In a few short months my son will be 2 years old! I’ve been thinking a lot about responsibility and teaching him how he can help contribute to the household. Obviously he is just a toddler, so it’s not like he is going to be taking out the trash any time soon!
However, with a few easy and simple chores, I might as well start to steer him into the path of responsibility. Here’s is what we’ve started doing:
Clean Up Toys
Probably one of the easiest chores (and important at that) to assign your toddler. Sure, he still needs lots of reminding, but he is learning. He knows when I start to sing the “Clean Up” song, he needs to put his toys in one of this toy bins and his books back on the shelves. Since his play area seems to be overflowing with trucks, we’ve made a designated area underneath the coffee table as the “garage”. I remind him when he is done with his trucks, he needs to “park them in the garage.” As he giggles in delight as he makes the trucks “vroom vroom” and “beep beep” into their parking spots, I’m just smiling because I know I won’t trip over them later.
Place Dirty Clothes in Hamper
This is another fairly simple chore so to speak! At night I have my son place his dirty clothes from the day in his hamper. He has a special small one that he can easily place his clothes into. For now I just have him throw everything in there and then I sort it on my own later. Eventually we will work together on sorting colors and lights vs. darks. I would love for him to NOT get into the habit of leaving dirty clothes on the floor, like other males I’ve encountered in my lifetime.
Wipe Messes Off His Tray and Placemat
Depending on whether he is sitting in his highchair or in a booster at the dining room table, after meals, I give him a damp paper towel to wipe his area. So he doesn’t get all mess he might have made, but he certainly gets excited to wipe the towel around and see it absorb any spills.
Help Put Away Groceries
Now for putting away groceries, I will place the bags on the floor that contain items such as a box of crackers or a bunch of bananas. I pick items I know that he is already familiar with the names for. Then I’ll ask him to hand me specific items for me to place in the fridge or pantry. Sure, it does take longer to put away groceries when I involve him, but he has such a blast! I also show him new food items to help expand his vocabulary.
Dustbuster and Vacuuming? Maybe Later!
My son LOVES the vacuum. He always gets so excited when I pull it out of the closet. On the downside, the whole time I’m trying to vacuum the floor, he is trying to pull it out of my hands while repeating “I do it, I do it.” I know he is just trying to help! So instead, I hand him the dustbuster to push around the room. Effective? Not so much. However, he just glows as we “clean” the house together. I always congratulate him on a job well done! The positive feedback and encouragement makes him want to keep “dustbusting” while momma vacuums. It has become our little routine, and I know one day, when he is older, that dustbusting and vacuuming he enjoys so much, will definitely help momma out on her busy days!
I loved it when my boys were that age, we used to have a mini dyson hoover that balls flew around inside when it was being moved, think I liked it more than the kids. Then there was the iron and ironing board and the lawnmower. Now they both teenagers they seem to have forgotten their training.
My 2yr. old loves helping me put away the dishes from the dishwasher. She tells me what each item is before handing it to me to put in the cabinet. It’s very cute!
That’s so great that you are teaching him not to leave dirty clothes on the floor. If only I could get my hubby to do the same!
My daughter always helped me when she was little and she still does.
My daughter used to LOVE to put her dirty clothes in the hamper and her dirty diaper in the trash!
Dawn
I don’t know, my youngest is 3 and loves to vacuum. I pull out the hose and put an attachment, he could go for hours if the motor and I would let him! He loves mopping with mom too, I use plain water when he is awake. Great tips though.
Yes, so easy and they have SO MUCH FUN too!!! Love it!
Love that you have your son involved in chores! He’s a handsome guy too!
MJ Schrader
Our little one loves to clean too! We have been letting her help with switching the laundry from the washer to the dryer and from the dryer to a laundry basket for some time now. I have found that if I hold her or let her help with the cord while I am vacuuming, she feels like she is part of it. She does this with the man who vacuums at church too. I also have been teaching her how to dust with one of those Swiffer type dusters. I take her hand in mine and we dust together – it is such fun! It is lovely to have a little helper around the house – and so enthusiastic!