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Ways Your Kids Can Help Around the House At Any Age
- Learning Resources Posted On Mar 8, 2022
Most kids love being helpful, and giving them age-appropriate chores builds responsibility and confidence. But what can mommy’s little helpers do to help that doesn’t create more work for you? See below for age-appropriate chores that will make your little ones feel like contributing members of the family.
Toddlers Can Help Out By…
- Putting Toys Away – Be specific about what goes where – blocks in the bin, stuffed animals on the bed, and your little one can help right their room after a play session.
- Putting Their Clothes in the Hamper – Set a timer and see how fast your cutie can pick the clothes off the floor and put them in the hamper.
- Sorting Laundry – This task does double duty by helping little ones learn their colors. Kids can also put the load into the washer and take it out of the dryer (once the dryer has cooled).
- Watering Plants – Start with outdoor plants and show your little one how to hold the hose and count to three while they soak the base of each plant.
- Dust – Slip a pair of socks on your sweetie’s hands and let them dust your low surfaces (remove any breakables first!).
Preschoolers Can Help Out By…
- Making Their Beds – Just don’t expect perfection! Covers pulled up, and the pillow on top is plenty for this age.
- Clearing the Table – Unless you’re using your Sunday best, little kids can move plates, cups, bowls, and silverware (skip the sharp knives) to the countertop to be washed.
- Putting Away the Silverware – Lift the tray to the counter, put your kiddo on a sturdy chair, and have them sort the cutlery into the appropriate places. Bonus – sorting is a critical early math skill!
- Matching Socks – Matching is another early math skill your preschooler can practice by matching the loose socks from the clean laundry load.
- Feeding Pets – You will need to remind them, but preschoolers can help care for their pets by scooping pet food into a bowl.
Kindergartners Can Help Out By…
- Loading the Dishwasher – Pass your older kids the plates, cups, and silverware and watch as they load them into the appropriate places.
- Wiping the Table – Once the table is cleared (hopefully by your preschooler!), your kiddo can wipe it down with a damp sponge. Then they can help by…
- Sweeping the Floors – Show your kindergartner how to sweep slow and low and how to brush the crumbs into the dustpan, then let them take over, Cinderella-style.
- Putting Away Laundry – Starting with clothes that are stored in drawers, your kiddo can put away their underwear, socks, shorts, and tees. Hanging clothes will come later.
- Emptying the Trash – Kindergarteners can empty the smaller trash cans around the house into a larger can to be taken outside by a bigger kid.
You will likely have to supervise these chores, at least initially, but soon your sweeties will get the hang of them and take over on their own. The sooner you start, the more willing your child will be to continue helping out as they grow, building confidence, feeling like a contributing member of your family, and learning valuable life skills along the way.
Tips on Staying Organized for Homeschool
Make learning easier and more peaceful when you organize your homeschool. Here are five tips and tricks tools to help with your homeschool organization so your family can enjoy your homeschool more.
Whether homeschooling is something you have been wanting to do for a while, or a choice you made due to COVID-19, staying organized can make for an easier transition. After all, not only will you be eating, sleeping and living at home, you will now have school to add to the list! It is a lot to juggle, but staying organized can save you money, time and energy, and also make homeschooling life more fun.
Get yourself a homeschool calendar.
One of the perks of homeschooling is that you can go by your very own calendar and are no longer tied to the traditional school year. However, in most cases, children will still need and want to have some sort of school year structure, so having a physical calendar handy that they can reference is a good idea. A calendar can also help plan lessons and map out a curriculum in advance.
Set up dedicated folders, cubbies or shelves for each child.
Kids feel more prepared if they know what is expected of them ahead of time in school, and at home it should be set up similarly. Spend some additional time setting up folders, cubbies or individual spots on some shelves for your children. That way, they know where to go to find their school work. There should be a “place for everything” - both to save your children time and energy with searching for missing assignments, and to save you from losing your sanity.
Create a library book bin.
I have spent more time than I care to admit hunting down my children’s lost library books. The good news is that after many years of frustration, I have finally wizened up. Get yourself some cheap cubby bins (the kind that easily slip onto shelves) and label them with your child’s name. Designate that bin the “library book bin” and make sure books are to be returned to that spot when they are finished reading.
Make a designated space for school records.
Depending on what your state requires, you may need to save portfolios or
cumulative files for longer than the school year. It would be smart to have a
designated space for record keeping. We are not required to do this by law where I live, but I have chosen to keep folders and a binder labeled with each child’s name and that will serve as a portfolio of sorts.
Get yourself a tabletop organizer.
My family loves the Create-a-Space Storage Center from Learning Resources. It is an absolute must-have for any homeschooling family who works around a kitchen or dining room table. A multi-functional space saver, it comes with eight storage containers (plus the center console) that come in and out of the fitted tray. Each removable container comes with an easy-to-hold handle, so children can easily access and grab the materials they need. We love this one because it’s super convenient to have all the needed supplies in one place.
I have found these simple tools have made organizing our family’s homeschool much easier. Regardless of what you choose to do, please know there’s no right method of homeschool organization - but you do need to do it!
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