How To Get Kids To Do Chores At Any Age – Very few things can surpass the happiness that comes from seeing your kids enjoy being kids.
But as parents, you already know that childhood can’t be all about games and play.
How your children spend their formative years are critical to their growth and development.
Which means it’s the perfect time to teach them life skills and values, starting with household chores.
Why Kids Need Chores
When you allow your kids to feel too relaxed and too comfortable to the point of not giving them any responsibilities at home, you’re not doing their future selves a favor.
Studies have proven, time and time again, that most children who were assigned their share of household chores turn out to be successful and independent adults.
Your kids are never too young to help around the house. There’s always something for them to do, no matter how old they are. Ask your three-year-old to keep his toys after playtime.
Your five-year-old daughter can set the table. Surely, seven-year-olds can handle feeding the dog, right?
Cultivate their work ethic while they’re young because the older they get, the harder it will be to make them do as you say.
Before we dig into these tips for getting kids to enjoy chores, make sure you go and download these free printable chore charts and money games for kids!
Chore-assignments for Children by Age
Reminding your kids of their tasks for the day can be a tiresome and frustrating job.
Thankfully, you can download chore-chart applications online and easily track or update each other of the tasks completed for the day.
A lot of parents understand the importance of chores in the development of growing children.
The problem is, many of them are having trouble with getting started.
The fact is, it will always be tough at first – everything is.
But once you figure out how to challenge the kids to keep them engaged, it’ll be much, much better.
Anyway, to shed some light on this matter, we have prepared a list to guide you as you kickstart the lessons on chores and responsibility with your children.
Here’s how to encourage kids to do chores at every age.
Related: 5 Ways To Quickly Make Money From Home
How To Get Kids To Do Chores – Toddlers
Toddlers are balls of energy on any given day. They can make you laugh out loud one moment, and then scream in anger the next. But whatever it is that they do, you can tell that they love the attention.
These little tykes love hanging around adults, so you won’t have a hard time convincing them to help you with chores.
But as much as they love lending you a hand, don’t expect them to be of any real help at all — the main goal here developing a positive attitude towards chores.
Ask your toddler to:
- Arrange books and magazines
- Keep their toys after playing
- Wipe their spills
- Put their dirty clothes in the hamper
- Fix pillows and cushions
How To Get Kids To Do Chores – Preschool and Kindergarten-age
As soon as they hit four or five years old, kids maybe not be as enthusiastic about doing chores, but they will still love hanging around adults.
Expect to meet some resistance when asking them to do something, but don’t worry; they won’t be that hard to convince.
Ask your preschooler or kindergartener to:
- Make the bed
- Feed your pets
- Dust shelves
- Sort the laundry
- Set and clear the table
Related: Guide To Making Life Easier For New Parents
How To Get Kids To Do Chores – Elementary-age
When your children enter regular school and start making lots of new friends, it will be tough getting them to do anything around the house.
However, this is also the stage where kids begin to crave for the feeling of independence.
They will want to feel and be treated like they are adults. The trick here then is to challenge them by giving them chores that boost their sense of maturity.
Ask them to:
- Do the dishes
- Take out the trash
- Take care of the pet
- Clean floor
- Fold the laundry
How To Get Kids To Do Chores – Pre-adolescence
The ages of 9 to 12 years old are critical years. At this stage of their lives, children are becoming more aware of the world around them as they begin to understand the why’s and how’s of things.
This is the best time to show them the benefits of positive behavior and the consequences of negative ones.
Pre-adolescent children will try to skip doing chores whenever they can, so you really have to put your foot down if you want to instill discipline and responsibility.
If it helps your cause, reward them for jobs-well-done.
Ask them to do almost any household chores like:
- Wash and dry out clothes
- Take care of their siblings
- Clean the toilet and bath
- Prepare meals and snacks
How To Get Kids To Do Chores – Teenage-years
Whatever values, skills, and life lessons that your kids have developed by the time they become teenagers help shape the adults they grow into, so make these years count.
You don’t have to fill their schedule with chores as they probably have a lot going on with their lives at this point.
Instead, entrust them with duties that will improve their character. What matters here is the kind of attitude they possess and the level of work ethics they show towards the responsibilities handed to them.
Let them take charge of:
- Looking after their siblings
- Planning and preparing meals
- Doing the groceries
- Organizing and supervising the family chore-chart
Related: Our Favorite Home Business Ideas For Moms
How To Get Kids To Do Chores At Any Age – Conclusion
How to get kids to do chores and actually not hate them is a journey in itself.
There’s no single, best way to raise a kid; but while parenting styles can vary greatly, every parent only wants the best for their children.
The thing is, trying to make everything easy for these youngsters may be counterproductive.
Nobody knows what your child is capable of better than you do. The key is in assessing their skill-level and assigning them tasks that are equal parts doable and challenging, so they continuously strive to be better.
One of these days, you’ll witness your kids picking up after themselves and performing their duties without being told – and trust us, it will be one of the proudest moments of your life.
About The Author
Samantha Green is the Content Marketing Strategist for BusyKid, the first and only chore and allowance platform where kids can earn, save, share, spend, and invest their allowance. A mom of two, she enjoys spending time with her kids and reading books to them.
Leave a Reply