If you’ve been saving chore duty until your toddler is a big kid, here’s a word from the wise — don’t wait! Children can pitch in as soon as they learn to walk (seriously). Giving your toddler a few simple tasks is good for her and good for you.
Chores teach toddlers responsibility. But more than that, they boost your 2- or 3-year-old’s sense of mastery and independence. Having a job helps your toddler feel useful and like an important member of the family.
Plus, toddlerhood is the perfect age to start. Two- and 3-year-olds are hardwired to be helpful, research suggests, so lending a hand comes naturally. Take advantage by putting your child to work alongside you as you go about your chores.[1] And work it into your everyday routines: clean-up before dinner, say.
To make pitching in easier for everyone, consider creating or printing out a kids' chore chart, which is a list of jobs your toddler should be doing displayed in a prominent place in the house. Read on to see what makes sense to put into chore charts for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds.
What is a chore chart?
At its most basic, a chore chart is a list of tasks that your toddler checks off once she’s done them. But of course a chore chart is more than that.
A chore chart for kids is a visual reminder of what you can expect (i.e. not too much at this age!), so your child learns to do these things on her own. Plus, it can double as a rewards chart, so you and your cutie can track her progress and your tot can get rewarded for doing her chores.
You can use a dry erase or chalk board, a laminated piece of paper that can be wiped off, posterboard or construction paper, index cards, a regular piece of printer paper, or whatever works for you.
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Are chore charts appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers?
You might think that chore charts are better for school-age kids who can read. Not so!
Toddlers and preschoolers love chore charts too because they're a form of positive reinforcement from their parents and caregivers. Plus, children this age naturally like to help and learn. Chore charts can also make littler kids feel more independent.
To make your kids’ chore chart super enticing for your little one, keep these tips in mind.
Use pictures. Draw the chores or use photos or icons to make it easier for your toddler to grasp what they are. For example, use pictures or illustrations of toys for the "cleaning up toys" chore, hands holding dishes for the "clearing the table" duty, or grocery bags for the "helping with groceries" task.
Place the chore chart where your toddler can see it. You can tape it to the wall in her room; display it in the family room or playroom; or stick it to the kitchen fridge ... and be sure to put it at toddler eye level. That way, your tot can spot what she needs to do more easily — and reach it to check off the chore once she’s finished.
Tie it to a reward. Kids really appreciate positive reinforcement. And they love stickers. So use both to motivate your little one. She can choose the sticker to mark off a job, or you can let her get another kind of reward when she accomplishes a week's worth of chores. It doesn’t have to be a big gift, either. Just some little trinket or a special outing with you.
Don’t expect too much from a kids’ chore chart. You’ll still need to show your 2-year-old what you want her to do over and over. And that’s okay. She’s learning. Be sure to enlist the help of your partner, babysitter, older siblings and other relatives too. After all, doing chores is a family affair.
Keep chores doable. You don’t want to frustrate your child with a job that’s too complicated for her to handle, even with help, or she'll get frustrated and give up.[2] But being able to do small jobs around the house can boost a little one’s self-esteem. For instance, a 2-year-old can bring her dish and maybe even her spoon to the dishwasher or sink. Or she can put away toys (with help). A 3-year-old can wipe up spills and help sort laundry.
Printable chore charts for toddlers and preschoolers
Here are two free printable chore charts, one for 2-year-olds and one for 3-year-olds, that you can use at home. You can add other tasks to them or use them as models for making your own, if you'd like.
The idea is to start small and then build up from there. And always break down each chore into doable steps as you teach it to your 2- and 3-year-old. Otherwise, it may feel overwhelming to your little one.
Toddler chore chart for a 2-year-old
Help clean up toys
Take bowl and plate to sink
Drop dirty clothes into hamper
Put on pants
Put on shirt
Help with groceries
Toddler chore chart for a 3-year-old
Get dressed
- Clean up toys
Help set and clear table
Wipe up spills
Help sort clean laundry
Help make bed
Help feed pets
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