cans/wastebaskets into trash bag
37. Straightening books on bookshelf
38. Wiping table after a meal
39. Making bed
40. Putting items in car
41. Picking up trash in car
42. Picking out clothes and dressing without assistance
43. Helping prepare their own lunch — sandwiches, simple side items
44. Helping prepare meals with supervision