Toddlers can help around the house, too! Read our chore ideas for toddlers and get your toddler involved in the household tasks today!
Toddlerhood isn’t all fun and games.
Children as young as 12 months can perform a variety of household tasks with adult supervision. Parents who choose to teach responsibility at an early age reap the rewards later.
Regular chores appease toddlers’ “I-want-to-do-it-myself” mindset and foster self-confidence and pride in their hard work.
Chore Ideas for Toddlers
Easy Kitchen Chores for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Many parents, especially stay-at-home moms and dads, spend a lot of time in the kitchen; therefore, the kitchen provides a natural starting point for toddlers to learn responsibility.
Too big for bouncers and exersaucers, toddlers get right under their parents’ feet when it’s time to cook and clean. Make meals more rewarding by assigning each child one or two simple tasks during preparation and cleanup. Here are some ideas:
- Put placemats on the table
- Wrap and sort silverware
- Place a napkin and silverware next to each placemat
- Put condiments on the table
- Put dirty bibs and napkins in the laundry
- Sort recyclables
- Throw away trash
- Hand a parent a dirty cup
- Place dirty utensils in the sink
- Wipe off the highchair tray
- Put away leftover napkins and condiments
- Wipe the table and countertops
- Rinse dishes
- Load and unload the dishwasher
Simple Everyday Chores for Toddlers
Choose a few regular tasks for toddlers to perform every day. Chore charts provide a reminder and a method of rewarding kids, if parents so choose. Don’t overwhelm toddlers with tasks that require loads of supervision.
Assign the task, show them how to perform it and step back. Remember to give commands in short, simple sentences. Give daily gentle reminders to kids when it’s time to do their chores. Here are a few tasks toddlers can perform regularly:
- Help with meal prep and cleanup
- Feed pets
- Put away toys and books
- Put away groceries
- Place dirty clothing in laundry
- Put away shoes, coats and clean clothes
- Cleaning such as dusting with a sock or sweeping with a hand broom
Teaching Responsibility to Toddlers
Chores foster responsibility, as well as good manners. They give toddlers a time to practice saying “please,” “thank you” and “you’re welcome.” Chores teach kids how to work with others and make them feel they’re contributing to the family.
A toddler’s eagerness to help won’t last forever. Enjoy it and remember to take advantage of the time together. Postpone the nagging and power struggling for the teenage years.
Children as young as 12 months perform chores on a regular basis around the house, starting in the kitchen. Toddlers can help with meal preparation, table setting and cleanup.
Chore charts remind toddlers of their daily assignments and help parents track rewards. Gentle reminders and simple commands from Mom and Dad motivate toddlers to gain more independence and self-confidence, whether feeding pets or putting away toys.