When it comes time to do chores, my kids often scatter and are too busy to help. Or, they whine and complain about the chore. Even when it’s their mess to clean up or their clothes to fold and put away, motivating my kids to get the job done is no easy task.
My kids have regular chores to do such as making their beds, picking up their toys, folding and putting away their own clothes and taking their dishes to the sink after meals. They are also asked to pitch in and help with household tasks such as gardening and yard work, taking care of the dog, emptying the dishwasher and putting away groceries.
I’ve learned that if I can make chores fun, my kids are more likely to get things done quickly without whining or complaining. Here are a few fun ideas to motivate children to do chores.
- Beat the clock. When it’s time for the kids to clean their rooms, set a timer for 10 minutes and let the kids race the clock. Once the timer buzzes, rooms must pass inspection from mom or dad. Kids whose rooms pass inspection could receive a piece of candy, 10 minutes of extra screen time or a high five from mom and dad.
- Make it a game. Use pocket cubes and pictures to create chore dice or use a fidget spinner and paper to create a chore spinner. Children can roll the dice or spin the spinner to find out which chores to complete for the day.
- Work as a team. Make chores more fun by doing them together. Work together to sort, fold and put away laundry. Go from room to room making beds together. Do dinner dishes together – one person washes, another dries, another puts the dishes away. Clean a room together – one person picks up toys, another dusts, another vacuums. Teach your child to complete new and challenging tasks you work together.
- Sing and dance. Crank up your favorite music and sing and dance together as you complete your daily chores. If you want chores to be completed in a set amount of time, tell the kids their chores must be completed within a certain number of songs.
- Offer payment. Kids love to earn money! Using a dry erase board, make a list of chores that need to be completed and how much you are willing to pay for each. A small chore might be worth 50 cents and a larger chore might be worth a few dollars. When kids want to earn money, they can look at the list, choose a chore, check in with mom or dad and receive payment. Be sure to erase the completed chore from the list and add a new option in its place.