Chores Preschoolers Can Do at Home

Preschoolers can contribute to the family by doing age-appropriate chores. With kids spending more time than ever at home because of the pandemic, these practical life lessons come naturally to the forefront!

Teaching your preschooler to participate at home by doing chores has many benefits. Not only does it teach them valuable life skills and promote independence, but it also keeps kids busy, reduces behavioral issues, and improves self-esteem. At our core, we all want to feel useful and like we belong, and doing our share is the perfect way to support these human needs.

Don’t be afraid to assign your preschooler a variety of simple chores, as long as safety is not a big concern. If you worry about messes or having to redo the jobs after your child, consider how supervision, careful demonstrations, and plenty of guided practice can help reduce these problems, and go ahead with the chores! You’ll be glad you did.

Here is a list of chores preschoolers can do at home:

Make the Bed

Teach your little one to get into the habit of turning up the covers, fluffing the pillows, and straightening the bed first thing each morning. This is a great lifelong habit to start building now.

Dust Surfaces

Preschoolers can be taught the sequence of clearing surfaces, dusting them off, and neatly replacing the objects. Show them to dust high surfaces first and work down. Consider leaving very high surfaces for the adults.

Wipe Down the Baseboards

Little kids love spraying the baseboards or doors down and then wiping them off with a paper towel or clean rag. The baseboards tend to be that one area that we neglect until company is on the way, so instead of frantically getting it done the night before Thanksgiving dinner, let your preschooler do this regularly.

Vacuuming

Little hands can use a handheld vacuum on the rugs on couch cushions. Don’t forget the interior of your car too!

Swiffer Wet Jet Mopping

When putting together a Swiffer Wet Jet, it’s easy to skip the long pole and thereby create a child-sized Swiffer. Let your preschooler squirt and mop the floors, teaching him to mop in the direction the floorboards go.

Water Plants

Teach your child to fill a small watering can and let him take care of a few house plants. You can also let him spray the hose over the garden, counting to ten or twenty as each plant soaks in as much water as it needs.

Feed Pets

Children love to take care of their family’s companion animals. Give them a way to know how much to feed, whether it’s a certain number of spoonfuls or a fill line in the bowl. Kids are forgetful so always, always double-check this one to ensure your pets’ wellbeing.

Set the Table

Teach little ones the proper way to set a table. Help them understand that everyone needs one fork, one spoon, and so on. You can also post a drawing of what a place setting should include so they can refer to it.

Wash and Dry Laundry

Preschoolers are capable of carrying a load of laundry to the washer and putting the clothes in. You will want to have an adult add the detergent before the child turns the washer on. The child can also transfer the clothes to the dryer and turn the dryer on, as well as empty the dryer and fold easier items such as hand towels. Matching socks is another laundry room favorite!

Sort and Put Away Clean Silverware

After the dishes dry, have your child sort the forks, spoons, and knives, and return them to their rightful spots in the silver drawer.