School’s officially out but it may not feel that way to our many parents because of how classes were cancelled weeks ago. In an effort to help them bond with their children and get some chores done, we’ve listed 8 things you can do with your child to get stuff done!
- Watering plants
We’ve covered the life cycle of plants at school and even have had our students help water some of our school’s plants. This is something easy for them to do that they’re already familiar with while also caring for the environment.
2. Washing windows
Working our way into the house, this is a chore children enjoy because they get to use a spray bottle and squeegee. Having them work on the windows of their room or common areas like the living room will give them something to do without overwhelming them. Remember to always demonstrate how to use the pray bottle and squeegee first!
3. Sweeping
We’ve already hinted at this above but we cannot stress this enough, children love using tools. Their natural curiosity and desire to be helpful makes chores that involve tools especially exciting for them. Our students understand the value of a clean environment, but make sure to remind them that the purpose of sweeping is to put the dust in a dust pan. Demonstrate how it is properly done so that they don’t get carried away!
4. Folding laundry
This chore may be new to most of our students since this isn’t something we’ve covered before but the concept should be familiar to them. We always remind them to pack away after they’re done with their work or playing and folding laundry is a concrete example of the practical application of packing away in real life. Bonus: getting them started early will make sure that by the time they’re older they’ll be pros at perfectly folding laundry.
5. Feeding pets
After all the chores above it’ll be about time for a snack! But before we go eat we should make sure to have your child feed the pets first. It goes without saying that being involved in caring for pets is one of the best way to build a relationship with them.
6. Preparing a snack
Your child might be ready for a snack at this point and there’s no better way of enjoying a meal and being involved in its preparation. Our students have a lot of experience in the kitchen because of our Culinary Fridays so don’t underestimate their ability to help! Helping prepare a sandwich or other simple snacks for themselves and the family is one of the things they can really be helpful at.
7. Cleaning toys
While our students are very familiar with the concept of cleaning, every opportunity to reinforce how important keeping things clean should not be missed. Depending on how old your child is, they may not fully understand why keeping things clean is very important, particularly now, but laying foundations now will go a long way in the future.
8. Setting the table
After a full day of working, everyone will be excited to finally have dinner together. Teaching your child how to properly set the table and having them help with the setting is simple and something they do going forward. This is also a great chore to assign them since it’ll give you an opportunity to see their growing independence if you make it a part of their routine.
These are just some ideas to help you get through the community quarantine together as a family. Remember to always be patient since it may take a few tries for them to get certain chores right but it will be well worth the effort. We also want to encourage parents who’re racking their brains to come up with new activities or crafts for their children to work on.
These chores will help reinforce what we teach them at school because it shows them the value of what they’re learning and how it can apply in their lives. As adults, we may not see much value in doing these chores other than their intended objectives, but for children these chores can be a valuable learning experience in its own right. Particularly if done regularly and integrated into their routines.