Really! Chores are NOT supposed to be fun, after all, they are chores. But if your children thought they were fun, wouldn't it be easier to get them done? The answer, of course, is YES. So here are some ways to make your kids want to work.
First of all, make sure the chores are appropriate to the child's age. Dumping one trash can into a bigger one isn't ever going to be fun if both the cans are bigger than you are. Children need to have the size and skills to accomplish the task assigned to them.
Think competitive. If you have more than one child, pit one against the other to successfully complete a chore or the whole list on a timer. A good example is Johnny collects trash, and Suzie picks up toys in the play room... who's faster? The game has to have a definite ending point, so an adult will have to be involved. Bed-making is perfect for competition.
While speed is important, quality of the work has to have a place. Outdoor chores might include picking up sticks, rocks, or trash that is in the yard. Pick front, back or side yard and count the items picked up in a certain time period, like 15 minutes. Or, you might divide the yard into segment and give each child a segment to clean.
If the recycling needs sorting, that is a good chore for older children. Make them wear gloves and see who can finish first. This could also be a weekly "game" with a rotating person playing and getting a prize at the end of a set period, like a month. This would include taking it to the street if only one plays at a time.
Laundry is another chore that can easily be turned into a game. How quick can you pick up your dirty clothes and deliver them to the laundry room? How quickly can you put away clean ones, in the correct places. Even only children can play if you count loudly and encourage them to beat their "best" time.
Who sets the nicest table? Every child gets his or her night on a rotating schedule. A lesson on table setting would be the first step and see who was listening. Who thought of fresh flowers? Who made season-appropriate napkins from plain ones with markers? These are some ideas you might use.
Depending on your beliefs, money or prizes could be paid for these chore/games although typically kids are happy with bragging rights, the chance to say "I won!" Try making daily chores around your house into games and challenges and you can turn drudgery into a fun family tradition that takes on a life of its own.
