The older Baby bear gets the more he wants to help around the house so I have compiled a list of chores your little one can help with safety and some independently depending on their age. We use chores as a way for Baby bear to earn himself some pocket money that he can spend. It acts as a double whammy, he helps around the house and learns responsibility as well as learning about money. Making chores fun will help not only your little ones learn but encourage them to do them again and again. We have a flat price of 50p a job which is clear for Baby bear and to, be honest means I can’t forget what job is what price. There are some jobs we don’t pay him for doing as we believe some things he has to learn to just do such as tidying away toys, making his bed and helping to prepare food.

The Washing Machine.

This is an easy chore for your little ones to both help you with and do independently. This is also a good way to include learning colors and grouping similar objects together while sorting the clothes to wash them. Baby bear enjoys putting the clothes into piles to see what pile is bigger and can fill the washing basket. It is also fun to throw the washing downstairs to see how far we can throw it. Your child can then load the washing into the washing machine independently, depending on your child’s age they can then help you put the washing liquid/powder in the machine. Children love pushing buttons so let them turn the wash on with your help what to push and what setting to put it on.

The Tumble Dryer/Hanging Clothes To Dry.

This is very similar to the washing machine chore but can be done completely independently by your child. You may need to give your child instructions the first time but with it being simply put the clothes in the basket and then put them in the tumble dryer it is easy for them. Hanging clothes can be a little more tricky for children and you will need to go behind them and ‘straighten’ up the clothing but with time they will learn the skill of hanging clothes out to dry.

Hovering.

This is another easy one for your little one to help with but again you may need to go behind them and go over it but it’s about them learning the skill. Children will develop the skill and get better with time if it’s given to them. To make it easy for your child I find turning the suction down on the hover so its easier to move helps them. I also found making the floor slightly more messy by sprinkling rice helps teach them where they have hovered and where they need to.

The Dishwasher.

Please remember to take any sharp knives or objects out of the dishwasher and put them away safely before letting your child help to keep them safe.

This is one to do with your child but one Baby bear feels most proud of achieving and enjoys helping with the most. Give your child a t-towel and let them help take things out of the dishwasher and dry them before putting them away. I find this is one to do with older children and you will be surprised how well they do it and know where things live in your kitchen.

Dusting.

Children love wiping things down and enjoy doing this from a very young age. Personally, I give Baby bear a bottle with a spray bottle of anti-bac instead of polish as we have wooden floors so it can become very slippery and he gets a little trigger happy. Anyway, this is a simple chore as it is simply giving your child a cloth and letting them go at it wiping things down.

Tidying Their Toys.

This is a simple one that can be encouraged from a very young age. Putting their toys away after they have been playing not only saves you a job but also teaches them responsibility for their belongings.

Making/Stripping The Bed.

Making the bed is another one you can do from a young age with your children and helps teach them responsibility. Stripping the bed is also a fun chore your little one can do independently and enjoy doing. It links in with putting a load of washing on so you can link 2 or 3 chores together. Making the bed can be harder for your child to do I tend to do that part after Baby bear has stripped his bed. I also encourage Baby bear to get his own bedding set out and ready for me to put on his bed.

Feeding The Family Pet.

This is a brilliant way to not only teach responsibility but also how to care for others. We supervised Baby bear the first handful of times he fed Mia to ensure he was feeding her the right amount but once he got the hang of it I started to give him more responsibility and we are now at the stage where he can do it completely on his own and he loves being responsible for feeding Mia.

Preparing Meals.

Remember to always supervise your children around hot appliances and sharp kitchen equipment.

Cooking with your child is a good way to not only teach children about making healthy meals and snacks but also get them involved in making and preparing the food they are eating. It is also a major life skill your child will have to learn so why not start teaching them early?

Putting Shopping Away.

This can be an interesting one especially if you have a tall fridge/freezer and small children. I find all my shopping goes on the bottom two shelves and the drawer as that’s all Baby bear can reach. The same with the pantry food, however, it is a good way to again get them involved in the food they are eating as well as teach them another life skill of how to store food properly and safely.

Empty The Bin.

Please make sure there are no sharp cans or broken glass in the bin beforehand.

Now I don’t mean taking the full rubbish bag out but helping with recycling is something they can do successfully and independently. This is a chore Baby bear loves to help with and takes great enjoyment in flattening any boxes we have.

As you can see there are many day-to-day chores your child can either help you with or do independently. Most children love to be helpful and copy you so why not get them involved? Hope this helped give you some ideas on what your child can help with around the house and if you have any other chores your children enjoy helping with them feel free to share them in the comments.