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Toddlers between the ages of one and two love to explore their world. They are delightful and exhausting, funny and fearless, and without common sense about the many dangers they will encounter within even the most carefully baby-proofed home. From the time your darling baby takes her first steps until she is finally ready for school, you will probably be quite anxious about safety, and rightfully so. A good way to channel your toddler’s curiosity and energy is to begin teaching her some chores, because regardless of how much you invest in toys, your inquisitive toddler will always want to be in your business.
Imitation and repetition are a toddler’s main tools for learning, and you are your baby’s first teacher. Rather than frustrate yourself with trying to keep her out of adult things, try to involve her in specific tasks that will make imitation safe, fun, and habit-forming. To get you started, here is a list of ten good chores for toddlers to do everyday with mommy, daddy, or a favorite caregiver.
- Sweeping: If you haven’t already done so, consider investing in a small plastic hand-held sweeper and dustpan for your child. Show her how to sweep up the floor while you hold the dustpan. She will get quite a kick out of this activity and will begin to pick up the sweeper and use it herself without prompting. If you are willing to invest a little money, you could consider the Casabella Floor Sweeper
as another great option instead. It is not electrically powered and picks up dirt and crumbs without a dustpan.
- Tidying-up: Involve your toddler in the laundry process at your home. We have a front load washer, so our little guy will either empty wet clothes into a hamper or take dirty clothes and put it in the machine. He loves this job and sometimes gets carried away–taking things back out or putting things back in. Always praise your child on her efforts.
- Washing up: This is a very simple task that requires a wet cloth and your child’s imagination. In our house we wash up to music. We sing songs from our Kindermusik “Welcome to our house” CD. You could also purchase the materials second-hand
without registering for a class or buying through their website. Songs on this CD are sung about the washing machines, wiping, sweeping, etc…. It has a very cute arrangement, and the classes are well worth the investment if you are fortunate to find one in your area. In our house everyone gets a cloth and things get wiped from table tops to floors: chair rungs, television screens, base boards, couch cushions, sink tops, stools, while we sing.
- Using the Garbage Can: You can easily teach your toddler where to put the rubbish. Even if your little one doesn’t yet talk, she probably has a pretty good receptive vocabulary. Show your toddler the garbage can, or rubbish bin, and tell her what you call it. Then the next time she throws food on the floor, in a very fun and friendly way, say: “Oh, that’s yucky. Put it in the garbage!” Be sure to emphasize the word garbage. In time your toddler will begin to use the garbage without prompting, sometimes putting things in there that don’t belong. Not to worry, that faze will promptly end as long as you keep a watchful eye and steer your little one toward the toy box instead.
- Fetching Objects: Teach your toddler to fetch objects for you. Use the simple command, “Bring me.” This chore works best in conjunction with a good board book. When your toddler begins to point at objects around her, introduce a book similar to one of the three listed below. Spend a few moments everyday reading this book together and naming everyday objects she comes in contact with throughout the day.
- Delivering Objects: Once the child learns what “bring me” means, then you can utilize it whenever she picks up something that really doesn’t belong in a toddler’s hands. This is when you introduce the command, “Show”. Toddlers just love to bring you things, so the next time your little one goes into a forbidden cabinet or drawer and pulls out something you’d rather she not play with, just smile and say, “Oh!…. Show me!” Then praise your little one when she gives you the object, and don’t be surprised if she goes off to find another treasure to show you again.
- Recycling Papers: This is also another good job for toddlers. We have a big bin for junk mail and miscellaneous papers. Our little guys love to put junk mail in there and take scraps of paper out for doodling and coloring on.
- Unloading the Dishwasher: A toddler can also help mommy or daddy with this fun task. We like to keep harmless plasticware on the lower level of our machine. My youngest loves to pull out sippy cups and silverware and hand them to me. Unloading the dishwasher provides parents a great opportunity to teach colors, sorting, and matching skills. Just talk to your toddler as you take the object from her. Say something like, “Thank you for the cup!, can I have another cup?” If this is an emerging skill for your child then guide her hand with your own to ensure she makes the “right” choice. If she doesn’t, say “Good try. You gave me a spoon. Spoon.” When working with your toddler always keep your commands short and simple and use repetition to build her vocabulary.
- Dusting: Finally, invest in a few feather dusters and keep them handy for times when you need to distract and refocus your little one. It is a fun object that will help a determined little toddler switch her attention from something you’d rather she not do to something that is safe, beneficial, and fun.
There you have it, a quick and dirty list for how to have some good clean fun with your little household assistant!
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Tags: Activity, Baby, Baby Einstein, Child, Chores, Creative, Family, Fun, Imitation, Learning, Repetition, Toddler
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Meet the Author
Caryn Talty
The editor of Healthy-family.org has a master's degree in English from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor of science degree in special education. She has taught students from early elementary school through college freshman level. Today she enjoys reading and writing about both hot topics and those not so commonly discussed on other websites. Most of her days are spent playing all kinds of make-believe with her three very young and active sons. | All articles by Caryn Talty.
