The Best Toddler Chores For Kids Ages 1-3
When you’re a mom to a toddler, you might think that a time when they help you around the house is very far down the road. Well, I have some good news for you; it’s not! There are plenty of toddler chores that you can start implementing today.
These toddler chores are specifically designed for little ones aged 1-3. They are not overly complicated, making them perfect for your child’s developmental stage. Plus, they can be a fun way to get your child excited about helping you around the house!
It’s important to remember that your little one won’t perform these chores perfectly. But that’s okay! If you’re someone who values neatness and order, it might be a bit of a challenge to resist the urge to correct your toddler. However, by allowing them to do things their way, you’re fostering their independence and self-confidence.
For instance, they might put their clothes in the drawers messily or stack their dishes a little wonky. Just leave it as is!
By fixing a chore that your toddler has finished, you might send the message that they didn’t do their task correctly, and they might lose interest in doing it next time.
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Why are chores beneficial for your toddler?
Help Teach Life Skills
Chores are not just about tasks, they are about responsibility. By instilling the routine of doing chores at a young age, your child is learning how to take care of these different household duties, and it will become second nature.
Encourage Household Contributions
By introducing toddler chores, your child will be contributing to the household. They will be doing their part in helping the home run smoothly, and that brings us to our next benefit-
Sense of Accomplishment
When your kiddo completes their chores, it will give them a sense of accomplishment. They will feel good about helping you clean up the house.
Confidence Boost
Your child will get a little confidence boost alongside their sense of accomplishment. When they finish a chore and you tell them a heartfelt, ‘Thank you!’, you will see their excitement on their faces.
Great Bonding Time
Another fantastic thing about doing chores with your toddler is that it is a great bonding experience. Similar to when you play with your child, doing chores together allows you to spend time together (screen-free), talk with one another, and likely have fun along the way!
Easy and Fun Chores for Toddlers
As mentioned above, these chores are great for kids ages 1 to 3. Every child is different, so choose the chores that you think would be most appropriate for your child. (Remember, you still need to supervise your toddler during chore time to ensure their safety.)
1. Wipe Up Spills
Wiping up spills was the first chore my son did when he was younger, and he did it all on his own! That was when I realized that he can do more than I think sometimes.
One day, my son dropped his sippy cup of water on the hardwood floor, and it sprayed water across the floor. So then, he ran over, grabbed the kitchen towel we keep on the oven handle, and wiped up his mess. It was so adorable!
If you store towels in an easily accessible place for your toddler, they can wipe up any straightforward messes throughout the day.
If they don’t automatically go to grab a towel when they spill something, which they most likely won’t, you can say something like, ‘Uh oh, there’s a spill on the floor! How do you think we can clean this up?’. Typically, they will be happy to grab a towel and help out.
2. Help With Laundry
Having your toddler help with the laundry is a great first chore to start with! Just keep in mind that you might need to lower your laundry-folding standards. 😉
A great way to start including your toddler in laundry duties is by having them help throw dirty clothes into the washer. Then, you can start having them help you put clothes from the washer into the dryer.
Once the laundry is washed and dried, your toddler can be your little partner in sorting clothes into piles to fold. Another fun way toddlers can assist you with laundry is by playing a sock-matching game. Show your child how to fold socks together, and they can spend their time matching and folding socks while you fold the other laundry.
(Check out this laundry schedule if you need help staying on top of it!)
3. Throw Garbage Away
Next on our list of toddler chores is throwing their garbage away.
If your toddler is closer to one year old and you don’t want them to have access to your kitchen garbage can, get a small can like this one and set it near your regular garbage.
Your toddler might even get excited about having their own garbage can, and that will make helping even more fun!
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4. Pick Up Toys and Books
As you probably already know, your toddler can make your house look like a tornado came through. They can quickly spread toys over every inch of every room.
Designating pickup times throughout the day can help tame the mess and teach your child to take care of their possessions.
Some great examples of toy/book pickup times are before nap and bedtime. You can make this simple chore extra fun by putting on some upbeat music or setting a timer and making it a racing-against-the-clock game.
I started doing this consistently with my firstborn when he was around two years old, and it has become second nature, even years later!
5. Help With Pets
If you have pets, have your toddler help you feed them or fill their water bowls. Just keep an eye out to make sure your kiddo doesn’t try to snag a bite of pet food!
6. Empty the Dishwasher
If you have space in your kitchen to keep your child’s dishes in a cupboard lower toward the floor, it can make it easier for them to help put their dishes away!
Like with the laundry, the plates and bowls might be a little scattered, but giving your toddler more independence will be great for their self-esteem!
7. Water Plants
Watering plants is not just a chore; it’s a fun and educational activity that doesn’t require much effort. The joy of nurturing plants isn’t limited to indoor varieties; outdoor plants offer an equally enriching experience!
When allowing your child to water indoor plants, it’s wise to be prepared for a little mess. A child-friendly watering can, like this one, can be a great tool to make the experience more enjoyable and less messy.
8. Sweeping/Vacuuming
When you see sweeping and vacuuming on this list, you might think I’m a little crazy. Stay with me, though!
Letting your child sweep or vacuum won’t be so they can completely clean the floors. It will help them feel included and like they are helping!
This idea sparked when I left the broom out of the closet, and my 18-month-old son grabbed it. He ‘swept’ the floor for a good 20 minutes, and he loved it!
If you’re considering involving your child in sweeping and vacuuming, I recommend using child-sized brooms and vacuums. These ones are designed for smaller hands and come with easy-to-use dustpans, making the task more manageable and enjoyable for them.
As for vacuums, you can use a toy one like this or supervise them while using a hand vacuum-both are great options!
9. Dusting
Dusting can be another excellent chore for your toddler. We use these dusters around our house, and they trap the dust pretty well.
Bookshelves and tables are some examples of things your toddler can easily dust. Just ensure they don’t try to climb furniture to reach higher places.
10. Help You Check the Mail
The minute I go outside with my toddler, the first thing he wants to do is check the mail. This might be because he loves Mailbox on Blues Clues, but either way, it’s a great excuse to get outside and take a little walk!
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11. Pull Weeds
Pulling weeds is a great toddler chore if you have a yard or garden! Just be mindful of what kinds of plants you have in your yard; you don’t want your toddler grabbing anything that’s thorny without gloves on.
Pulling weeds is another chore that my toddler started doing on his own. Once the snow melted, he loved to walk around the yard and remove the dead dandelions.
12. Set the Table
Next on our list of toddler chores is setting the table with your supervision. Obviously, you shouldn’t let your toddler put knives on the table, but you can help them set plates, cups, and simple silverware on the table.
13. Put Dirty Dishes In the Sink
Encouraging your toddler to put their dirty dishes in the sink after mealtimes will help them get into the routine of cleaning up after themselves. This simple task can make tidying up after meals a little simpler.
14. Put Dirty Clothes In the Hamper
One of the easiest toddler chores is reminding your child to put their dirt clothes in the hamper. Before you know it, your child will automatically put their clothes away when they get dressed for the day or when they get into their pajamas for bedtime.
15. Take Groceries Out of Bags
Encourage your toddler to help unload groceries from the shopping bags after grocery shopping. They can even help you carry lightweight grocery bags into the house.
If they don’t know where to put the groceries, it can be helpful to hand them to you while you put them where they need to go.
Tips for Getting Your Toddler To Do Chores
Make It Fun
Making it fun is key when it comes to getting toddlers involved in chores. Toddlers love to play, so turning chores into a game can make them more willing to participate.
As I mentioned above, putting their favorite music on, or setting a time to race against are easy ways to make simple chores more enjoyable for young kids.
Keep Expectations Low
Another great thing to consider when it comes to toddler chores is that they might not always be easy. Keeping your expectations low will make things easier for everyone involved.
There will be those days when maybe they haven’t slept well and are a little cranky. They might not be the most willing to do something when asked, and that’s ok! You don’t have to force doing chores if it will cause a meltdown.
Model It First
It’s also important to model the behavior you want to see. Showing toddlers how to do a chore rather than just telling them can make a big difference in their success.
Make It Consistent
Additionally, making chores a consistent part of your routine can help toddlers understand that it’s just a normal part of daily life. As they grow older, helping with chores will be second nature.
Adding toddler chores to your morning routine is a simple way to ensure you get that consistency that your child needs!
Focus On What They Did
Keeping your tone positive and focusing on what they did rather than what they didn’t do can encourage toddlers to continue participating in chores.
When you focus on how your toddler could’ve done better, they might start to feel like they aren’t being helpful and then lose interest in trying to help you.
Get the Whole Family Involved
Lastly, involving the whole family can make chores feel less of a burden and more like a fun, team effort.
And there you have it: easy and fun toddler chores! Assigning age-appropriate chores to toddlers teaches them valuable life skills and helps foster a sense of responsibility and independence from a young age.
Encouraging toddlers to contribute to household tasks in a fun and supportive manner can lay the foundation for a strong work ethic and understanding of the importance of pitching in within a family unit.
By incorporating these small responsibilities into their routine, parents can help their toddlers become capable and considerate individuals as they grow older.
Before you go, check out these related articles:
- The Best Activities for 12-Month-Olds
- Must-Know Tips for Stay-At-Home Moms
- Exciting Toys for 18-Month-Olds
- Art Supplies You Need For Your Toddler
- Fun and Easy Activities for 18-Month-Olds
What were some toddler chores you’ll try with your child? I would love to know in the comments below!
These are such great ideas!!
Great suggestions! My toddlers love sweeping and getting the mail. Actually I like getting the mail too so have to hold myself back so they can do it :p
haha I know what you mean! Getting the mail is one of the better chores out there. 😉
This is a great list. I think it is so important to get children involved in helping early!
Thanks, Rachael!