We are going to have a baby in the house very soon, so I have been implementing structure into Emma’s routine. She has been given a few simple chores around the house to not only helo me out but to make her feel important as well. U have noticed a difference in her since beginning chores and she loves them. I know it can sound crazy giving your almost 2-year-old chores but I think the structure is good, and they are very simple tasks that are easy for them to understand.
Don’t expect your 2-year-old to master these and do them on cue every tome, now is a time for learning and experimenting as well as testing the boundaries. I try to keep the chores ( or tasks) light and fun, and I also will do them with her sometimes if shes struggling so she can see mommy does it too.
- Putting dishes in the sink.
When Emma is finished with a meal or snack I give her her plate and utensils and ask her to put it in the sink. Usually, she will run it over and toss everything In the sink and clap hoping for a big production.
I started teaching her this by saying “Okay lets put this in the sink!” while walking her items to the sink with her and putting them in. When she started doing it on her own I made it exciting and praised her for her hard work.
- Throwing trash away.
I did the same thing with the trash as the sink., teaching Emma when she is done with something to throw her trash/wrappers away. I will admit many times the trash still ends up in the sink.
- Bringing me her diapers and wipes.
When Emma goes potty I now have her bring me the diapers and the wipes so I can clean her up and this is followed by her throwing away her diaper.
This will come in handy with brother comes along, Emma will be able to help out with changing him and will feel like a big helper and have her special tasks to do.
- Washing hands.
This is newer for us but I have been teaching Emma to wash and sanitize her hands. She likes to play in the water a bit but has gotten better about rubbing soap in and washing it off.
Hand sanitizer is easier as she will rub that in and it is not as messy.
- Helping with the laundry.
This one might sound a little crazy but I promise it is possible. When I am doing laundry I will hand Emma dirty clothes and she will throw them in the wash. Next, I will hand her articles of clothing from the wash and she will throw them in the dryer. She also loves to press the start button on both machines.
- unloading the dishwasher.
- This is probably one of Emma’s favorites. I originally taught her this because she liked to mess with the dishes when I was trying to put them away and I got annoyed. Now when I open the dishwasher she will run over and hand me dishes one by one so I can put them on the counter to put them away.
It takes longer but she is having fun and learning in the process.
- Brushing their teeth.
Emma hates getting her teeth brushed but I noticed we made it more fun by allowing her to brush her teeth once we have done the deep cleaning for her, She has fun, feels like a big girl and she does a good little job if I do say so myself.
- picking up toys.
At the end of the day, I have ema help me pick up her toys and put them in the basket. We have toys in her room and the living room and designated areas for them to be put away and she thinks it is fun to put everything away. She also will put her puzzles together and stack them under the tv stand. We do love to sing the “clean up” song during this time and she has a blast.
- Wiping up their messes.
Toddlers are messy. If it isn’t spilled milk then its crayon on the walls. Whether Emma spills or colors I give her a wet rag and have her help me clean. I think cleaning their messes is good, it teaches them that its okay to make messes ut you also have to clean up after yourself.
Chores are a work in progress and it is good to make them fun during this developmental time in their lives. I would love to hear what chores you have implemented in your household and what your child loves doing the most!
