Need some help around the house? I know I do. What’s great is that your 4 or 5 year old child is very capable of doing more than just creating messes! They can do many household chores and even well. Not only can they learn how to do chores, they feel so proud of themselves to do grown up things. It helps build their independence, self-confidence and accountability.
At this age, they like helping mommy and daddy. Praise them abundantly and watch what things they will start volunteering to do.
Doing chores helps your kids:
- learn how to become independent
- build their self esteem from being praised
- learn responsibility
- learn accountability
- feel accomplished
- help others
- learn how to follow directions
Teaching your kids about responsibility early sets them up for success later in life. It teaches them accountability for cleaning up their own messes and contributing to the daily household upkeep that needs to be done to keep an organized, clean home. You’ll help build their self esteem through praise and accomplishment. They’ll also learn about the consequences of not doing chores. The earlier they learn about responsibility and consequences, the more it will help shape them for the teen years.
Why wait until they’re a pre-teen to expect them to make their own bed. Do you think it will easier then? Think twice! Do you think they aren’t capable how to do simple chores? Nope, they understand. Below you’ll find a long list of things your 4 yr old can do or help.
Chores For 4 Year Olds Can Do to Learn Responsibility
Put Away Toys
Putting away their toys makes them accountable. Kids should start putting away their toys as early as 2 years old. Not putting away toys in our home has serious consequences such as no TV or ice cream. Our kids will do nearly anything for ice cream.
Vacuum
Our 4 year also loves to vacuum. Why? The vacuum makes a neat noise and is on wheels. Why wouldn’t that excite a 4 year old? Because he loves to vacuum, I tell him he has to clean up his toys first. That’s two chores that get done. I normally watch him to make sure he gets all areas of the room.
Make Beds
Making a bed is really just as simple as pulling up sheets and the bed covering. It’s so simple that kids should be getting into this habit before they turn into 21 year olds. My son will surprise me and make my bed too. I know, you want to clone him for yourself right? He’s so proud of himself to make beds.
Change Bed Sheets
Pulling the sheets off of the bed and putting on clean sheets is so much fun! …well at least for a 4 yr old. He’s done this independently..even the fitted sheet that I have trouble with.
Fill Washing Machine With Dirty Clothes
This is so easy. I watch to make sure it ends up in the washing machine and not on the floor. Plus, I have to pre-treat stains but, he helps with that too. Why? He gets to use a squirt bottle.
Put Washed Clothes Into the Clothes dryer
If you have a top loader, hand them the clothes. My son even knows how to turn it on with the auto function. You’ll have to supervise but, they are learning and helping.
Remove Dry Clothes From Clothes Dryer
If you have a front loader, kids can certainly do this chore easily without supervision.
Fold Laundry
O.k. It’s not perfectly folded. I’m not going to pretend that Martha Stewart approved of his laundry folding skills. But, for a 4 year old, he did quite a fine job! I don’t know why he likes folding laundry but, why turn down an offer to help fold laundry? I sometimes wonder if I have a future military bound child.
Water Flowers
Kids like watering flowers and lets them see how the flowers wilt if they don’t get water soon enough. This chore is will start to get them into gardening and cultivation.
Bring Dirty Dishes from the Kitchen Table to the Sink
I’m a stickler for this one! My kids must bring their dirty dishes and utensils from the table and put them in the sink when they leave the table. It’s easy and you’re not their bus boy.
Wash and Rinse Dishes
Note: My son is 6 1/4 yrs old in this video but, he is much better at washing them now. It’s so funny because I asked him what he wanted in return for washing the dishes and he says…. just watch the video. He’s a typical little man. LOL!
Our 4 and 5 year old sons love helping me wash the dishes. How is it any different than playing in the bath tub or a water table outside? I wash and he rinses. He even likes washing and does a good job too. You’ll be doing your future son/daughter-in-law a big favor and she/he’ll thank you for it.
Load Dish Washer
Kids can put dirty dishes in the dish washer. You may have to reload them, which I end up doing anyway, but it’s a nice habit to get into early.
Unload Dishwasher
You’ll want to make sure the dishes are no longer hot and keep them away from glass and ceramic but, your kids can certainly take out plastic bowls, plates and cups and and put them on the counter for you to put into the cabinets. My sons enjoy putting away the utensils in the drawer.
I wash my sharp knives by hand and store them higher in the cabinets so the kids don’t have access to them. You don’t want them cutting themselves or stabbing the couch. So far, they haven’t broken anything. Cross my fingers.
Wipe Up Their Own Messes
When my kids are goofing off and spill milk all over the floor, table and chair, I make them clean up. This is how they learn that if they don’t want to clean up a mess, don’t make one! Of course, I end up cleaning the mess sometimes anyway because they may not get all of it but, I’m teaching them a lesson. It’s the principle that matters! I’m not the hired help after all and even if we had a maid, wish I did, I’d still make them clean it up!
Clean the Kitchen Table
Cleaning the kitchen table means he can pull a trigger and some stuff comes out that shines up the table. Putting away groceries means he can show mommy that he knows where everything goes.
Cleaning the kitchen table means he can pull a trigger and some stuff comes out that shines up the table. Putting away groceries means he can show mommy that he knows where everything goes.
Bring Groceries In From the Car
Don’t just give them the light bags either. See if they can handle bags with a little weight to them. Tell them how strong they are for bringing in heavier bags. After my kids make a ride-on train with the toilette paper and napkins, they’ll put them away.
Put Away Groceries
Kids know that milk goes in the refrigerator and canned goods in the pantry. Once, without my knowledge, my 4 year old brought in a bag containing eggs. Yes, he broke a few but, I just made an impromptu quiche after I showed him what happens when you aren’t gentle with eggs. He learned that lesson.
Young children from as early as age 3 like to show mommy that they’re capable of helping. They desire praise. The more you praise a young child, the more willing they’ll become to do household chores.
Bring in the Recycling Containers
They can bring in the recycling containers from the curb. They’re empty containers and don’t weigh much. They can even collect trash from l waste paper baskets to be put in the weekly trash pick up.
This article from WebMD encourages young children to do household chores to teach them about responsibility, making chore charts, age appropriate chores and giving an allowance.
Encouraging kids to do household chores helps them to grow up not being spoiled and entitled. They’ll begin to learn about responsibility, accountability, contributing to the upkeep of their home, and to help others. It builds their self esteem from praise and accomplishment. With some supervision and leniency on perfection, you can train your cute, capable helpers.
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