Creative chore charts?

I have really been blessed by Managers of Their Chores by Teri Maxwell.  We have been using her system for several years and it has been easy to adapt.  We also do chores 3 times a day!  Money well spent in my book.

Yes, it a system that you develop (using her book) and then the kids take over from there.  Basically, it is a little chore chart of sorts that they wear so they can’t lose track of where they are and you can easily check in on them to monitor their progress as well.  It is wonderful for keeping mom hands off once the training period is over.  Even my 3 year old can do hers by herself.  Instead of using words I just drew little pictures to remind her of what to do.

I made a chore chart that is posted on our fridge and has lasted for over a year and is used daily….by a 6-7 year old boy. It’s lasted so well and you can make it as big as you want. I laminated a pictoral list which I made by printing out pictures and attaching them to cardstock and putting the whole thing through the laminator. Then I attached moveable check marks, also laminated, with brads. He moves each check mark off the chores every morning and back again when he’s completed that chore. It’s great. Nothing to lose.

I used google images and microsoft to do mine, but I’ve since found a website that makes this kind of project easier –  mrsriley.com

I once read about a family that wrote chores on popsicle sticks and put them in a jar for each child. The children would draw a stick out, do the chore written on it, and then put it in a jar for finished chores. It’s a nice visible way to see what needs to be done and the progress. You could use both written descriptions and a picture for younger children.

Thanks for the popsicle stick idea, Doug!  This was exactly what I needed as I’ve been trying to think of a way to make them more independent with their chores, but I didn’t want/need anything fancy that would take me forever to put together.  I am waiting for the glue to dry on my 2nd jar and popsicle sticks.  I printed out some clip-art for each chore (no words for my 4yo, with words for my beginning reader, and just words (no pics) for my advanced reader), and then pasted them to a halved index card.  Then I glued those to the popsicle sticks.  I am using empty baby food jars with a paper glued around it with their name on it.  I will also make an extra jar for “done” chores.  Easy to replace over time, easy to add one more as the next child is ready for their own chore jar.  Love it!  Thanks again!

Sara  🙂