We know that keeping the house tidy really does take a team (or one really tired parent) and getting the kids excited about chores isn’t always easy. From keeping up with the laundry to deep cleaning the bathrooms, household chores add up quickly and seem to be never-ending.
Teaching kids to help out takes time in the beginning because they don’t know exactly what to do (and it might seem faster to do just do it yourself) but trust us, it’ll pay off in the long run. In fact, a longitudinal study over 25 years found that the best predictor for young adults’ success in their mid-20s was whether they participated in household tasks at age 3 or 4.
We’ve compiled a list of ways to get kids to help around the house (without making you go crazy). Let’s get right into it.
3 Ways to Get Kids Excited About Chores
1. Let your little ones get involved with chores they want to help with. Toddlers love imitating what they see their parents and older siblings do. In the beginning, they won’t really be “helping clean” but they will be learning to associate positive feelings toward things like sweeping with the broom and pushing the vacuum.
2. Give them chores they can do well (enough) I’m sure you’ve been in the spot where you’ve asked your child do something and when you check their work, it seems like they’ve rushed through it. It’s important to try your best not to correct the job they’ve done. Give guidance in the beginning and your thanks at the end. It can be helpful to give them jobs that they can complete to a standard you can live with. Remember, the end goal is to help encourage rather than frustrate your child with each cleaning task.
3. Choose chores with visible results This one’s so helpful for giving the maximum reward of cleaning and organizing to your child. To do this, start by choosing jobs that have immediate results. For example, dusting might not be as visibly different to your child compared to loading the dishwasher or putting away the pile of shows at your front door.
Chores for Toddlers
- Take dishes to the sink
- Wipe up spills
- Vacuum with toy vacuum
- Put toys away
- Place shoes where they belong
- Throw trash in the garbage can
Chores for Pre-Schoolers
- Straighten up shoes
- Feed pets
- Put dirty clothes in the washer
- Put folded clothes in their drawers
- Straighten pillows on the couches
- Fold simple laundry like rags
- Pick up messy rooms
- Make their bed
Chores of Elementary School Age Children
- Load dishes in dishwasher
- Hand wash dishes
- Sort laundry by color
- Fold laundry and put away
- Clean windows and bathroom mirrors
- Wipe off bathroom/kitchen counters
- Sweep off the front porch
- Vacuum
- Mop
- Set the table
- Clean their bathrooms
- Weed the flower beds
- Clean out the car
Turn The Deep Cleaning Over to Us
While general cleaning and tidying up is essential, don’t overlook the importance of deep cleaning your home. Chem-Dry has been in the cleaning business for a long time and we understand what your Detroit home needs. As a trusted professional cleaning service, Short Stop Chem-Dry can clean your carpets, rugs, tile, upholstery and remove pet stains & odors!