You don’t have to burden yourself with all of the housework. One of the best ways to stop feeling overwhelmed is by delegating. If you have kids at home, they are more than able to help you clean up.
Getting kids to help around the house teaches them how to clean up after themselves and to be responsible and learn good habits.
I believe in chore charts and getting the kids used to a routine so I like to combine their chores into a daily routine so they can get into the habit of doing these things daily.
My kids are 6 years, 4 years and 18 months old. The older two are capable of doing a lot around the house like picking up, unloading the laundry, folding and putting away laundry, wiping down the table, setting the table, vacuuming, and more. The baby likes to copy me while I am cleaning. She likes to throw things away in the trash or help me put the wet clothes into the dryer.
Table of Contents
5 Ways To Get Kids To Do Their Chores Every Day
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Charting/Tracking
- Using a chore chart to track what needs to be done is great for kids to see how well they’re doing. Letting them check it off or color it in is a great reinforcer.
- Using a chart is visual and motivates them to do it daily
- Seeing the reward on the chore chart gives them something to work towards as well
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Using a Timer
- When you tell the kids to start cleaning up, they rarely want to do it. But when you set the timer and tell them they have 20 minutes to pick up all their toys, they seem to jump up and start.
- There is something about setting a deadline that makes us all want to do it. Instead of doing chores, it becomes a game as to if they can beat the clock!
- Timers can also be used for getting ready in the morning or at night
- You can use a kitchen timer, a timer on your phone, an hourglass, a clock etc.
- If they do it within the time limit be sure to praise them for a job well done! They will love knowing that they did something to make you happy.
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Make it Fun
- Turn chores into a game. I like to give each kid a small bag and the ones who can pick up the most garbage or toys around the house wins.
- Put some music on. If motivation is low, blasting on some music is always a great way to get everybody up and going!
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Incentivize with Praise, Rewards or an Allowance
- Whenever I see my kids cleaning up after themselves I always make them know that I see them and appreciate it. I thank them for cleaning their room, I tell them how well they behaved at the movies, etc.
- Praise helps them to keep doing the task on their own. They especially love it if people are around.
- Sometimes kids need a little motivation. I always remind my kids that at the end of the week if they do their chores every single day then we will take them out wherever they want in the city. They always choose Chuck E. Cheeses. They also love a good trip to their cousins’ house, the game store or going to the park (even though we go there every weekend anyway!).
- If your kids are younger they may need daily motivation, so offering things like special treats, an allowance, or fun games every day may work better for you.
- Sometimes, even praise for a job well done is enough reward for younger children! They love a good high-five!
- Other rewards can include:
- an ice cream trip
- a small toy
- points (which they can save up for something)
- an outing
- sleepover
- playing a game
- staying up later
- helping to make a sweet treat
- watching a special movie
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Use a Docking System
- If a child still won’t respond to any of the above methods try using a docking system.
- If you give them an allowance for chores, if they don’t do take away a certain amount or make them pay you for it.
- You can also take away their toys and put it away they can’t get to it. Anything that is left out past a certain time and not picked up is yours to keep. They will learn to pick up their things if they don’t want to lose their things.
Kids that are younger will definitely need more help at first. Try modeling by helping them do the task alongside them.
Also be sure to give kids a warning before making them do their chores. Let them know what time of day they will be required to clean up. Giving them a warning helps them being surprised and will lessen the whining.
If you need more help deciding what to put on the chore list for your child/ren be sure to check out this blog post from thirtyhandmadedays, she breaks down age-appropriate chores so you can start getting help around the house!
GET YOUR FREE PRINTABLES:
I made these chore charts on Canva, for free, you can edit this design or find more templates for chore charts yourself. They offer lots of images and clip art so if your kids are younger try to put in some pictures instead!
Editable Kids’ Chore Chart Planner – Canva
Kids-Chore-Chart-Planner-1 – PDF
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I hope this post will help you and your kids to keep a clean house daily! Let me know in the ocmments below if you have any other tips!
