Chores are a constant source of misery for most kids, but they don’t have to be. With a little patience and a bit of creativity, you can make chores fun for your children. Chores are meant to help teach children accountability and responsibility, but that doesn’t mean they have to be mundane and boring. Here are five simple and effective ways to make household chores fun for the little ones.
1. Create A Competition
Create excitement for chores by turning them into a competition because children learn best when they are having fun. Use a timer to add a time limit to set chores and activities but make sure to check that they’ve done the job properly afterward. If your kids have a large age gap, then give your youngest child a head start. Give healthy treats or small toys as prizes to the winner.
2. Make A Chore Chart
Use bulletin board paper rolls to help make a chore chart that you can put up on the wall. Be as creative as possible; use bright colors and stickers to make it look more fun. Assign your children daily tasks, weekly tasks, and monthly tasks and reward them with stickers for completing their set tasks. Remember to change the chores up at the end of the month to avoid your kids from getting bored. Use your imagination here to rename old tasks, so they seem new.
3. Give Them A Choice
Children like to feel like they have control over certain aspects of their lives, which is completely understandable. If you are too steadfast in your ways, then you will likely be met with lots of eye-rolling and sighs. Make a list of the age-appropriate chores that need to be done, and then let them choose the order in which they complete them. All the necessary chores will still get done; this just gives them a feeling of control which will make them more willing to get involved.
4. Play Music
Most children love music, so play their favorite songs or the soundtrack to their favorite film whilst they are doing their chores. Music has a way of energizing small children and is a great way to boost their moods when they have bad days. Keep the volume in check so they can still hear you and also, so you don’t upset your neighbors.
5. Hide Treats
Add an extra boost to chores by hiding small treats or snacks around the house before they begin. This will add an element of surprise when they’re dusting or tidying up their rooms. These don’t have to be sweets or chocolates; you can add vouchers or coins that they can then bank for future use. Also, consider using stickers – you can buy so many different kinds of stickers these days that you’ll be sure to instantly add a smile to their little faces. Children function better when they are happy and when their environment is structured, so don’t stress if this doesn’t work as well as you had hoped at first; just stick with it, and their response will get better over time.
