5 Ways To Teach a Toddler To Help With Chores

We are a band of mamas who like to do it all, but even we need help sometimes. Enlist the help of your toddlers and chores will become more fun and less stressful. By having your child help you with chores early in his or her life, you are bonding with him or her and teaching valuable life skills. 

Here are five ways to teach your toddler(s) how to do chores at home:

Give Your Child A Play Vacuum

Recently, my toddler daughter and I visited our local flea market with her father and sister, and we found a gently used play vacuum for $5. 

Now, every time I vacuum the floors in the living room and bedroom in our apartment, she likes to help me vacuum with her new toy. Even when she makes a crumbly mess in the living room, she runs to get her vacuum to clean it up. 

Whether you purchase a play vacuum from a flea market or department store, it’s more about the functionality and how it helps your toddler learn how to vacuum in your home (if you have carpets). 

Vacuum every 2-3 days in your home, or as needed, and have your littles join you on the action with his or her play vacuum.

RELATED: The 30-Minute Mommy Cleaning Schedule That Will Change Your Home

Have Your Littles Help You Sweep

Purchase a mini broom and dustpan from your local dollar store and have your littles go to town sweeping the floor with you when it’s time to do the chore. 

To make it more fun and special, you can have your child decorate the mini broom and dustpan with stickers of their choice. You can even purchase letter stickers to put his or her name on the mini broom handle. 

If you have the time, try to sweep once a day before bedtime and get all the crumbs off the floor, so it’s easier to thoroughly clean the floor come your designated mopping day(s) every week.

Never Too Young To Put Away Their Plates And Utensils

Store your child’s plates, trays, and utensils inside a drawer in the kitchen that he or she can easily access when it’s time to dry dishes. Even if it’s just a few dishes at a time that your child puts away, it will teach him or her that after eating a meal, one must always clean up their mess. 

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Try to get into the habit of immediately cleaning your dishes with your child right after mealtime. Once it’s out of the way and there’s a clean kitchen as a result, it’ll be that much more satisfying once you have your personal time once the littles gets to bed.

Designate A Box Container He/She Will Use To Take Out Recyclables

Grab an all-purpose small plastic bin from your favorite store to use as your toddler’s recycle box. 

When it’s time to take out the trash and recyclables, place light items such as plastic water bottles, cereal boxes, and junk mail into this bin. Have your child hold this bin and you hold the other larger bin of recyclables when it’s time to dispose of them in your recycling bin in the front driveway of your home or the recycling dumpster if you live at an apartment complex. 

I repurposed a tall, red Sterilite gift wrap holder into a recycling bin for inside our home. When it’s full, I take the clear lid off the red bin and place those light items in it. My daughter holds this bin as we take our recyclables to the dumpster outside of our apartment.

Provide A Laundry Folding Tutorial

Yes, laundry is a pain, unless you love to do laundry. For me personally, I prefer doing dishes and organizing a cluttered closet to doing laundry. 

Give your child some of their pants and shirts that you usually fold and put into a dresser drawer. Show him or her how you fold their shirts and pants. If he or she does not learn the method immediately, give it some time. 

RELATED: Teach Your Son To Help Now So He’ll Serve His Wife Well Later

To make it even simpler, you can look up on Pinterest how to make a DIY clothes folding board that even toddlers can use to fold their clothes. 

Remember: It’s Never Too Early To Teach Your Toddler How To Do Chores

Toddlers have so much going on in their minds as they explore their world and learn new things. Help them to focus on your home’s daily routines by introducing them to doing chores early in their lives. They will transform into responsible, helpful, and accountable adults because of early teachings on how to do chores throughout the home.

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Articles by Kendra Snead

Kendra Snead

Kendra Snead is a freelance writer and mother to 2-year-old daughter, Sarai. Visit her blossoming blog www.docuqueen.blogspot.com for blogs about motherhood, productivity, and more!