Children when encouraged often love to help around the house. Not only does it help them feel like they are capable and contributing members of the family, it also helps both parent and child have a chance to connect.

Wondering what jobs your child can do around the house? With a little bit of help, children can do just about any task around the house and as they grow they can become more and more capable of carrying out these taks independently. Having children help with just one to three tasks is a great way to get started.

Here is list of household tasks for different ages and stages:

Toddlers

From 1 to 3 years toddlerhood is a great time to start involving children with household taks. Naturally curious about what parents and caregivers are doing, integrating a toddler into daily tasks is quite simple. Keeping in mind toddlers may need some help from a parent or older sibbling to get started here are great tasks for toddlers to do:

Clean up toys into a toy box or drawer

Sort & match socks

Dust with a damp cloth

Put away kitchen items like tupperware, wooden spoons, cups

Place clothing in drawers or baskets

Move laundry items from washer into dryer

Push buttons to turn machines on/off

Dry walls and fixtures with clean towel

Scoop out pet food

move paper from recycling bin into paper bags

Preschoolers

From ages three to five, preschoolers are often looking for ways to be independent, strong and feeling capable. With encouragement, household tasks can give preschoolers that boost in confidence and self assurance that they seek. Starting jobs together and then allowing preschoolers to take the lead is a great way to get the following tasks done:

Set the table (choose one or two tasks at a time: napkins, placemats, silverware, plates)

Take laundry to hamper

Fold laudry and place in baskets

Wipe tables and countertops

Wash pots and pans

Sort recycling

Empty small trash cans

Load/Unload some dishes from dishwasher

Load soap into dishwasher and/or washing machines

Empty grocery bags

Peel vegetables

Water plants

Rake leaves, tidy garden

shovel snow

Fluff pillows

Wipe dust away

Vaccuum

Mop floors

School Aged

Around six years of age many of the tasks that were previously done with some assistance can now be done completely independently. Keeping your child encouraged and interested in participating in household taks might be a bit more difficult but not impossible. Keeping realistic expectations, making jobs fun, introducing a job chart and remembering to appreciate your childs help and effort are all great ways to encourage your child to help with the following:

Set the table

Take laundry to hamper

Place laundry into washer

Move laudry from washer to drying rack

Fold laudry and place in baskets

Wipe tables and countertops

Wash pots and pans

Sort recycling

Empty small trash cans

Load/Unload dishwasher

Empty grocery bags

Peel vegetables

Water plants

Rake leaves, tidy garden

Change bed sheets

Change towels

Wipe dust away

Vaccuum

Mop floors

Prepare a meal

make a cup of coffee

Wash windows/mirrors

Wash the car

Shovel snow

feed pets

clean pet cages/crates/bedding

put away own laundry What tasks do your children like to help with? Which tasks do you wish they would help with more? How do you motivate and encourage your children to help around the house? Share your ideas below!