Should My Little One Be Doing Chores?

Getting Your Little Ones Involved around the Home with Chores for Kids!

There is no doubt about it — running a household can take a LOT of work! It’s a very reasonable expectation that parents have someone to help them around the home, especially when doing preschool at home, and many parents wonder about whether or not their little ones can help out a little by doing chores. The answer — absolutely! Preschoolers are actually at a perfect age range to be starting out with chores; they are trying to build up those motor skills, so simple tasks are very attainable for them. They’re also learning how to take directions, remember what people tell them, and most importantly, they’re excited about learning new things and ways to be independent!

Not only are chores totally doable for many little ones, there are actually a lot of benefits to introducing your little one to doing chores at a young age! If you’ve ever enrolled your little one in Montessori preschool, you know how important it is to the curriculum that your little one builds up a sense of independence and resilience. Little ones want to contribute — you just have to guide them in how they do so. By giving them manageable tasks to complete, you are demonstrating a trust in them that will help them build confidence and give them a sense of purpose and responsibility! You can also start to build up a sense of unity among your family by entrusting your little one to do chores. When you work together as a family, you’re strengthening the bond you’ve created, and you’re helping your little one feel like a productive part of the family! Doing family chores such as gardening, raking leaves, and the like are good examples of this. Finally, as we mentioned before, chores for kids are a great way to help your little one build skills and develop. Chores require attention, motor skills, focus, and awareness of patterns that will help your little one inside and outside of the classroom.

Great! So we’ve determined that chores for kids are an amazing way for your little one to learn and grow — how exactly do you start to introduce and encourage doing those chores? Well, the first tip we can give you is a simple one — model them yourself! Little ones love to follow in our footsteps, and are much more likely to complete tasks you give them if you can show them not only how to do them, but that you also complete these tasks. Be strategic about the times of day you choose to complete activities so that you have the time to really work on them without feeling too much pressure or stress. For example, if grocery shopping is the task, try to pick times where your little one is feeling energized and not ornery, exhausted from preschool at home, or sleepy from naptime! Another great way to make chores a regular part of the day is to do just that — make a chore routine or schedule! Your little one will have a much easier time preparing themselves to complete activities (especially those they might not be as fond of) if they can predict when they will happen and depend on them occurring. Even on busy days, try and pick a few chores for kids that your little one can consistently complete, such as picking up their toys at the end of an evening, or bringing their plate to the sink after suppertime. Your little one may not like all of the chores they’re asked to do, so another good way to keep your little one excited about doing chores is to give them choices. By presenting them with an option of some kind, even though you’re asking them to complete a task, they will feel as if they have gotten some say in the matter, which is helpful to them! Finally, something that is really important when giving your little one tasks to complete is to ensure that they are age appropriate! It’s easy for little ones to get frustrated, and if you present your little ones with tasks that are too challenging for them, they may get upset and want to throw in the towel. By keeping the chores for kids simple and doable, you can create an environment where your little one feels accomplished when they complete chores, rather than discouraged that they struggled. 

It may take a little ironing out at the start, but it’s totally possible to help your little ones become excited about completing chores. Sooner than you know it, they’ll be happy that they can pitch in and help out the family! Try Our Online Preschool for FREE! Playgarden Prep offers educational videos from real teachers, and numerous DIY projects that support early learning and development for preschool at home learning!