How to Make a Chore Chart for Preschoolers

Teaching children values, including that of being responsible, can begin at home with something as simple as a chore chart. Chore charts are easy to make and fun to do with your preschooler close at hand. Preschoolers learn the value of responsibility by completing chores around the house, putting stickers to mark completions on their chart and then being rewarded for a job well done.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Card stock
• Markers
• Stickers
• Ruler

1. Let your preschooler pick out their favorite color of card stock. Using a ruler, make several lines on the paper like a grid.
2. Mark on the top of the cardstock Monday thru Friday. Heading the columns will help the preschooler determine where to place the sticker on the chart.
3. Brainstorm with your preschooler as to what chores they can do around the house. The number of chores can vary per age of the preschooler and their ability. However, it is generally accepted that you could create one chore per year of age. For example, if your preschooler is 4 years old, then you can assign 4 chores.
4. Write the chores your preschooler can do down the left hand column, from top to bottom.
5. Pick out a sticker to put in the box that represents that day and the chore they did after your preschooler completes the assigned chore.
6. Set up a reward system at the bottom of the chore chart. For example, take the total number of stickers possible, let’s say 30, and set a reward for that number. But also set up smaller reward goals also, for 10 stickers and for 20 stickers. This will keep your preschooler motivated to continue to do their chores.

Tips & Warnings

• Along with teaching values you are increasing your preschoolers self-esteem and social-emotional development.
• Some ideas of chores would be picking up toys, making their bed or cleaning their room.
• Some other ideas of chores that are done around the house are dusting, matching and folding laundry and putting the dishes away.
• Make sure your expectations don't exceed the abilities of your preschooler.