Deciding on chores for your preschooler? Household chores are a great way to increase your child’s life skills. By giving your child chores, you give them a foundation to take care of their own homes in the future. However, you’ll want to make sure that you choose age-appropriate chores for your children. Find tasks that are easily teachable and build your expectations slowly. It’s usually a good idea to choose chores based on your children’s developmental levels. For example, here are some appropriate chores for preschoolers.
Putting Away Toys and Cleaning the Bedroom
Children can start cleaning up their own toys around age 2. That said, if your preschooler has never cleaned up their own toys before, now is a great time to start. It’s a simple task, but it may require some coaching at first. Be very specific about your instructions. For example, instead of saying “clean up your toys,” you might say “put all of the dolls in your toybox.”
Eventually, your child should be able to clean their entire bedroom. Again, start with specific instructions and build your expectations over time. You can start by cleaning the bedroom with (not for) your child. Gradually release the reins until your child is cleaning their own room. You might also use a visual chart that shows them all of their room-cleaning tasks. These charts make the process of cleaning simpler and less overwhelming.
Some Laundry Duties
While you shouldn’t expect your child to take over the laundry, appropriate chores for preschoolers do include some laundry-related tasks. These tasks should only apply to their own laundry, not the entire family’s laundry. First, your child should put their dirty clothes in a hamper once they take them off. Second, they can put away their clean laundry. Set your child’s folded clothes on their bed and then show them how to put the clothes away. The first few times you ask your child to put away their clothes, you might do this task with them. After a few times, ask them to do it on their own. Eventually you can tell your child that you want them to put away their clothes every time they see folded laundry in their room.
Making the Bed
Appropriate chores for preschoolers include making the bed. Once again, you’ll want to show your child how to do it before expecting them to do it on their own. Help your child turn this task into a daily habit. You can do this by turning it into part of the morning routine. Keep in mind that your child’s bed won’t look amazing for a while. Resist the temptation to straighten out the mistakes yourself. Your child’s skills will improve over time, and they’ll develop more confidence if they figure them out on their own.
Wiping Surfaces
Lots of children love this particular chore. Wiping down surfaces is a great chore idea for little ones. This can include wiping the table after dinner, wiping the windows, and dusting certain surfaces. When these tasks involve cleaning agents, try to use natural cleaners or vinegar instead of anything with harsh chemicals.
Chores for Preschoolers
Looking for a way for your child to build life skills? Chores for preschoolers are a great way to do just that. Another way to help your child build life skills is through Legacy Academy’s preschool program. At Legacy, children learn life skills and social skills in addition to academic skills. Want to learn more about your Legacy Academy options? Contact us today. We’re right here in Frisco.
