Week of the Young Child
You may have heard the saying, Play is the work of children, which is a reminder that when children are making messes, acting silly and having fun, they are also engaged in serious learning. We can also turn the statement around and say “Work is the play of children.” That’s a reminder that children want to be included in the daily routines that we may consider work, like washing dishes and sorting laundry. And when we invite children to work alongside us, while keeping it playful and fun, we support them to develop in a multitude of ways. NAEYC offers some tips on cooking with toddlers here on their website. These pointers can apply to lots of other household chores as well:
Keep it simple
Think about your child’s current abilities and give them one task at a time, that they can mostly do by themselves. Increase the complexity and number of tasks as their skills grow.
Let your toddler lead
Notice what really interests them and choose a task accordingly. Maybe they love socks, so you ask them to sort all the socks into piles for each family member.
Prep and plan when possible
Set your child up for success by making chores easy to accomplish. That might mean storing things on a child’s level or putting trash in smaller containers.
Invite your child to help clean up.
Approach clean up at the end of play as a fun game that everyone shares in, and gradually they will develop the habit of picking up after themselves in other situations.
Inviting and encouraging your child to share in the everyday work of living in a household together teaches them patience, perseverance and organizational skills. But even more, it teaches them that they are a valued, contributing member of the family and gives them to confidence to tackle the larger life tasks ahead.
Learn more about Week of the Young Child and the National Association for the Education of Young Children at their website, www.NAEYC.org