It’s tough being a kid when schools are closed, and a quarantine due to COVID-19 is in place. That means they won’t be seeing their friends or doing school activities they love. Going to the mall, park, or any public place is also going to be tricky, what with the coronavirus still very much out there.
So, what are kids going to do while spending practically all of their time inside your home? That’s easy. Get them to do everyday chores!
Quarantine or not, kids should help around the house. Sure, we still should let kids be kids and let them enjoy their childhood, but there are several reasons why they should do chores, too.
For one, it teaches them essential life skills. For another, getting them to do chores helps them develop a sense of responsibility and a strong work ethic. Working with siblings and their parents also teaches them the value of teamwork. And if you decide to give them an allowance and use a kids chores app for that, they’ll be learning about money management as well.
All these benefits will serve them well when they enter adulthood, and that is why getting them to help with chores is also helping them prepare for the real world.
With the quarantine, your kids will have more than enough time to do everyday chores, including the following:
Picking Up After Themselves
Most kids play with toys and leave them strewn all over the house most of the time. Teach them that they should pick up their toys and put them in the proper places after using them.
While you’re at it, give them instructions about picking up their dirty clothes and putting them in the hamper or laundry basket. Even three-year-olds can do this.
Sweeping The Floor
Sweeping floors is fun, and we’re sure your kids will have a grand time gathering dust and dirt into a specific spot on the floor and using a dustpan to pick them all up.
However, you can’t have your kid have too much fun sweeping the floor if they treat the broom like a golf club or a hockey stick and send dirt and dust flying everywhere. Teach them to do it gently.
Taking Out The Garbage
The task of taking out the garbage is appropriate for children old and strong enough to carry full trash bags out. Just make sure your trash pickup schedule is all noted in your chore app.
Washing The Dishes
If it’s your kids’ first time to help with the dishes, you can always start them with something as simple as scraping off leftovers from the dishes. An even simpler task is wiping the freshly-washed dishes dry.
Once they get the hang of the task, you can proceed to teach them how to use a sponge and dishwashing liquid or paste if you’re doing it the old-fashioned way. If you’re using a dishwasher, they will need precise instructions on how to load it properly, and which buttons to push and when.
Setting The Dining Table
With your supervision, teach your kids four years old and up how to set placemats, plates, glasses, and utensils on the table. It could take a while before they commit the proper placements to memory, so give them time to practice.
Doing The Laundry
Having your kids sort colors from the whites is an excellent way to introduce them to laundry-related tasks. Folding freshly-laundered clothes is also a suitable task for laundry beginners.
Once you feel they’re ready, start teaching them how to operate the washing machine and the dryer, but with your supervision.
Mopping Floors
Give your kids a mop and show them the right way to clean the floor, like starting in one corner of the room and going all the way to an exit to avoid stepping on freshly-mopped areas. Teach them how to prepare mop water and how to rinse and wring the mop correctly.
Doing chores during quarantine is also an excellent way to stave off boredom, so assign them age-appropriate tasks now, and see them have fun while learning skills they will find useful for the rest of their lives!
