Let’s be honest, what child likes chores? Starting them young and making chores such as taking out the trash or dusting can help build good habits as your children grow. How do you make chores fun? Rewards, of course! Before we dig into that, let's talk chore charts.
How to Create a Chore Chart
Determine what chores are age-appropriate for your child. Find simple tasks that each child can accomplish with minimal help from you. Collaborate with your younger children about what tasks they’ll take on. When they have the option to choose their chores, you may notice less arguing when it comes time to do them.
There are several different ways to organize your chart: daily, weekly or even monthly. You can write the name of the chore or draw a picture that illustrates the task.
Once you’ve put the chart together, consider laminating it. This allows you to write on it with a dry erase marker and reuse it until your chores need to change.
If you want to skip some of the work of creating your child's chore chart, you can download and print our free version here.
When your chart is ready to go, display it in a location where your children can easily see it throughout the day. Hanging it at eye level on the refrigerator or a bulletin board works great.
Stay Positive About Chores
Children are like sponges, so approach your chores excitedly. Clean up after dinner with a smile or listen to your favorite music while vacuuming. If you’re having fun with your tasks, your children will be more inclined to do the same.
Rewards
If you can teach your children the value of money early in life, you’ll set them up for future success. Consider rewarding them with money for every chore they complete. You can give them a flat fee if all chores are completed every day or every week. Try giving younger children coins for their piggy bank.
Consider opening a Youth Club account where your child can deposit their hard-earned money, learn how to manage their money and build their saving habits. Need some additional ideas? Check out our blog post for fun ways to teach kids about saving money.