Age 5
Chores (5 years)
Children want to try doing anything that interests them. Take advantage of your child’s curiosity and eagerness to try new things to teach her that chores are fun, interesting, and grown-up!
What kind of chores should I give my child？
Does your child ever offer to help you?
When your child wants to try what you are doing or tries to copy you, she is demonstrating the will to try something new. Let her help in a way appropriate to her age.
Advice for chores
- Give your child simple tasks.
- Give your child repetitive tasks.
- Give your child tasks that can be done with an adult or supervised by an adult.
It’s important for your child to be able to see the results of her efforts. And if you praise her and are pleased, she will be motivated to do it again. Don’t rush and teach her to do the job correctly.
You may think, “I’m glad she’s helping, but . . .” “She doesn’t do it every day . . .” but to children at this age, chores are just another game. It is very difficult for them to take responsibility and do something every day. But the experience of doing chores, feeling the satisfaction of a job well done and being praised will eventually lead to the ability to do chores every day.
Chores your child can do
- Chores your child can do alone
・Setting the table
・Shutting the curtains
・Watering flowers
・Lining up shoes, etc.
- Chores your child can do with help
・Cooking
・Cleaning, etc.
When your child thinks what you are doing looks interesting and tries it herself, she may find it more difficult than she thought, to require more strength than she thought, or find it tedious to continue. But when she wants to try what you are doing and finds she is able to do it herself, she will experience a feeling of accomplishment that will turn into self-confidence.