What are some age appropriate chores for my three-year-old daughter?

Question

My daughter is 3 and a half. She loves to help. I have a 16 month old, and another child on the way. I am tired of picking up after EVERYONE! I told her today that she was going to start having some chores, and she was so excited! Even after I told her what a chore was (oh, to be three again). I was wondering what some realistic chores are for someone her age? Thanks!

Answer 1

Picking up their own toys is a great idea at this age. Some others depend on what your situation is, you could gert her to help you feed the pets if you have any (by this I mean they can pass you the bowl or take the bowl from you to put it in the pets eating spot (supervised of course). Perhaps you can start giving her the facewasher/baby wipe to wipe her own face and hands (make sure you go over her work if necessary).  

Answer 2

Organize her room into easy to reach bins and get her to clean up the toy she played with before grabing a new one.

Get her to put her plate directly into the dishwasher after eatting.

She could sweep one of the rooms in the house.

You could make a game out of her finding all her clothes in the pile and putting them in her own basket. For each peice she find give her an M+M or something. Maybe if shes advanced enough with her body coordination she could fold her clothes and then recieved an M+M for each garment.

Try making the tasks more challenging as she gets older, so she has fun while shes young and is learning life skills while shes doing it.

Answer 3

nothing, just let her enjoy her babyhood it goes by so fast

Answer 4

I started a chore chart for my daughter.  Each day she has tasks to complete that are fairly simple, getting dressed on her own, putting on her pj's, brushing her teeth (has to be done am and pm to get a star), taking her dishes to the kitchen after each meal, and making her bed.  I only expect her to put her stuffed animals away and pull the sheet and comforter up over the pillows; it doesn't have to look perfect.  Then she has weekly chores, bringing her dirty cloths hamper to the laundry room, putting away her clean cloths, clean up her bedroom, clean up her play room.  For each daily chore she earns 5 cents, for each weekly chore she earns 25 cents.  If she is naughty, she gets a frowny face and looses 50 cents.  If she is especially good, she can earn a smiley face that's worth $1.  She earns an average of $10 a month and can use it for buying toys or save it to go to a fabulous indoor playground near our home.

She is 5 now and we've had the chart for almost 2 years, started it shortly after her third birthday.  We have modified the chores based on her skill level.  I use a dry erase calendar board so that I can reuse it each month.  It's part of her bedtime routine.  We get the board out before she goes upstairs and mark the stars for the chores she did that day.  When we mark the weekly chores, I also add up her weekly total.

This has been great for us!  I get the help I need keeping the house clean and she has learned sooo much!  She has pride in doing a good job.  She has learned the value of money.  And it's a great disciplinary tactic!  She HATES losing money with the frowny faces, so she really thinks twice before she does something she knows will make her get one.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Answer 5

My 3.5yr old picks up his toys when he is done playing with them.  He also feeds the dog and loves to help sort laundry!!

Answer 6

Picking up what she leaves behind popped into my head when you said that.

Maybe even putting everything away from the dinner table if she's tall enough? Or setting the dinner table?

I think it's good that you're giving her a head start on little chores so that she won't be a lazy bum when she gets older- unless you push chores too much or too less.

Don't gripe about it or she'll really start to hate it, or be in a really bad mood every time you tell her. Don't yell at her just punish her when you told her more than twice to do it. Tell her that she'll get into trouble if you have to tell her 3 times that way she won't think that she got punished because you lost your temper, and that those are just the rules.

Grown ups really need to look back on their childhood as a really fun time where they played hard all day.

I had a really great childhood and the only thing when I was little that I remember my mom telling me was to pick up my toys when I was finished. And during or later I helped with things on the table.

rachel_g is SO right- If she wants to help it's not really a chore to her, you're just teaching her responsibility!

Answer 7

Some possible things she could do are:

-Put things into dishwasher/sink [non-breakable and nothing sharp]

-Helps with laundry: match socks, find her own clothes

-Pick up toys and put them in the toy box

-Find things for you like diapers, wipes, blankets etc.

-Wipe little spills or crumbs with a sponge or cleaning rag [nothing big]

It's great that she wants to help you out! Good luck and hope it helps!

Answer 8

She can pick up her toys when she is done with them, definitely.  But she can probably also help set the table.  Not so much the plates, which can be heavy for her age, but maybe the forks, knives and spoons.

Answer 9

My three and a half year old son doesn't much like picking up after himself; he likes doing things that "help" me.  He likes to say, "You don't have to do it all by yourself, mommy."  I gave him a broom one day and he did a surprisingly good job sweeping the floor and he loved it.  Another day he wanted to vacuum but the vacuum was too big so I put on an attachment.  The next thing I know he had had carefully vacuumed my stairs as high as the attachment would reach.  Another favorite is the swiffer duster.  He'll dust everything.  Anything "big kid" is a hit with my little guy.  

Answer 10

keeping toys and room tidy can be her main chore but everything you are doing like laundry, hoovering etc try to get her involved in any little way. she will enjoy the responsibilities and spending extra time with mummy! my 23 month old son does everything with me washing the dishes is a nightmare cuz we both end up soaked but it's fun we spend time together and still get the housework done and have a good time doing it. i've got so used to having him helping me that i find it boring when he's not there lol. i hope this helps

Answer 11

Rugbyman: Letting a child help, who wants to help, is not putting them to work.  You are obviously not a mother (I assume you are a man by your name).  We will take any help we can get.  Plus, to a 3 year old, helping mommy is playing.  She is learning responsibility, which is very important to a child as they grow older.  I never learned it when I was young.  My mother did everything for me and I have no idea how she did it.  I want my child to learn to at least pick up his own things, because my husband never learned to either.

Having 2 kids and one on the way is tiring and I can completely relate to not wanting to pick up after everyone.  I have a 1 year old, a 27 year old (my husband), and I also watch a 4 month old that I have to pick up after.  I suggest letting your daughter pick up her toys and put them away.  She could also go through the laundry and pick out her clothes.  She could help you put the laundry in the washer, and move it from the washer to the dryer.  It will probably make it go slower, but hey she is having fun.  If you have pets you could let her dump the food in the dish (take a little cup and fill it for her so she can dump it).  I'd say she could probably fill the water too, but it might just make one more mess you have to clean up.  You may also get your 16 month old to help with the same things.  I'm starting to teach my 1 year old to help clean up his toys...I think he might be a bit young, but hey the earlier the better...right?

Answer 12

Three-year-olds can be expected to pick up toys after playing. Also, she is old enough to take her plate and cup to the sink after meals. She can run and get things for you or the baby. When you do dishes, you can fill a dishpan with warm water and have her help wash non-breakable dishes.

She can clean up her room. If she feels helpful then she will run to do these things. I worked at an elementary school and ALL of the kids raised their hands anytime I asked "Who can help me?"  

Answer 13

my son likes to wipe things down with a damp rag or a paper towel

Answer 14

picking up her toys and putting them away.

helping wash the car or pets

watering plants

Answer 15

none...let your child play and develop there creative and imaginative skills.  Putting them to work because some moron convinced people to teach children responsibility by making them work at a young age, Just relax and let your kids be kids when 18 they will be working for the rest of their lives to let them have the first 18 for themselves.

Answer 16

like give the dog water maybe put some forks on the table or napkins. just little tasks here and there