Make Your Own Chore Chart for Your Children

When I was growing up, my sister and I had chores to do around the house, just like all children growing up. At first, it was easy to remember our five things: make your bed, get dressed, brush your teeth, wash your face, and comb your hair. But as we got older, the number of chores we were expected to perform got bigger and bigger. Sooner or later we got the expected “Did you remember to take out the trash?” Of course, one of us had forgotten to do one or more if our chores.

Along came the chore chart. The chore chart for your children is a wonderful and gentle way to remind your children what chores are expected of them and they can keep track of their progress on a moment by moment basis. I remember our first chore chart was nothing more than a piece of paper with lines on it. Going down the side was the list of chores that needed to be done, and when we completed each chore, a checkmark was placed in line with the chore completed.

Today’s chore charts for children are much more refined and fun! Most are based on the same basic principle of my parents’ lines piece of paper, but instead of handwritten items like “take out trash” and “clean your room”, today’s chore charts are filled with fun and colorful graphics. And instead of a boring checkmark for a completed chore, fancy chore charts have giant stars, fun smiley faces, and other fanciful icons to represent completed tasks.

These chore charts are inexpensive and can be used over and over again. In fact, they are so fun, that many children enjoy doing their chores because they like to see their chore chart full of stars, smiley faces, and “good-job” stickers. You can customize these chore charts to match the age-appropriate chores for your children and to assure that your child will never outgrow their chore chart.

Most experts agree that chores for children are an important developmental part of learning their place and worth in society. By completing chores, they feel a contributing part of the family and they take responsibility for tasks. This helps their self-esteem and helps develop a strong work ethic which can only help them later once they get to school, and later in life once they begin a career.