In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful
As you might be able to tell, helping my child develop appropriate independence from an early age is very important to me. I made a post last month about things that your little one can probably start doing on their own. Today we’re going to dive a little deeper and talk about 6 chores that are perfect for your toddler. I think some of us may feel some type of way about having our children help out around the house at such a young age. The truth is though, two to three years old is a perfect age to start engaging your little one’s in their various roles within their home. They’re at an age where they actually really enjoy doing these little tasks!
When I think of chores, it generally goes beyond cleaning up behind ourselves. It is a contribution to the household. There are also many benefits for your child in getting them to help around the home. It gives them the sense of accomplishment and empowers them in their contributions within their family and home. Engaging in chores allows for a great opportunity to build functional skills that play into many key areas of development such as problem solving. Chores are also a great opportunity to build life skills and build a healthy level of independence within our children!
Each of us has a very important role to play in keeping our home running smoothly and that includes the little one’s. In the beginning, it will likely require more effort from you than your toddler, helping them learn to do these tasks and be consistent with it. You have to be willing to be patient and remember that you are not expecting perfection.
The 1-2-3 approach:
A. TEACH, TEACH, TEACH!
When you introduce a new task to your child, you’ll need to instruct and model the task at hand. Show your little one how to do the task. Narrate the process. Have them complete the task with you. This will take some time and it requires repetition!
B. Step back & hands off!
Once you see that your child knows how to complete the task sufficiently, you’ll want to give them space to go ahead and complete it on their own. You have to be willing to allow your child to ask for help if they need it.
C. Make it part of your routine!
Implementing these new tasks into your daily routine makes it easier for you and your child to maintain consistency. Attaching chores to key elements that already exist in your day provides an anchor for adding in these new responsibilities.
With that said, you will likely experience some push back from your little one when you first start to introduce them to these new chores. You don’t want to turn it into a power struggle though.. Just like you’ll need to teach and model the tasks, you will also need to be consistent with helping your child learn to be consistent with those tasks. Although you want to be patient and kind, you’ll need to be firm…and even offer consequences when necessary.
So let’s dive into those 6 chores that are perfect for your toddler!
1. Cleaning up toys.
Cleaning up the toys – even if it’s only their own – is an important task for a child to take on. It not only allows for a child to begin taking responsibility for picking up after themselves, it also helps drive home the idea of taking care of our things.
2. Putting laundry away.
Now this really depends on your household system for laundry. For my toddler, we don’t fold his clothes. He just has a bin for each category of his clothing – pants, shirt, underclothes, and pajamas. I will separate his clothes into those categories and he takes them and puts them in each bin.
3. Cleaning surfaces.
While you’re cleaning the kitchen or the bathroom, hand your little one the spray bottle and a clean rag so they can clean the fronts of cabinets, the refrigerator, the bathtub, etc. A key here is making sure you use a non-toxic cleaner such as a vinegar and water solution!
4. Bringing dishes to the sink.
After finishing a meal or snack, your child can help clear the table and take the dirty dishes to the sink. If you’re concerned with glass, you can start off with silverware and any plastic dishes that are being used.
5. Watering the plants.
Whether that’s indoor plants or an outdoor garden, give your toddler the correct tools – whether that’s a cup or a small watering can – they’ll have a lot of fun while completing a very important household task.
6. Taking out small bags or items to the trash.
Your two year old will obviously not be able to carry full-size trash bags but they’ll gladly carry an appropriately sized empty box or a small grocery bag of trash to the dumpster or outside trash can.
On an ending note, although all of these are perfect chores for your toddler, you’re not going to want to pile on all the things at one time! Choose one or two chores to add into your toddlers routine and make it into a natural thing. Once it’s a habit, you can add on another one or two chores. You definitely don’t want to overwhelm your child or yourself. Take it slow, focus on progression and overall, focus on consistency.
Question for the comments: What’s the first chore you’ve introduced to your little one? ..and how old were they?
Thank you for stopping by ‘Nourishing Our Home’. Please be sure to pop in every Thursday for new posts. Also, if you found this to be relatable and beneficial, please help me out by sharing with your family and friends.