Chores, for a toddler? Some people think that it is outrageous, but toddlers actually are in the perfect age for pitching in. Given that they have this budding sense of independence and innate desire to follow your every move. Establishing chores now can actually help them develop important life skills associated with them.
Getting Started
- Make it an activity. Activities that cater to the senses stimulate children and ultimately help them explore. And what is a better way to experience the senses of the world than through chores? Think about it. Cleaning explores touch; food explores smell, touch, and taste; and planting explores touch and smell. Which all triggers excitement. It encourages them to take care of their environment without even realizing it.
- Let them help. Sure, they can't physically help with EVERYTHING, and may even be unsafe to be around in some cases. But, try to incorporate their willingness to help. Can it take a bit longer? Yeah, but with a little patience and grace it can be a teaching opportunity and bonding experience.
- Make rules, but start small. A good routine with some expectations can build a healthy attitude towards chores. What works best for this are natural consequences. Because it is logic that they can understand, but comes with results that they don't like. So they make an effort to stick to them.
- Make them love their environment. Start with yourself by preparing the environment for them. Make it neat and accessible to them, while also emphasizing a sort of order that is appealing to the both of you.Talk to them about it. How beautiful and fun the environment is. And how important it is for the family as a whole to take care of it so that everyone is comfortable and happy. It will lead then to see chores with aesthetic and sensory pleasure.
- Reward chores with chores. I know sounds mean. But figure out which chores they love and which ones they struggle with. And use the pleasurable ones as an incentive for doing the less fun ones. Then chores will become privileges, plus you'll get double the chores done.
Chores
- Putting away toys. If the sight of those pesky blocks, cars, and light up toys all over the house make you want to burst into tears, your child most likely feels the same! Turn them into a pick-up artist by breaking the job down into manageable parts. Be specific — instead of telling them to pick up their superheroes, say, "Please take your Spiderman and put it on the shelf." Better yet, label bins or buckets with a picture of what should go there (cars, blocks, balls, dinosaurs, and so on). Or even try to make a game out of cleaning up — "Let's see who can pick up these cars the fastest". It is perhaps the easiest and most helpful chore.
- Sorting laundry. Does your toddler enjoy dumping, sorting, tossing and piling things up? Take advantage of it by doing the chore all us moms hate the most! By letting them help unloading the clothes out of the dryer and dropping the clean clothes into a laundry basket. Buy a kid-sized hamper that you can put it in their bathroom. They will get a thrill out of the added bath routine of putting their clothes into the dirty hamper. Toddlers cam also learn through the sorting and organizing of clothes. By matching up the socks or throwing clothes into piles by family member, they'll be able to learn about textures, colors, and different sizes along the way. You can even let them pick out their own clothes - getting you a step closer to having them get dressed by themselves.
- Food prep. Turn the witching hour into a bewitching one by establishing some simple and thrilling jobs for them to do during dinner time. You can have them wash the veggies in the sink, luring it as a "bat". Or show them how to scoop rice with a measuring cup and spoon. Or even grease the bowl full of butter, stir the mixes, sprinkle cheese on top, decorate some cookies, and much more.
- Watering plants. Now, I do not have a green thumb whatsoever, but my mother-on-law does. So this is a job that my son enjoys a lot when he visits. Let them take a small plastic water bottle (filled about half way) to water at the base of the plant. Or eliminate the risk of spillage by supplying a small spray bottle for them to mist the leaves as you do the pouring.
- Sweeping/Vacuuming. Toddlers are drawn to the idea of pint-sized toys that simulate household items. They begin to love the idea of having their own broom, stroller, and dust pans. So play off of that. Let them sweep as you do, cleaning up the spilled gold-fish on the floor. They may not be able to efficiently sweep the crumbs into a pile but it's the thought instilled that counts. My son even likes to take the Swiffer and have at it with the kitchen and bathrooms!
- Putting away the groceries. Another opportunity to put their love for sorting into use! They can organize all of the cans into a pile, place all of the fruits into the bowl, add sodas and water into the refrigerator, and you can get in a little learning by pointing out where certain foods go due to temperature or mention characteristics based off food colors, textures, or sizes.
- Feeding the dog. This is my son's personal favorite!You can give then a kid-sized container filled with a little bit of water to replenish the bowl with. Or give them the power to choose what kind of can or treat that the dog will receive that day. You are giving them the power of choice, letting them practice some motor functions, and also showing them what it takes to be responsible for their pets all at the same time!
- Help with sibling changing time. You can have them be a big helper by letting them take on the role as the big sibling. They can fetch some diaper and wipes, and even throw out the dirty diapers! It helps out a lot and keeps them busy as you focus on your little for a minute.
Tips for encouraging them.
- Keep it short and sweet. Remember, toddlers don't have very long attention spans. You'll need to plan on chores that take around 5 or less minutes to do.
- Keep it simple. Start by doing stuff one at a time. Letting them put all that short attention to full use and mastering it before moving on. Before long, they'll have a whole lot of skill sets in the chore category.
- Give them a choice. Toddlers value the power of choice incredibly.
- And don't forget to keep it fun!