Keeping a clean house is not easy, and with children it can become even harder to set aside time to pick up toys, clothes, and wipe down the floors. There is a way to integrate your children into cleaning though – using chore charts. Check out our article about ten benefits of using chore charts for kids, and where you can get a chore chart to start keeping your kids organized and your house clean.
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What Is a Chore Chart?
Chore charts are a calendar-format chart used to list out chores and delegate responsibilities to your children. It provides a little extra encouragement to do chores, and gives positive reinforcement that your children are doing a good thing.
Your child will have a visible goal to reach, and can celebrate with every chore crossed off their list or a sticker added to their chart. The positive memories associated with doing chores will have a better chance of following them as they grow up, and continue to do chores and keep an organized personal space.
10 Benefits of Using Chore Charts for Kids
10. Teaches Independence
When kids are younger, they often need help doing everything or will follow you everywhere. By giving them some chores suitable for their age, you can give them independence to complete tasks on their own. They will not be clueless on how to do certain chores, and can apply that to the real world.
9. Makes Chores More Fun
Chores can be tedious, boring, and annoying to do, and that’s just the opinion of adults. Kids want to have the ability to play whenever, and cleaning up their mess just doesn’t sound that appealing. By giving them a chart to tie into chores, the chores will become a fun game to complete.
8. Teaches Responsibility
Having your toys and clothes spread all over the house is messy, and can lead to kids not respecting what they have as much. By using chore charts, you can teach your kids responsibility of their property and of their actions. They will be less likely to make a complete mess if they know they have to clean it up.
7. Balance Between Work/Play
As adults, we all have to balance our work lives and times when we get to relax. This can be true for younger children too, as chore charts will show them the difference between working to make the house clean and playing with their toys. As they grow up, this lesson will stick in their minds, and they will know how to approach work and play equally.
6. Teaches Pre-reading Skills
Try having your child place their sticker or cross of their chart for the week, and teach them the words associated with each chore. It will allow them to get used to letters and words, and give them a leg-up when learning how to read and write. One of the most important things for a child to be able to do is read and write, and you can supplement those skills with chore charts.
5. Time Management
Time management is a huge skill to have when you’re older, and it’s perfect to start training your kids when they are young through chores. By having kids do their chores before dinner or before playing, you can ensure that they are choosing their time wisely so they can still play and get what they want, while completing chores.
4. Organizational Skills
This is a huge one, and a direct correlation to chore charts. By having chores, your house will be picked up and cleaned. There will be no toys or clothes strewn around, and you can have dishes and floors cleaned without you having to do all the work. In the future, kids will be more mindful that they need to keep their clothes and toys in certain places and not all over the house.
3. Self-Esteem
This one might sound a little weird at first, but it makes sense for a young kid. Children constantly say “look at me” for validation that they are doing a good job. By having them complete chores, you can be proud of them and it will transfer to the kids being proud of themselves for completing a job.
2. Increased Brain Development
Giving children instructions on what to do and how to do it allows their brain development to increase as they learn useful skills. You can trust your child to understand what is going on, and to behave themselves going forward.
1. Better Relationships
Sometimes when all of the chores are dumped on one person, it can get tense when other family members continue to make a mess. I can definitely attest to this, as there are certain roles that need to be completed by each family member, and if they aren’t the slack has to be picked up by someone else. By giving everyone chores in the house it lessens the load on you, the parent, and can become a fun weekly activity to bring the family together.
Age Appropriate Chores for Kids 2-9 years
Not all chores are for all ages. Check out our recommended list of chores that two to nine year-olds can complete with relatively little danger to them.
2-3 Years:
- Put toys away
- Help feed the pets
- Pick up clothes
- Help set the table
4-5 Years:
- Pack bag for school
- Made their bed
- Put away groceries with a parent
- Empty the dishwasher with help
6-7 Years:
- Vacuum/sweep the floors
- Pack their lunch
- Rake leaves
- Fold/put away clothes
7-9 Years:
- Clean bathroom
- Wash/load dishwasher
- Help with meal prep
- Take pet for a walk
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Chore Charts for Kids
Chore charts can be homemade, but if you’re looking for a more professional chart, check out these options.
Magnetic Dry Erase Chore Chart Set
If you have multiple kids, this chore chart will be perfect for you. With four sections and a dry erase surface, you can easily add or take away chores as needed. There is even a “reward” section at the bottom, where you can set a goal for your kid in order to watch a movie or have a sleepover. Out of 886 ratings, this chore chart has a 4.6 star rating, and is only $12.
Chore Chart for Kids
If you only have one child that needs a chore chart, this option could be more suited to your family. With knobs that can be switched over once the chore is completed, the chart is interactive for kids and they can feel accomplished moving another peg to the completed section. This chart has paper slots where you write down the chores instead of a dry erase surface. For $10, this 4.3 star chore chart is a perfect start for your child.
Should kids have chore charts?
Parents and caregivers can guide children to become more self-sufficient in their chores and daily life by using chore charts to keep track of their responsibilities.
Do chores teach kids life skills?
Chores teach kids a range of life skills such as self-worth and self-reliance. It can also help them embrace important lessons such as the value of taking responsibility for their clothes and/or toys, and they are more aware of the mess they have made.
What are some benefits of children doing chores with pay?
Paying kids to do their chores instills a negative and twisted sense of doing things for the community or others and expecting some sort of monetary reward. Doing chores without pay will avoid this and teach kids responsibility for their mess and awareness of the world around them.
Chores can become a pain if they are not approached in the right way. By introducing chore charts to your kids, you can make cleaning a family task, and finally keep those floors clean. The benefits will be long-term, so take a chance and try out using chore charts for your kids the next time you need to clean the house.
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