The pandemic has had a magnanimous impact on our lifestyles, our routines and our priorities. The past couple of years has taught us many things but the most important thing we have learnt is to be self dependent. Everyone must know atleast the basics of managing the house, the kitchen, the daily chores and most importantly, themselves.
As parents, how can we make sure that not only adults but also the young members of the family start to realise the importance of managing the chores on a regular basis? Lending a helping hand in daily chores has a huge number of benefits for the children. To think about it, a lot of the modern and even traditional learning methods emphasise on ‘hands-on approach’ of education. Think Montessori- the whole concept of Montessori is to let the children be the one in-charge. You don’t need fancy and expensive toys to practice Montessori. Let the children get a hold of that broom, let them get all wet while helping wash the car, let them blow on the foam bubbles in the laundry – the list is endless. However, we have to keep in mind the chores have to be age appropriate and totally safe for the kids.
Age appropriate Chores for 3-4 year olds- putting clothes in the laundry/hamper, picking up toys, dusting furniture, watering plants, collecting and piling books and magazines, folding napkins, laying out table.
Age appropriate chores for 5-6 year olds- make their bed, brush teeth and hair, bathe themselves, get dressed(zip, button, lace), fix easy snacks, feed the pets, weed the garden, bring in the mail, help carry shopping bags
Age appropriate chores for 7-8 year olds- help in washing the car, sweep/vacuum/mop floors, empty the dishwasher, help prepare food with supervision, hang and put away laundered clothes, be responsible for own belongings, keep the bedroom clean.
There are so many benefits for children when they help in daily chores.
- Chores help learn the value of time
- Chores help learn the value of money
- Chores Develop fine and gross motor skills
- Chores Develop of practical real life skills
- Chores help teach team work
- Chores help kids learn responsibility and independence
- Chores give family-bonding time
Now one thing that immediately flashes across is whether we should reward the kids on completion of an assigned chore. Yes, absolutely we should! Rewarding is a direct form of appreciation and well, wouldn’t we want that our kids get appreciated whenever they deserve? Forget about the perfection of the assigned work- ignore the few loose ends of the bed or a few dirt spots on the floor. Rather, marvel at the effort and the energy that your little one puts into the work. With all the benefits entailing, isn’t this an absolute win-win situation for your family? And what’s more- it’s going to keep the kids busy for the longest time! [looking for more interesting ways to keep kids busy? Click here to explore the full range of DIY activity boxes by TINY THINKERS]