I’ve wanted to get Henry more involved in our cleaning routine here at home. Something about responsibility makes cleaning a really fun activity for young kids, and we might as well take advantage of the positive helping attitude while it lasts. All too soon he’s going to wake up and be a grumpy, smelly teenager (which I’m already seeing moments of- so help me).
Today I partnered with Honest Company, a company I really love, to share a simple printable cleaning chart to involve kids more in the cleaning process. The Honest Company makes fantastic green cleaning products, safe and gentle baby, bath and body products that are all non-toxic and natural but also really effective. I love the floor cleaner and the grapefruit scent of this multi-surface cleaner is so fresh.
Keep reading to get the downloadable kids chore chart illustrated by my talented sister Rebecca…
Photography by Liz Stanley. Assisted by Sara Iveson. Printable created by Rebecca Ricks for Say Yes
I love the idea of having regular, consistent chores for kids. I wanted a couple jobs that were consistent on his chart and also one special item everyday. After printing it out (you can print out the daily chore chart here) we laminated it with contact paper and trimmed the edges. It can be hung on his bulletin board with a magnet and you can use a dry erase marker on it to mark off items completed each day.
I really like these tips for getting kids excited and involved in the cleaning process but I’m not going to pretend that I’m an expert at all on this! It’s definitely a work in progress to involve Henry in the household chores. I’m curious how you all handle it!
One thing that never gets old is emphasizing with Henry how ‘grown up’ a particular cleaning job is. He loves feeling like he’s doing something only grown ups are usually allowed to do, like using a knife to prep dinner with me or vacuuming the rugs. We probably use this phrase in our house more than we should: “Well, this is something normally just 7 yr. olds and up can do, but I think you can give it a try…”. Works every time!
Taking the chore chart one step further, going over the step by step process for each task would be a great idea too. In the article I mentioned above, it talks about instead of saying ‘clean your room’, try ‘put your legos in the box’. Specifics on the task to make the expectations clear and consistent. Maybe even make another chart with each step like we did for the ‘how to do laundry’ printable. I think it’s a smart idea I’d love to try. No excuses now, kids!
Honestly, I’m pretty bad about involving Henry in the cleaning process but tell me it’s never too late to start, right? How do you get your kids involved in household chores?
Big thanks to Honest Company for sponsoring this post. We’ve loved trying out their products and are big fans of the company.