Chores is an evil word in some households! Kids run and hide when Dad hollers for help and Mom mutters for more. How can we, as parents, make chores fun and rewarding? Here are a few ideas:
- Set and Clear the Table: As soon as your children are old enough to carry a plate without breaking it, it’s time to teach them to set the table. Make it fun by having a certain color plate or napkin for each family member. Kids learn colors and memorizing while they help set the table. When it’s time to clear the table, make it a race. See if you child can clear the table, without breaking anything, in the time it takes you to put the leftovers away.
- Feeding pets: A dog can be a child’s best friend. One way to teach responsibility, is to give your child the job of making sure their pup is fed. Make sure the dog (or cat) food is easily accessible in a plastic pail or container. Write reminder notes, this encourages kids to learn to read to make sure they are doing their job.
- Emptying the Dishwasher: My son loves to help with this one. I put the silverware away and we race to see who gets done first. Sometimes, he likes to stack the plates and bowls up as high as he can reach. So far, they haven’t fallen over.
- Making their Bed: This is a particularly hard thing for my son to remember. He has bunk beds that are pushed into a corner of his room. We make it fun by not only making the bed, but setting up his stuffed animals in a pattern or fun design. One time he laid out his animals in the shape of a heart on top of his comforter.
- Vacuuming: Because this is one of my least favorite things to do, I bought my son a $40 lightweight vacuum so he could help me vacuum around the house. He picked out a green vacuum that is light and easy to use. It was the best Mother’s Day gift I ever got….the gift keeps giving, he keeps vacuuming!
I hope these ideas help put a little fun into those dreaded chores. A reader told me about a book that might interest you:
“WORK: Wonderful Opportunity for Raising Responsible Kids.” To read more about the book, click here.
What kind of chores do your kids do? How do you make it fun?
