I've been browsing the Simple Mom site and borrowing some of her ideas for simplifying and organizing my life. One of the things I read about on there is chore charts for toddlers. I've been thinking about this for a few months now... Cecelia is almost three and I definitely feel as though she is old enough to start doing some chores. I want to do what Simple Mom does and give her a sticker on a sticker chart for doing them and at the end of each week she gets a nickle for each sticker. Then she can set aside 10% for tithing, 10% for saving and the rest can go in a jar for spending.
My problem is, I can't come up with a list of chores for her!! I want them to be things that she can do somewhat independently, for example, picking up her toys before nap time and before bedtime each day. I also am planning to include helping me empty the dishwasher and feeding the fish. I will have to help her with those things a little bit- more like, she'll be helping me, but I want her to begin to learn responsibility for animals and I'd also like her to be learning to help with chores that benefit the whole family.
So help me out! Do you have ideas for other chores that a three year old would be capable of doing?
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Unloading the silverware and taking care of toys are my three year old's main chores too. I also have been encouraging her to help me fold and put away laundry lately too. She's not so good at folding, but I'm not a very anal person when it comes to my washcloths being folded perfectly, so I let her help with things like that. And I let her put away her clothes in her drawer, even though I know it means they'll come unfolded in the process, but again-who cares if a three year old's pajamas are slightly wrinkled???
Oh, and I was also going to say, for the sake of having more to put on the chart you could include small things that are more like expectations than chores. Like my daughter is expected to put her dirty clothes in the hamper after she gets dressed.
Thanks Steph! Those are great suggestions. I didn't even think of the dirty clothes thing or having her put her own laundry away.
Yeah I have both my little ones put there dirty clothes in the hamper. Also Cedric helps me set the table. Generally he can put everything on the table at spots it just isn't set properly! But it makes it nice while I am cooking. I am not sure what your shoes at your house are like but ours tend to get piled around the door and so she can out shoes away whether into a basket or where they go. Helping make her bed. Cedric likes to help me make my bed. There is a few ideas. Hope they help.
We don't have a chore chart but my 3 year old cleans up toys, sets the table, fills the water cups for dinner, puts away clothes. Cool thing is that it was her idea to start most of these things. Maybe you could add something that would be helping with baby sister like re-supplying wipes or diapers, although that probably won't be necessary on a daily basis. I like the idea to make her bed. We need to work on that.
I have been working on this with my son who is almost 3, too. (The day after Cecelia!!!) Anyway I haven't made up a chart but am using a ticket system to help shape his behavior. He gets a green ticket everytime he does something good, could be anything ranging from being nice to his brother to doing what I ask him to chores I ask him to do, to saying his prayers, etc. We put them in a ziploc bag that is attached to the fridge with a magnet. Then we have a chart that shows what he can trade his tickets for: 3 tickets for an extra bed time story, 5 tickets for a toy from the dollar store, etc. Eventually I will introduce red tickets, which he will get for bad behavior - disrespect, fighting, etc. Red tickets can only be gotten rid of by trading 5 green tickets.
I know that doesn't have much to do with a chore chart, but so far it has worked pretty well to encourage good behavior. Plus, it helps me AND him focus on the good things he does. I tried introducing the red tickets but he didn't quite get that red tickets were bad - he wanted tickets of all colors. :) So I decided to hold off for awhile. I still use time outs, etc. for bad behavior.
I also decided to use this kind of system because I feel like my nearly 3 year old is too young to "get" money. It is too abstract for him right now. When I've paid him for chores, he liked handling the pennies and nickels, but it seemed more like a toy to him than anything of value.
My 3 yr old is in charge of putting the silverware away and picking up his toys from his room and play room. Also he makes his bed in the morning and is really good! I help him lay the sheets and he tucks them in on the side Also i have his underwear and socks in two ziplock bags in his drawer. When I do laundery i just throw his underware and socks in a basket and he loves to sort them into the bags in his drawer. He loves to help and gets excited to help me load the washer and dryer and put away his clothes and silverware
I really like the ticket idea and I think I may do it! My 3 year old knows what money is for but he doesn;t get that a penny can't nuy anything. A penny to him means he can get whatever he wants!
Hi I have a three year old and I have been using a site called allowancemanager.com It doesn't have a chore chart but it tracks the daily allowance and lets you input good and bad behavior right from my iphone. Check it out you might like it.
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