The Answer to Long Winter Days Cooped Up Indoors: The 5 Minute Kid Chore Chart

When kids are cooped up at home during the colder months, it can be hard on the whole family. From cabin fever to too-close quarters to kids’ constant cries of “I’m bored,” long winter weekends can be tough. Plus, because the cold weather keeps families indoors, it’s nearly impossible not to notice the inevitable mess that piles up around the house almost immediately upon kids entering the room.

How can you motivate your child to participate in a productive and fun activity that not only helps break up the day, but also helps lend a hand with housework?

Enter the 5 Minute Kid Chore Chart. Inspire your children to earn a little extra cash or special rewards for helping keep the house clean. This will be a fun family activity that also takes some chores off your own to-do list – win, win!

To create a Chore Chart that’s going to motivate your children, follow these simple tips:

  • Children making a list of chores at homeMake it Visual: Use a bulletin board and create a colorful, fun visual list of each chore, paired with each reward, to get kids excited to play.
  • Create Fun Prizes: Not all the prizes have to be cash prizes. Think of fun perks like staying up 15 minutes later, reading an extra book at bedtime, 10 more minutes of screen time, a small toy at the grocery store, special one on one time with Mom or Dad, or even picking the meal for family dinner one night.
  • Be Age-Appropriate: Make sure that the chores you include are chores your children won’t get frustrated trying to do. A few ideas:
    • Loading the dishwasher
    • Wiping down the countertops after cooking
    • Wiping down the kitchen table after meals
    • Picking up shoes and putting them away
    • Putting clothes in the laundry basket
    • Putting toys away
    • Click here for more age-appropriate chore ideas from ages 2 to the teenage years.
  • Change It Up: Over time, as your children master each chore, add on new, more challenging chores with different prizes to keep their interest.

With the 5 minute kid chore chart, not only will you hear “I’m bored” a little less frequently, but your house (and you!) will reap the benefit of, in the words of Marie Kondo, tidier living. Additionally, recent research indicates that children who do have a set of chores around the house are more responsible, have higher self-esteem and are able to better cope with frustration and delayed gratification – all things that directly contribute to greater success in school. Another reason to continue the chore chart throughout the warmer months as well!

Although you now have a built-in house ‘tidier’ that happens to be your child, don’t forget to call in Home Clean Heroes for those regular, more heavy duty cleanings where relying on the kids just won’t cut it. Whether it’s a special occasion, or regular weekly, bi-weekly or monthly services, we are here to defend your free time, so you can spend it on things that matter most – like thinking of things to add to chore charts.