I’ve been trying to get my kids to do more chores and take on responsibilities, but it’s always a struggle. I heard something about making tasks more playful to encourage kids. Has anyone tried this approach? I’m curious how it might help them become more independent and responsible over time. Any tips or experiences would be appreciated!
Making chores fun has worked well for us. We started a ‘chore challenge’ where my kid picks tasks from a jar and tries to beat their previous time. It’s become a game they enjoy.
I’ve noticed they’re starting to do some things without being asked now. Like putting dirty clothes in the hamper or helping set the table. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress.
One thing that helped was letting them choose how to do certain tasks. They came up with their own system for organizing their desk, and now they keep it tidy without reminders. Giving them some control made a big difference in how they approached chores.
Hey there! I’ve been down that road with my own kids. Making chores fun definitely helped in our house. 
We started with a simple game where they’d race to see who could put away the most toys in 5 minutes. It got them moving and laughing instead of whining about cleanup time. As they got older, we switched to a point system where they could earn screen time or choose a weekend activity. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but it got easier as it became part of our routine. The key was finding what motivated each kid. My daughter loved earning points for art supplies, while my son was all about extra gaming time. It took some trial and error, but now they’re pretty good at handling their responsibilities without me nagging them all the time.
We tried a point system for chores. The kids could earn points for each task they completed. They’d save up points to trade for things they wanted, like extra screen time or a new toy. It wasn’t perfect, but it got them more interested in helping out. They started doing some tasks without being asked because they wanted to earn more points. Now they’re better at taking care of their responsibilities on their own.
We’ve been trying to make chores more fun at our house too. My 5-year-old loves pretending to be a superhero, so we came up with ‘Cleanup Crusader’ missions. It’s cute watching them zoom around putting toys away with their cape on! Some days it works great, other days not so much. I’m still figuring out what motivates them consistently. Have you found any specific games or rewards that keep your kids interested long-term? I worry about relying too much on external motivation, but I’m not sure how else to get them excited about chores at this age.
I’ve been using a fun approach with my kids and it’s been working pretty well. We have a ‘mission board’ in the kitchen where I post different tasks as ‘missions’. They get to choose which missions they want to take on each day. It’s amazing how excited they get about doing dishes when it’s a ‘top secret dish cleaning operation’!
Sometimes we use a timer and they try to beat their own records. My 10-year-old loves this and has gotten super fast at making his bed. The 7-year-old prefers when we turn on music and have a 10-minute dance party cleanup.
It’s not perfect every day, but overall they’re much more willing to help out. They’re starting to take initiative on some tasks without me asking, which is great to see. Plus, it’s way more fun for me too!