"Chores" for little ones

piphigirl · October 2013

I started teaching Charlotte to put away her toys this summer. Before her naps, I would clean up and talk a LOT about what I was doing: "Mommy is cleaning up. Look how I pick up the toys. Mommy puts toys in the basket. Mommy puts books on the shelf." Then I started handing her one toy and asking her to put it in the basket. I would point and show her how I did it and she caught on! For a while, she would put anything we handed her in the basket we pointed at and said "Put _____ in the basket."

Well, now I think she really knows "get out" and "put away!" She can get her shoes when asked, and usually bring a matching pair. She can also follow "put your shoes in the basket" directions so well. Last night, when I said, "It's time to clean up the living room. Let's put away toys," she JUMPED up and started putting everything in sight into the toy basket. It was amazing!

Next I want to teach her to put her dirty clothes into the hamper. I think that's a good next step.

Has anyone else taught their LOs to get things out or put them away? How successful have you been? Maybe it's because I am a FTM and haven't spent much time around toddlers, but I am amazed that she can do all this! (Maybe other kids were doing this at 9 months and Charlotte is totally behind, but I am still impressed with her.)

What other "chores" are you teaching your LOs? I'd love more ideas. I am a firm believer that kids find joy in helping mom and dad run the house.

rp-chicago-mom · October 2013

Howell helps with laundry. I drop wet things into a clean basket and he throws them into the dryer. We keep his books in a few bins downstairs (upstairs are on a shelf) and he puts his books in the bins with me.

latnprincess · October 2013

Cannot say that I have. Also my now 6 year old used to be the best at putting his dirty clothes in the hamper and "Clean up! Clean up! Everybody do your share!" You think he does that now despite the 500 reminders a day, time outs, punishments.... I hope you have better luck than me! :-S

sadeathe · October 2013

We do this with books. I tell him to go get a book and he'll get one and bring it to me. He'll take the book to the general vicinity of the rest of the books when I tell him to put it up; we're still working on him getting it onto the shelf. If I tell him to close something, like a drawer or a door, he will do that. He'll open a door when I tell him, too.

It is really neat to see him figuring out what I mean and doing it.

jodegaard · October 2013

James puts his toys in their buckets, the balls in their basket, and his books on the shelf.

alrighthamilton · October 2013

She puts things in bins, laundry baskets, the toilet, the garbage, especially her Little People. Then she gets mad that she can't take them right back out again.

MrsWhipple · October 2013

Um, I think we are behind. My kid doesn't put anything away. DH and I do it after he goes to bed!

CrazyDaisy8 · October 2013

Wow, I run a pretty loose ship I guess. My little guy knows how to turn off a light, that is about it.

thepretzelchick · October 2013

We have a field that needs plowing. We're still working on him with that. However, he has almost mastered the pressure washer and we tied the highchair to the lawn mower, so that saves us a lot of time.

In all seriousness, he's starting to help pick up his toys and he will sometimes load silverware into the dishwasher. More impressive for me, though, is that I will say, "We need to change your britches," and he'll crawl to the playroom, grab the diaper wipes, and lay on his changing mat. It makes my life so much easier to have a toddler who loves diaper changes. When he poops, he'll tap my leg, point to his butt, and then crawl to the playroom.

fastcarsandfreedom3319 · October 2013

As much as I have tried to teach him, it seems the "in one ear and out the other" has started early, he doesn't even hear me say "clean up." We are working on putting his diaper in the genie, which looks promising, but doesn't help me much.

He does try to put on his shoes and hat, but he isn't successful with either.

jessalynn521 · October 2013

A will put books back when we are done reading (or try to anyhow. He can't get it to stand upright usually) and he will put toys in his baskets, but I can't just say "pick up your toys" and he does it.

rp-chicago-mom · October 2013

I just want to clarify I didn't give him chores. He helps with laundry because it keeps him from eating cat food.

BluepointToasted · October 2013

Damn ladies, I am behind! I try to teach Luciano to clean up, but he usually just takes everything back out after he puts it in....if he even puts it in. He follows the direction "give me" very well, but that's about it.

lynde129 · October 2013

DS will give things to myself or whomever we state, put things down/ pick them up, and place them in given places,come to stated person, brush my hair when I ask (lol- this one is my favorite, even though its only about 2 strokes) and ring the doorbell( aka press the lit up button b/c it looks interesting) on command.

amaite · October 2013

He LOVES laundry. He pushes the basket of dirty laundry from the bedroom to the kitchen and then puts a couple things in the washer and closes it. He gets upset that I have to open it to finish loading it. He'd much rather start the machine as quickly as possible. When finished he pulls the wet clothes out into the basket, but stops after a few and starts putting them in the dryer. He's always in such a rush to get to the next step and doesn't like when I hold him back so that we can actually get a full load done. When the dryer is done he takes everything he can reach out, including the dryer balls, and puts them into the basket. Then he takes the dryer balls back out of the basket and puts them back in the dryer and shuts the door. (He sees dh and I pull a whole load into the basket and then look for the dryer balls and toss them back into the dryer. Since he takes the clothes out one by one the dryer balls are usually the last things left in there, but he takes them out anyway and puts them back in, because that's pretty much what we do). He then pushes the basket of clean clothes to the living room and helps me put them on the couch. I start folding and he starts trying to unfold. So, the past couple of times, we've started something new while I fold. His bureau is in the next room and he loves opening and closing drawers and putting clothes in and out, so I give him one article of clothing and tell him to go put it in his drawer, then he comes back for another and repeats over and over again. So I am no longer folding his clothes, they are just stuffed into his drawer however he wants, and it keeps him occupied long enough for me to fold the rest of the clothes.

He will help to put toys and books back on the shelf, but is inevitably distracted by something new and ends up pulling more stuff out. One of his cds has a song about cleaning, so I sing that when we're picking up and he knows what to do, but doesn't actually help too much overall.

TechieGirl1 · October 2013

I also started doing this once Lucas was able to sit up basically (so he could see what I was doing). He has learned what "in", and "put that back" means, and he's pretty good about listening and following through unless he has foind something very interesting or he's tired.

SJandVA · October 2013

@LiliDragon I'm with you. V is still not walking and still is so much a baby. She is my last and I'm in no hurry.
Plus I spend all day trying to get my 5yo to help.

MeredithML · October 2013

Wyatt throws his diaper away after changes, puts his dirty clothes in the hamper, picks up his toys and gives the dog treats after she comes in from going to the bathroom.

I wouldn't classify these as chores though. If I prevented him from doing any of this it would result in an all out temper tantrum. I also didn't teach him to do any of this. At this point I think they just mimic so much they think anything we do is fun!

rainedrops117 · October 2013

K will start to put his books and toys away when we sing the "clean up" song, but in route often looses concentration and brings them right back to us to be played with. We're a work in progress still...