Household Chores for Preschoolers

In addition to keeping his own room orderly, a young child should also have some responsibilities that reflect his part in the family. These might include:

     •   Placing silverware on the dinner table. Teach him to wash his hands first and then hold the silverware by the handle. First hand him the spoons; if you place them in his left hand, he will set them with his right hand on the right side of the plates. Do the same with table knives. You may wish to place steak knives yourself since they’re very sharp (and likely rarely used in large homeschooling families!). Place the forks in his right hand so he can lay them to the left of the plate with his left hand. An older child can remember which side each utensil goes on by recalling that fork and left both have four letters; spoon, knife, and right all have five letters.

     •   A young child can place a napkin at each place setting. He may enjoy choosing napkin rings for the meal, even if you’re using paper napkins. He may even make a centerpiece for the family dining table as an art project.

     •   Young children can empty small trashcans from the bedrooms into a larger container in the kitchen.

     •   Put a young child to work wiping off the fingerprints he can reach (and probably is responsible for) on painted woodwork, windows, and mirrors throughout the house. A damp sponge and small towel work nicely, and he won’t endanger himself or the furniture with spray cleaners.

     •   He can help carry in light bags of groceries or act as the door-opener for older children. My boys heard me declare many times at the end of shopping trips, “He who does not work, does not eat.” While I prepared lunch, they carried in and stowed the groceries; only the baby was excused.

     •   Act as a personal assistant for Mom and Dad. I would say, “I need a Small One” to pick up cereal under the table or get a diaper for Baby, and my preschooler would scamper to help; he knew that he was needed to keep things running smoothly. Then, when his height passed my own (at about age 11), he got used to hearing me say, “I need a Tall One” to get something from a high shelf.

Teach your little ones to help you during the preschool years when they are eager to show their prowess. With each birthday, they will grow into new jobs, allowing you to spend more time on their education and just being Mom (and the Official Trimmer of the Family’s Fingernails).² 

©2009 by Marcia K. Washburn, who writes from her 19 years of experience homeschooling five sons. Read more articles and sign up for her free newsletter at www.marciawashburn.com. Catch her blog at www.HSEblogs.com/marcia

¹Laundry Daze appeared in Home School Enrichment’s Sep/Oct 2008 issue. You can order a back issue by calling 800-558-9523.

²Next time we will look at ideas for older children. A list of suggested chores, divided by age groups, is posted at www.marciawashburn.com/Articles

Originally published in the May/Jun ’09 issue of Home School Enrichment Magazine.