Whether your children are schooled away from home or in the home, summertime provides the perfect opportunity to transition everyone to new chores. Younger children can learn to tackle some chores for the very first time while older ones can move up to new chores which require more responsibility. The few extra hours inherent in summer days are a great time to learn these new duties.

I’ve been continually amazed at the willingness of my children to tackle new chores, and at their remarkable adeptness at getting the job done. I used to be guilty of underestimating my children’s ability to help around the house. Then, I realized that they wanted nothing more than to be “gifted” with the opportunity of helping out. It would be foolish to let that moment pass. Although it is true that sometimes it would be easier to just do the job myself, I’ve realized that the benefits I reap by spending the extra time to teach them is worth more than the few minutes I could save by doing it alone.

Here is a list of chores that can be delegated to children, broken down by age group.

Preschoolers can…

• Make beds (a comforter is easier for them to handle)
• Fold towels and wash cloths
• Put away clothes in drawers
• Hang clothes on hooks
• Put dirty clothes in hampers or laundry baskets
• Help feed animals
• Pick up toys
• Wipe off baseboards, windowsills and wooden shutters wearing an old pair of socks on their hands
• Empty light wastebaskets
• Wipe off the front of large appliances using a spray bottle of water and a sponge
• Help wipe up spills
• Dry unbreakable dishes
• Sweep with a child-size broom
• Bring in the newspaper
• Pick up litter in the yard

Kindergartners can…

• Vacuum small areas with a lightweight, handheld vacuum
• Sweep the porch or other small areas with a dustpan and broom
• Clean bathroom sinks
• Hang up towels after a bath
• Store bath toys
• Help in the kitchen - stirring, tearing lettuce and putting refrigerated rolls on pans
• Set the table with napkins and silverware
• Clear dishes from the table
• Help load the dishwasher
• Straighten plastic dishes in a lower cabinet
• Straighten pots and pans
• Sort family members’ clean laundry
• Put away their own laundry
• Dust furniture
• Shine windows that you’ve washed with a clean backboard eraser
• Strip linens from beds
• Straighten books on a bookshelf
• Put game and puzzle pieces in correct storage containers
• Brush upholstered furniture with a lint remover to pick up pet hair
• Be responsible for having a tidy room

Younger elementary-aged kids can…

• Make beds
• Take out the garbage
• Sweep stairs and walks
• Clean out the car
• Vacuum their own room
• Sort and straighten toys
• Fold and put away laundry
• Empty the dishwasher
• Feed and care for pets
• Set and clean the table
• Sort clothes for washing
• Clean off outdoor furniture
• Wash outside toys and equipment
• Help wash the car

Older elementary-aged kids can…

• Clean bathroom mirrors
• Vacuum
• Clean toilets
• Clean countertops and the kitchen sink
• Mop small-area floors
• Use the washer and dryer
• Wash, dry and put away dishes
• Fold laundry and put it away
• Clean pet areas
• Take out the trash
• Clean cobwebs and dust in high places with a cobweb pole. (Put one thick cotton sock inside another and slip them over the end of a yardstick, securing with a rubber band.)
• Help straighten the garage
• Sweep the garage

Teenagers can…

• Wash the windows
• Mend clothes
• Wash the car
• Change linens
• Do their own laundry
• Iron
• Clean the bathtub/shower stall
• Polish furniture and dust lampshades
• Empty the vacuum cleaner bag
• Straighten and organize linens
• Clean tiles and toilet with disinfectant
• Clean out the refrigerator
• Defrost the freezer
• Clean the stove and oven
• Polish silverware
• Clean out and organize the attic, basement and garage
• Clean light fixtures
• Change lightbulbs
• Wax the car

This list was taken from The Family Manager Takes Charge by Kathy Peel. It is a wonderful overview and guideline for what you can expect for the average child of this age.  Just remember, you know your children and their capabilities the best.

For the most part, I have found that my children are excited to be given the responsibility of chores. My three and four year old are thrilled to just get smiley faces filled in on this chore chart. My eight year is beginning to scoff more at chores, but she has been taught that it is just part of being a family. They are all learning that everyone has to pitch in for our family to operate at its best.

If you feel your children would handle their chores best with an added incentive, you might be interested in trying out Handipoints. This site has caused quite a buzz in our local homeschooling group, enough so that I am thinking of signing our eight year old up for it. From the Handipoints website:

Handipoints is a game you play with your children to teach responsible habits. Parents create printable chore charts and setup an allowance program online. Kids earn points to use to dress up their CoolCats and play games in HandiLand.

However you choose to commit your children to learning new chores and then maintaining responsibility for them, I encourage you to use some of the extra summertime hours to your best advantage.

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