chores for toddlers

[wintersdawn]

whilst reading various articles recently, I keep coming across lists of chores that are suitable for various age groups. examples of chores for 2-3 yo include tidying toys away, emptying dishwasher and laying the table.
The toys I get but my 2.5 yo can't reach the table yet alone lay it and the dishwasher would be an accident waiting to happen (plus unless she's learnt to fly she couldn't reach to put anything away).
so I was wondering what chores if any do your toddlers do?

I'm too busy trying to get ds to say please and thank you, and to put things he has deliberately thrown on the floor in the bin to give him actual chores.

I keep trying to get him interested in sock pairing, but no luck so far.

He likes helping to empty the dishwasher and it stops him doing something more dangerous out of sight while I am doing it myself. He likes putting the spoons and forks away.

Mine are 3.2 and 22 months. They hoover, dust, wash up, dust, tidy toys away. Granted not to my satisfaction but they love to 'help'. They also wash windows with baby wipes

Washing the windows is a favourite of my three year old too. So is brushing the floor. If only he was actually any good at it!

My mum has a wipe round ours when she looks after the kids (i know, how jammy for me!). Anyways, the kids follow her around with dusters and love squirting vinegar solution on my mirrors and wiping them, like little elfs or something.

Our youngest is great, always putting stuff in the bin and taking his cups into the kitchen! I cant wait until he learns how to make me a brew!

Ps, they wouldnt do any chores for me usually but always follow my mum round like ducklings! Its just something different to them, i think once they know they are chores they will refuse to do them!

I wouldn't call it chores really but DS is 3.8 and I always encourage him to put him toys away, he takes his empty plates and glasses to the kitchen, puts dirty washing in the basket andthen he likes to 'help' me with jobs will clean anything with a baby wipe.

I am hoping that making these things normal part of life from a young age we will have less battles when he is older (well I can dream!)

My DD is 3.2 and I've got her to 'help' me - mostly so I keep her in sight so she can't create havoc while I'm distracted with chores.

I think it's how you interpret chores though. For example, she tidies her toys away (piles them all in the corner of the room), she lays the table (I give her the cutlery, she piles it all on a corner of the table), she helps me load the dishwasher (puts the cutlery in the cutlery bit), helps me bring the washing downstairs (chucks the socks down while I'm sorting the rest).

She's been doing all this for a good year now, and she loves helping me - she's very good at it, in her own way. And at least I know where she is when my back's turned!

You could try to make tidy-up time fun ie by making it a race. You could do it with a song but that might be a bit too Mary Poppins!

Mine are 2 and 4. Only chores they do are cleaning up their toys. We use positive reinforcement so for every toy they put away they get an extra minute at either bedtime/playtime.

My 4 year old likes to undress himself (as much as he can) so every time he puts his dirty clothes in the basket, he can choose what he wants to wear for the day. (Thankfully the costumes are out of reach haha!)

My DD is 2.2 and she puts the cutlery on the table for me, and other stuff, she also fetches stuff (tools, tape measures, sellotape etc.) but no real chores, just something to occupy her.

She's asked to help pick up her toys and she generally will - we don't do any bribery with it though, it's just expected for everyone to pull their weight.

dd2 is 2.8, and has to pick up after herself
so - clothes in the laundry basket, tidying toys, plates and cups take to the kitchen after eating.

DD 2.7 loves to "help" me cleaning - she has a few wet wipes and will wipe the small tables and things she can reach...when i crack on with the other bits of cleaning - she loves sitting on the side of the sink and help doing the dishes, i give her her plastic plates to wash and she has a whale of a time...she "helps" hoovering, making the beds, putting stuff away, tidying up the mess...then making a new mess....then saying "oh no a mess let's tidy"

on the whole no chores as such, but she does help me and knows she has to put things in the sink/laundry basket etc xx

DS1 2.11 likes to help with the washing machine and drier, sweeeping up after dinner and hoovering behind daddy as he goes round with the real one.

Of course we have to do it all again anyway.

I get my 2 year old to do little bits, but I don't really consider them chores, just starting to take responsibility for herself. She tidies her toys up, puts her clothes in the wash basket, takes her plate to the kitchen when she finishes a meal, cleans up after herself if she spills a drink. She also loves 'cleaning' the table and chairs with a baby wipe.

My DD (2y3m) helps me with all the chores. I say 'helps'.. She gets involved. It's the only way I can get things done while being engaging. She tidies her toys very well on her own though. She fetches things if I ask for them... I think it's more just basic learning these things not actually having responsibility to get them perfect.