Are You Choosing the Right Chores For Big Kids?

Want your kid to pitch in around the house? Our creative chore charts help get the job done.

Why All Kids Should Pitch In

Experts say assigning chores to your children is great for them -- it fosters responsibility, boosts self-esteem, and helps them feel like an important part of the fam. But here's a modern-mom reality: Farming out to-dos usually means redoing chores the right way after your child has skipped off to school or to bed. And if you're stuck making the bed again anyway, what's the help in that?

The key is to give kids the right chores for their ages. "There's always a learning curve for kids, whether they're toddlers or teenagers," says Patricia Greenfield, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. "But the best way to encourage kids to pitch in -- without making more work for yourself -- is to make sure the jobs are age-appropriate." Check out these great ideas, plus expert suggestions for ways to reward them for pitching in.

Toddlers

The word "chore" hardly applies to youngest kids because they're so eager to spend time with you and love helping out, says Greenfield. The key: Pick easy tasks that won't frustrate your toddler. And because chores are fun at this stage, don't worry about ponying up allowance or other rewards as incentive. Just heap on the praise for a job well done.
Perfect Pitch-Ins

Tidy up toys.

Turn cleaning into teaching by asking your kid to gather all the orange blocks first, say, or to put T. rex to sleep on the shelf.

Sop up spills.

Raise a little Miss Manners by showing her how to blot up minor messes with a paper towel.

Destroy dust bunnies.

Slip an old, unmatched sock on your child's hand and send him on a mission to pick up as much dust as he can find on low-lying tables and furniture (making sure there are no sharp edges, of course).

Dabble in dinner prep.

Let her top the salad with cherry tomatoes or help mix up brownie batter.

Deliver dirty laundry.

Plant a small portable hamper in your kid's room and show him how to drop his clothes in there at the end of the day.