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Written by Melody on February 7, 2007
Many hands make light work so it’s never too early to teach your kids to help you with chores around the house. Children can even start as early as two years old. While children mature at different rates, you can easily determine what age appropriate chores are best suited for toddlers, kids, pre-teens and teens. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Toddlers can help by:
- making their bed
- picking up their toys
- feeding the family pet
- straightening up shoes
- putting dirty laundry into the basket
- cleaning up spills on the kitchen floor
Even at this young age most two and three year olds can manage these chores. Teach your toddlers to do their chores by making a fun game out of it or improvising different ways in which they can help.
Four and five year olds can also:
- set the table
- dust around the house
- help bake cookies
- carry grocery bags (as long as they’re light)
Six and eight year old’s can add:
- vacuum the floor
- take out the trash
- fold the laundry
They can also help you prepare meals with lots of supervision. Think of the experience you are giving your children at this early age.
Pre-teens can do even more. Some of the more vigorous chores can be relegated to outside work:
- rake the leaves
- wash the car
- help clean out the garage
If you need help inside the house, they can certainly help:
- prepare meals
- dusting and vacuuming the house
- wash dishes
- clean the bathroom
They are old enough to make their own beds, tidy their bedroom of debris, organize their toys, and put their own laundry away.
Teens can do almost any chore that you can do, however they pose a different problem altogether. Sometimes they are willing to help, and other times they’re not. It may depend on how you’ve raised them. If they’ve been doing chores since they were two, you won’t have a problem. They have the ability to prepare meals, clean the kitchen, wash windows, and do the laundry. Just about any indoor and outdoor chore that needs doing! Give your teen responsabilites, you don’t want them to feel like a baby, now do you?
Doing chores will give your kids a great sense of pride and accomplishment, no matter what their age. The added benefit is that when everyone pitches in and works together you’ll have more time to spend doing fun stuff with your kids.
