Yesterday I posted about chore charts. Writing that post got me wondering — what sorts of chores are good for my 5-year-old and which ones are better for my 11-year-olds?
I found a website with great age-appropriate chore charts, Printable Checklists. It has checklists for 2-3-year-olds, 4-5-year-olds, 6-7-year-olds, 8-9-year-olds and 10+. On the 4-5-year-old checklist, for example, there are jobs such as “Put books in a pile,” “Fix bowl of cereal” and “Bring in mail.” Each chart is just a bit longer than the one for the age before it; the one for ages 10+, is an entire page long, whereas the checklist for 2-3-year-olds fits three times on one page, with extra blanks besides. The site has a blank chore chart too, in case you don’t like the pre-formatted ones.
WebMD has a fabulous article with tips on kids and chores. Among the many ideas I gleaned from reading it, my favorite is to make a list of all the household chores that need to be done and let kids pick some they like best to put on their own lists, assuming they’re able to perform said chores.
I also appreciated the tip on giving kids a lengthy amount of time in which to get the chore done. This lets them do it at their leisure, yet also leaves the responsibility for finishing it completely in their hands. I suppose a kid could prove unable to handle such freedom, but it’s certainly a good way to start.
More lists of age-appropriate chores can be found on on chores-help-kids.com; Focus on the Family; and WorkingMom.com, which also links to an easily customizable, printable chore chart. If nothing else, these sites can help you figure out which chores you think are suitable for your own children.
At what age do you think kids should start doing chores? What types of jobs should they be doing?
We made a list of chores, divided them up, made two columns (for our two older boys; we’ll have to make an extra list for our daughter as she gets older) on a chart, and made name tags with velcro on them. Each week the jobs rotate, and each boy gets a column of chores to do. At the bottom of the list I also wrote down the chores that all family members need to do. This really works well for us, and eliminates any question of who does what. We really need to revamp it though as the kids are now older and can help out with more things.
Some of the individual chores are: wiping the table after meals, getting everyone water to drink, feeding the dog, cleaning up the entranceway, starting the dishwasher, etc. Joint chores that everyone must do are things like clear their own plates, fold and put away their own clothes (varying success with this one), vacuum up their own spills/messes, etc.
We don’t tie chores with money – this is just what the kids do as part of the family. It helps that in Japan, where we live, children help clean their own schools (no cleaning staff), neighborhood parks, etc. – they learn that this is just what you do as part of a community. So that reinforces what we try to do at home.
I’m enjoying all the chore links you’ve sent – they’re really helpful!
Christine
Hey Sarah,
Great post…I’m on my way to WebMD to check it out.
Fellow Blogathoner….Danielle of Horrible Sanity
http://www.horriblesanity.com
Thanks, Danielle!
Hope you find something helpful.
Christine,
Thanks so much for your comments. I like the way you organize your chore list.
What a great society to live in, where kids help take care of everything! I wish our country was more that way. It definitely teaches responsibility and also makes kids realize that there actually is someone who is going to have to pick up the mess, thereby making them more careful, I’m sure.
I think I’m going to have mandatory chores and then make a list of chores that I don’t particularly like to do, each with a monetary reward for the child who chooses to do them. We’ll see how that works.
I love your blog name!
I’m not a big fan of chore charts, because I tend to find that the enthusiasm wears off very quickly. I’m intrigued, though, by the lists of age-appropriate chores. I scanned a couple and was pleasantly surprised to find that a lot of the things the boys do (feeding the cat, emptying the dishwasher, getting and cleaning up their own breakfast) are on the lists. I’m considering printing out the charts, just to see what the boys think. A bit concerned, though, that they might be put off. They’re the kinds of kids who would rather not be TOLD to do it. Hmmm. Maybe I shouldn’t mess with a good thing!