When it comes to household chores, there’s not one answer. We have found it best to use lots of methods. Variety makes it more fun. When one idea loses its punch, try another style. Different methods work for different families and different kids. Here are some of our favorite chore charts and work assignment ideas. Find one you like and give it a try!
Big List of Creative Strategies to get Kids Working
Pocket Charts
Each child has a chart with two pockets labeled “To Do” and “Done”. In the “To Do” pocket are cards or popsicle sticks listing jobs that need to be done that day such as clean room, brush teeth, water plants, etc. As the child completes each task, he puts the card in the “Done” pocket. Add different chores each day in the “To Do” pockets depending on the needs of the day and the child’s ability.
Dad Dollars/Mommy Mart
Award Dad Dollars for doing listed jobs and allow kids to spend them at the Mommy Mart. This is one of our favorites! See our post for more details: Dad Dollars & Mommy Mart
zone Management
Divide the house into zones. Each child is assigned a zone and is responsible for keeping it clean. Rotate the zones after each week or month.
More on Zone Management
Chore Wheel
This is the classic rotating chart listing chores on the wheel and the children’s names on the outside. Turn the wheel each day or week so the children take turns doing the listed chores.
More Chore Wheels/Charts
Random Choice
Dart board: Attach or write chores on a dart board. Let the kids throw darts and whatever they hit is their responsibility for the day, week, or month.
Balloons: Put chores inside balloons. Let the kids choose three to pop. Those are their responsibilities for the day, week, or month.
Photo Jobs: Take photos of a clean bathroom, made bed, sparkling sink, etc. Have the kids draw a card with a photo on it. They will see their assigned chore and your expectation on the card.
Popsicle Sticks: We use popsicle sticks often for chore assignments. Here are a couple of ideas.
Write a chore on one end of each Popsicle stick. Color the other end of the stick based on difficulty, like red for hard jobs and black for easy. The children then get to choose Popsicle sticks out of a can, maybe one red and three blacks for a younger child, and 2 reds and 2 blacks for an older child. Make sure the kids can’t see the writing on the bottom of the stick when they’re choosing.
Write chores on Popsicle sticks. Each day, select chores that need to be done and put them in a To-Do can. If there are four jobs and you have two children, they each get to select two. We like this idea because every household chore doesn’t need to be completed every day. There are also days where families have limited time for chores, so this gives the power to parents to select what specifically needs doing each day.
Board Game
Create a poster like the attached photo. When the kids complete tasks, they get to move their pieces up the board to earn rewards. This is a fun way to manage household chores in the summer. You can build in summer bucket list activities into the chart. See more details: Summer Chore Chart Gameboard
A and B Weeks:
One week the kids do A-week chores, and the next they do B-week chores. A-week chores are household chores like vacuuming and cleaning bathrooms. B-week chores are outside chores like weeding, fertilizing the yard and sweeping the outside. You can make a chart to keep track.
Work Teams
Assign jobs in teams so older kids can teach younger kids how to accomplish work tasks. The older child improves as he gets to teach.
BLitz Method
The whole family pitches in and cleans the whole house or a specific room in a specified time period. Set a timer, put on some music, and clean like crazy!
Sixty-Second Straighten
Everyone goes to their room and we count out 60 seconds (or 100 seconds) and see how fast they can clean. Even if the room doesn’t get completely clean, there will still be improvement!
