The Do’s and Don’ts of Introducing Littles to Chores

By Priya Rajendran

For young children, chores aren’t just a good way to get them to help around the house – they’re opportunities to build responsibility, independence, and a sense of belonging.

Research shows that children who engage in regular, age-appropriate chores are more likely to develop self-discipline, confidence, and a better understanding of teamwork. In early childhood, key brain functions are rapidly developing, including executive functioning skills like planning, organization, and impulse control. Chores provide a practical, hands-on way for children to practice these skills. In fact, a study from Harvard University highlights that executive functioning in early childhood is predictive of academic achievement and social skills later in life.

There are some excellent ways to teach your preschooler and kindergartener – and some not-so-helpful ones that may do more harm than good.

So how do you get started?

1. Do Start Small and Keep Chores Simple

Start slow, with simple tasks that young children can easily complete on their own, like putting toys back in a bin or placing their shoes on a designated mat. Simple tasks are manageable and also let kids experience the satisfaction of completing something from start to finish – and you already know how much they will love the praise.

Tips:

• Use your organizational and labeling skills. Set up clear visuals that will help guide them, like labeled bins or color-coded drawers, to show where items belong.
• Work alongside your kids to first demonstrate the task.
• When they’re done, be sure to celebrate them with a high-five, reinforcing that they’ve done something really special.

2. Do Make Chores Fun and Engaging

Turning chores into a game will make your kids think chores are more fun than they actually are. Gamify it by singing a clean-up song or having a “beat the clock” race that will turn picking up their toys, into something they really look forward to.

Tips:

• Add fun challenges like “Can you clean up all the red toys first?” or “Let’s see who can put the most items away in one minute.”
• Use fun, colorful language to describe chores. There’s a difference between “Please give the plant some water” and “Let’s give the plants a big drink!”
• Add music, either by singing together or playing a favorite song. This will be fun and also help relax your little one.

3. Do Make Chores an Important Part of the Daily Routine

By building chores into your child’s daily routine, you’re giving them the consistency they crave while also helping them understand the importance of contributing to their family. Children thrive with predictable schedules, and knowing that clean-up time is a part of the day always works to ease transitions from one activity to the next.

Tips:

• Use a schedule or checklist to help them remember daily chores, like putting away toys or helping set the table.
• Set up regular “clean-up” times, like before dinner or bedtime, so they come to expect and prepare for these responsibilities.
• Model patience and encouragement to help them see that chores are a part of the family routine everyone shares.

Don’ts for Introducing Littles to Chores

1. Don’t Expect Perfection! Instead, encourage effort.

Kids are still developing their motor skills and coordination, so the results may be less than perfect. Focusing on their effort instead of the outcome promotes a growth mindset and builds their confidence. A study by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck showed that kids praised for their efforts are more resilient and motivated than kids who are rewarded for their results.

Tips:

• Avoid fixing their work in front of them; instead, celebrate what they finished, even if it looks messy.
• Repeat to them that trying their best is what matters, not getting everything perfect.
• Praise their efforts with things like “You worked so hard putting all your blocks away!” to help them feel proud of what they did.

2. Don’t Overload with Too Many Things at Once

Kids feel confused with too many instructions or complicated chores. Young kids, especially preschoolers, benefit from one or two simple chores that are easy to remember. Overloading them can lead to frustration and resistance.

Tips:

• Start with just one chore and add more as they become more confident.
• Break larger chores into teeny tiny steps, like “First, let’s pick up the toys; then we can wipe the table.”
• Use language that helps them see chores as small tasks that are really easy to achieve rather than one big job.

3. Don’t Use Chores as Punishment

Associating chores with punishment will just bum everyone out. Instead, chores should feel like a fun, shared responsibility. Studies show that children are more internally motivated to work more effectively when they’re given positive reinforcement instead of a punishment.

Tips:

• Frame chores as a team effort, stressing that every family member contributes.
• Offer praise and even rewards to make chores feel like a privilege or part of being a “big kid.”
• If a chore isn’t done well, gently guide them on improving – never use punishment-type words.

Recommended Chores for Little Kids (with Parental Guidance)

The perfect way to introduce chores to kids is all about creating positive, low-pressure experiences. These recommended chores, which I have found talking to the 300,000 parents on my family app, are ideal for preschoolers and kindergarteners, allowing them to develop motor skills, practice following instructions, and really feel involved in family life.

1. Toy and Book Pickup

Guide and encourage them as they pick up the mess. Praise their effort, even if it takes longer than you would have liked.

What It Teaches: Responsibility and organization.

How to Do It: After playtime, guide your child to put toys in designated bins and books on shelves. Use color-coded or labeled bins to help them learn where everything belongs.

2. Feeding Pets with Supervision

Supervise to ensure they use the correct amount and are gentle around pets. This chore gives you a really good opportunity to talk to them about how to care for and love their animals.

What It Teaches: Responsibility, empathy, and consistency.

How to Do It: With a parent’s help, little kids can scoop pet food into bowls or pour water. This routine can be a fun daily task that helps them feel responsible for a family member (their pet!).

3. Watering Indoor Plants

Guide them to each plant and demonstrate how much water each one needs. As they practice, they’ll start learning the concept of caring for other living things.

What It Teaches: Nurturing and routine care.

How to Do It: Let your child use a small watering can to gently water indoor plants. Focus on plants that require light watering to prevent overwatering.

4. Helping Set the Table

Supervise closely and demonstrate how to handle items carefully. This chore is a simple way for children to feel involved in family mealtime.

What It Teaches: Coordination and family cooperation.

How to Do It: Show them where items like napkins, forks, or spoons go, and let them place them on the table. Make it a fun game by counting things, or identifying each family member’s spot.

5. Sorting Laundry by Color

Model this for them, and then work alongside them to make sure clothes are sorted correctly. Give them a high five for their help and encourage them to share observations about the colors or textures of clothing items – or which sweaters they love the best.

What It Teaches: Sorting, categorization, and teamwork.

How to Do It: Ask your child to help sort laundry by colors, like separating whites from darks. It’s a manageable task that builds categorization skills and helps them feel included in household routines.

6. Wiping Down Surfaces with a Cloth

Demonstrate gentle wiping motions and help them reach areas within their range. Model wiping in circles or lines to make it more fun.

What It Teaches: Cleaning, attention to detail, and fine motor skills.

How to Do It: Give them a damp microfiber cloth to wipe surfaces like tables, countertops, or lower shelves. This task is easy for little hands and introduces them to basic cleaning. They’ll love to have their own little clothes that they can reuse whenever it’s clean-up time.

7. Putting Away Groceries

Supervise and offer guidance on where items go. This chore is a great way to build responsibility, as they see how everyone contributes to organizing the home.

What It Teaches: Sorting, teamwork, and spatial awareness.

How to Do It: Let them help with lightweight items like cereal boxes or canned goods, placing them on low shelves or designated spots. For an easy and more manageable start, ask them to unbag things while you put them away.

Through small but impactful chores, preschoolers and kindergarteners can learn the basics of responsibility, develop executive functioning skills, and feel proud of their contributions to family life. This will set them up for a lifetime of caring for their home and their pets and feeling good.

Using S’moresUp, parents can introduce these life lessons in a structured, positive, and rewarding way—setting the stage for a lifelong love of helping and learning.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Priya Rajendran is a veteran technologist (PayPal) and the co-founder and CEO of S’moresUp, a family management system from kinder to college that introduces life lessons in a structured, positive, and rewarding way—setting the stage for a lifelong love of helping and learning.

Cover photo by Mizuno K