Chores help children understand that each family member plays an important role in the operation of the home. While chores should be age appropriate, even young children can carry out simple tasks that contribute to the smooth running of the home. The Center for Effective Parenting recommends demonstrating new chores in step-by-step detail and monitoring your child to ensure that he understands how to complete the chores.
Meal Preparation
Children of all ages can find something to do in the kitchen, whether the task involves meal preparation, cooking or cleaning the kitchen. Appropriate kitchen chores for very young children include putting away groceries, organizing shelves and wiping up small spills. Setting the table, removing dishes from the table and loading the dishwasher are other common kitchen chores for children. If you don't have a dishwasher, children can assist in washing and drying dishes. Depending on age and comfort level in the kitchen, older children may assist in meal preparation by doing such things as washing and tearing lettuce or cutting up vegetables.
Cleaning
Dusting furniture is an easy chore that even the youngest child can perform. If you have children in several different age ranges, dusting chores can divided by height, with the taller children dusting the higher parts of the room. Once your child is strong enough to manage your vacuum cleaner, vacuuming can be added to the chore list. Sweeping floors and mopping are other cleaning chores appropriate for children. Buy smaller, child-size brooms to allow younger children to assist in sweeping. While it is not a task that needs to be performed every day, your child may enjoy cleaning windows.
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
Children can assist in cleaning their rooms by putting clean clothing in drawers and closets, dusting dressers and nightstands, returning toys to the toy box and making beds. In the bathroom, younger children might wipe down sinks or collect used towels that must be washed. Cleaning bathtubs, showers and bathtubs can be assigned to older children.
Pet Care
If you have pets, assigning children some pet care chores may help them understand the responsibility the whole family has in caring for the pet. Children can fill food and water bowls or bottles, clean bowls and cages, brush pets and take dogs for walks. Older children might be responsible for cleaning and filling litter boxes or using a pooper scooper in your yard if you have a dog.
Laundry
Laundry chores for younger children may include sorting dirty laundry, placing clothes in the washer and dryer and folding clean clothes. Older children may use the washer and dryer independently and iron their own clothes.
Other Chores
Emptying trash bins throughout the house and watering plants are common chores for children. Children can also be asked to separate recyclables and place the items in the appropriate bins. Younger children might enjoy bringing in the mail or newspaper. Children can assist with yard work, helping to plant flowers and vegetables, water plants, weed planting beds and rake leaves. If you live in a cold climate, teenagers can help clear snow from driveways and sidewalks in the winter.
