I know this isn’t earth shattering news but kids are not too fond of doing chores. We all know that. And, if I am being honest, we adults aren’t too fond of them either. But chores are things that have to get done. The best way to get everyone into the habit is to make the experience more enjoyable. If you make it fun, everyone will want to pitch in and help. And the more help you get, the faster things get done!
Ready, set, go
One of the easiest ways to get chores done fast is to challenge your kids to a race, or have them race each other. NO matter what the task, they are always going to want to win. Always. Before you start the race, make sure each child has the same or comparable chores, like making their beds or one cleaning dishes and one drying dishes. You can have the races “count” per day, or set up a time chart on the wall and compare best times for the week.
Just like with any race, there should always be a first and last prize involved and also any honorable mentions! Prizes can be something as simple as a reward sticker or even some type of an allowance. You know what will motivate your children.
Create A Chore Chart
With a chore chart, kids can clearly see what needs to be done and how often. This is great for older kids and takes some of the nagging out of doing chores. Our favorite chore chart is the Melissa & Doug Magnetic Responsibility Chart. I love that it’s magnetic and you can move chores around depending on the week. The kids also like helping pick out their chores.
Chore charts work because kids can read the chart, place a sticker or check mark when they complete a task and parents can check what is being done visually, without having to constantly ask. Rewards can be given for chores done without being asked or a fully completed chart in the time allotted. For small kids or children who can’t read very well, pictures of the actions can be used instead of the written word.
Chore Trading Cards
While the chore chart still works for us, I like to mix things up a bit every know and then. By doing a something new, you keep the kids interested in helping out. What are we doing new? Chore Trading Cards! Shuffle them up and let each person in the family, or each child, choose their chores at random. Allow children to trade chores if they’d like or keep the ones they were assigned.
Good behavior can be rewarded by allowing them to leave one chore card for the week, pass it off to you, or have the option of one free trade the next week. For bad behavior, extra chore cards can be given or allow another person to trade off an unfavorable chore for a more favorable one with the person that is being punished.
Want a set of your own Chore Trading Cards? I recommend printing out the chore cards on white cardstock. If you want them to last longer, laminate them with self-adhesive laminating sheets!
Kids love games and prizes, turn chores into contests and you’ll children will actually look forward to doing them.
Stephanie Glover is a Collegeville, PA mom of two. This post was adopted from her blog, A Grande Life.
