Giving Kids Responsibilities
March 8, 2018
Here are some ideas for age-appropriate tasks that can children can be held accountable for and complete with some caregiver help.
Toddler:
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Put away their toys when they are finished with them. You can make this into a brain building moment by asking they put all blue toys in one bin, all yellow ones in another…
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Place their dirty clothes in the hamper.
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Bring their dishes to the sink after they’re done with a snack or meal.
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Clean up their spill or another type of accident. It’s great to show your kids that accidents happen and are able to be corrected. Try your best to keep your cool when these accidents happen and help your little one soak up their spilled milk or gather their pasta off of the floor.
Preschool:
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Set and clear the table. This is also a great task for math skills–how many people are in our family? How many plates, forks, and napkins will we need?
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Sweep or Swiffer the floor. This can be a really satisfying chore for kids and parents alike! It also builds gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination as your child brushes items into the dustpan.
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Make his or her bed–it might not be as neat as when a grown-up does it but make sure to praise their effort!
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Hang-up their towel after bathing. This is an opportunity to talk about cause and effect: if their towel does not get hung up, it won’t be dry in time for bath-time tomorrow.
Elementary School:
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Walk the dog or water a household plant. Empower your children to care for and nurture other living things.
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Help pack up lunch–have your kids put their cut up fruit into a Ziploc and pick which type of sandwich they would like for the day. By giving your kids real but limited choices they will feel more in control of their diet and more likely to eat what you send them to school with!
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Put away folded laundry into the appropriate drawers.
For more on encouraging independence, click here!
Content adapted from Rainbow Pediatrics.