Romp n' Roll Pittsburgh Blog
The truth is, even adults don't like doing chores. But assigning small tasks like making the bed, watering plants, or picking up toys are an excellent way for your kids to become proactive and start learning responsibility. Giving your kids chores to complete will also provide them with an appreciation for the work that keeps the family happy and healthy.
While children don't want to clean up inherently, they do want to play ! By making chores fun, you teach your children that play isn't the opposite of work — something which will benefit them in their future.
If you're looking to make the task of cleaning up more fun and inspire your little ones to help out around the house, check out these creative ideas below.
Chore Jar
What you will need:- Popsicle sticks
- Mason jar
- Marker
- Coffee beans
Not only does this chore jar take five minutes to make, but it's also incredibly cheap, durable, and exciting for the kids! Grab a handful of popsicle sticks and write down the chores you want your kids to complete.
Make sure to write the name of the task at least halfway down the stick. Now for the fun part...bonus sticks! Some ideas for bonus sticks include your choice, freebie, trade it, pick again, pick two more, and parent's choice.
Once all your chores are written down on your popsicle sticks, grab either a wide-mouth mason jar, or a deep bowl. Next, fill the bowl or jar with coffee beans or any dark dried good you have. The point of this is to act as a veil, so your children won't see which chore they are going to pick. Plus, it adds the element of surprise, which will excite them to see which chore they will be tasked with for the day. When the chore jar is complete, grab another jar and label it "done." After all the sticks are placed in the "Done Jar," move them back to the "Chore Jar" to start over.
What to do:
"Pick It Up, Put It Down"
If your home is taken over by toys almost 24/7, this game will be a game-changer (literally.) Before the game starts, determine a drop-off point where each child will collect their items. Then assign points to specific categories of things your children would find around the house.
Each round, a new game leader gets to decide which toys are collected that round and how many points they are. For example, toys with wheels can get two points, stuffed animals get four points, and art supplies get four.
Set a timer, so everyone has to get their items within the same time. The child who accumulates the most points before the timer runs out gets to be the leader of the next round.
Weekly Chore Bingo
What you will need:- Poster board
- Page markers
- Ruler
- Marker
What to do:
Draw a chart on the poster board, four boxes wide, four boxes tall, with each box measuring around 3 inches. Write "Weekly Chore Bingo" at the top and add a household task in each box.
Discuss with your kids which chores are appropriate for them to do. Write your kid's names on the page markers and stick them to the edges of the poster board.
As the week progresses, whoever completes a chore moves their name to the corresponding box. The first person to complete four tasks in any direction gets a surprise! The surprise should be anything that is motivating to your kids, like a dessert of choice, extra computer time or an allowance.
Reward System
Reward systems can be one of the best ways to motivate your child's behavior and promote responsibility. And when it comes to chores, this system can be highly effective.
Try hanging a chore reward chart around the house to encourage your child to get more involved. This positive reinforcement idea can also help parents come up with a more positive parenting approach. Rather than putting a ton of pressure on your children to complete a task, a chore reward system can encourage them to take on responsibility.
You will see a massive difference in your children's overall behavior when you focus on the positive, compliment them, and put in systems for rewards.
Some ideas for rewards- No chores for the day
- Choose a movie for family movie night
- Stay up 30 mins past bedtime this weekend
- Choose a favorite treat
- Trip to the dollar store to pick out a toy
Keep track of progress!
A simple chart following your children's progress with their chores is an excellent way to boost motivation, build self-esteem and help maintain a sense of direction. And you get creative with your chart. Maybe take a trip to the craft store as some additional motivation and let your kids pick out some stickers to represent their progress.
Tips For Chores
We recommend working with your kids on the chores they are just learning. Prioritize helping them understand how to do them correctly from the beginning to avoid re-doing the task later. Toddlers and younger kids love to help, so take advantage of this and let them feel proud of the work they are doing.