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March 25, 2019 · 26 Comments

a super simple kid’s job chart that actually works

organizing· parenting & family· simplifying home life

kid's job chart
kid's chore chart
kid's chore chart
kid's job chart

kid's chore chart

we have gotten into some bad habits lately. and by we, i mean my kids. they’re cute, but when it comes to cleaning, they’ve fallen a bit behind. a couple summers ago, i created a really easy summer job chart. i like to call them jobs instead of chores because i think maybe it will seem like they’re not as hard. jury is still out on whether my kids are buying it. but there’s no denying they respond better to a chart than anything else.

our summer chart had a positive effect on everything. especially my sanity. even though we called it the summer job chart, we used it past the summer and all through the year. it made life so much easier, but i stopped enforcing it. why? good question. sometimes we do that as moms. we put off making small changes even though we know they will have big results. i needed to change some of the jobs and also change some of the days, and it just never felt like a good time. now? it feels like a good time.

my kids {and all kids i think} respond well to a chart for 3 reasons:

{1} they know what to expect. when the chart is up, it is no surprise that we have morning and evening jobs. the less they feel like i am springing jobs on them, the better their attitudes.

{2} it’s not coming from me. the chart limits arguments because when it’s on the chart, they blame the chart instead of me. also, i don’t have to repeat myself. i just refer to the chart.

{2} we practice. for the first week of the chart, it’s important to demonstrate expectations and help. as they get the hang of the jobs, you can help less and less. this usually takes about a week for us. don’t skip this. it will pay off in the end!

kid's chore chart

our job chart is called the super simple job chart for a reason. it took about 25 minutes to create the first version and 15 to revamp some of our jobs to reflect the kids’ new ages. again, i have no idea why i put this off this time! with summer around the corner, i’m glad we are starting now.

kid's chore chart

if you’d like a copy of our super simple chart, you can download yours here. you’ll also gain access to a bunch of other fun freebies to help create a home where your family can thrive! our chart is a microsoft word document and it is so easy to tailor to your own family. there was a time when i thought a job chart needed to be super cute and fancy. then i got smart and decided it doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to work. this one works. if you’ve been waiting for the perfect free moment to make your own chart, make it easy on yourself and just download this one!

need some help brainstorming age-appropriate jobs that will actually help YOU around the house? here are 3 simple ideas to consider so you can make this chart work for your family:

kid's job chart

step 1

consider the ages of your kiddos. mine are eight, five, and one. this chart will not be for the one-year-old, obviously. my eight year old is capable of a LITTLE bit more than my five-year-old. he can probably push the vacuum better than she can. but she can use the handheld vacuum. so they are about equal in the chores they can easily accomplish.

it is really important that the chores on the chart are age appropriate. otherwise, you will just have tears and half-way done jobs. keep that in mind for step 2.

step 2

chores by room

consider the things that bug you the most around your house and make a list. remember, this list should include jobs that are age appropriate for your kiddos. i created this cute printable for myself to help me go room by room. it’s here in the LITTLE resource library if you’d like one to help keep you motivated! keeping everything listed in one spot saved me time. when i made our job chart, i easily plugged in the jobs from my list and crossed them off as i went.

chore chart printable

here’s the list i ended up with. remember to stick to things your kids can actually help you with. it is also important to note that if you want kiddos to clean up toys, they have to have a good place to put them. until this weekend, our basement was a disaster. we have places for toys but we had too many toys so those place are overflowing. yesterday, i decluttered so that the basement job is now manageable for a five- and eight-year-old.

step 3

consider your schedule and natural motivators. if you have a before school activity on tuesdays, that is not the morning you want your child to have to clean his/her room. if you have after school activities, jobs might need to be done at a different time on that day. if you have a certain day where a certain uniform needs to be clean, you will want your own laundry routine, and the day your child puts away his/her laundry, to work with that fact. if you are struggling with your laundry routine, i have a crazy easy laundry system that has totally saved my life. you can use this link to check that post out next!

i use our schedule as a natural motivator for jobs. during the school year, morning jobs have to be done before they come downstairs for breakfast. my kids like breakfast so they are motivated to do their jobs. sometimes i have to set a timer to keep them on track. in the summer, morning jobs have to be done before they can watch a show. this is even more motivating than breakfast.

kids chore chart

in the evening, jobs have to be done before dinner. i cook while they get their jobs done. their natural incentive is dinner, and the jobs are age appropriate and doable in 15 minutes. i am sure of it. for that reason, we’ve sat down to dinner a couple times with a kiddo still finishing up a job. having that happen once is usually motivation for them to move faster in the future.

you don’t always have to go overboard with money and prizes for jobs. consider your schedule and naturally occurring things your children look forward to already. or consider motivators that are already in place, such as the show my kids like to watch in the morning in the summers.

last summer, i added a layer to our chart to give the kids some extra incentive. we called our summer system the mom bucks system. i got the idea from my friend mary. it was great because it gave the kids a way to start “paying” for things like screen time. check back next week for a post describing this fun system!

kids chore chart

now that you have considered your kid’s ages, considered the jobs you need done, and considered your schedule, you can fill your jobs into your own chart. when you can stop battling chores, stop saying the same thing a million times, and look in on a messy room but KNOW it will be clean before dinner? THIS will give you and your family the space and calm you need to thrive! grab your copy of this super simple job chart and discover the difference it makes in your day. while you’re in the LITTLE printable library, don’t forget to snag your copy of the rooms printable so you can make sure your most important jobs are on the chart.

**you will also see at the bottom of our chart, some paid jobs. the kids and i came up with these together. the truth? they rarely do these jobs. but when they ask me to buy something, the paid jobs are an excellent way for me to tell them to make some money to buy things themselves. there is also a row for extra jobs. sometimes, if we are having someone over for example, i might need the kids to do one or two extra things. i very rarely use that line but it’s there just in case.

{want to save this idea for later? click the red save box on the image below to pin this post. or follow notice the LITTLE things on pinterest here.}

free printable kid's job chart

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Megan says

    September 29, 2020 at 11:45 pm

    I have signed up twice for the mom bucks printable and I still have not received anything yet. I have checked all my folders multiple times. I really need this system so I hope it doesn’t take to long to get access to it! I can not wait to try this awesome idea!!!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      October 13, 2020 at 3:53 pm

      hi megan. checking in on this. were you able to find the email?

      :: erin ::

      Reply
  2. Ed says

    July 11, 2020 at 8:04 pm

    This is exactly what I am looking for!!! I have signed up multiple times and have not gotten an email. Is there another way to get these printables? I’m keen for the jobs chart, and the mum bucks shop..
    thanks so much, will save me a stack of time as we set up for more home school..

    Reply
    • Erin says

      July 13, 2020 at 3:44 pm

      hi there. i am sending you an email now so check your inbox. i see that three emails have been sent to your address, so we will figure out where they are in your inbox and go from there!

      :: erin ::

      Reply
  3. Katherine says

    June 13, 2020 at 11:16 am

    Hi! This is exactly what I think will help us out in our home! I have subscribed to many of your items but haven’t received any emails for it. I hope to get access soon! 🙂

    Reply
    • Erin says

      June 14, 2020 at 3:20 pm

      hi katherine! that is so strange that you didn’t get the emails. have you checked your spam folder? i will email you separately and we will figure this out!

      :: erin ::

      Reply
  4. Jessica Compton says

    June 8, 2020 at 9:03 am

    I’ve subscribed but haven’t received the password yet.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      June 14, 2020 at 3:21 pm

      hmmmm. let me look into this. i will email you at this address and we will figure it out!

      :: erin ::

      Reply
  5. Miranda says

    April 15, 2020 at 10:14 pm

    Hi erin! This is such a fantastic idea! Unfortunately, I haven’t received an e-mail with the printables password yet. How long does that usually take? Looking forward to using this awesome resource. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      May 5, 2020 at 4:40 pm

      hi miranda. i will go in to check on this now. hopefully you received the email but if not, i will get you all set up.

      :: erin ::

      Reply
  6. Kristie Easler says

    April 4, 2020 at 11:33 pm

    This is exactly what I am looking for!!! I have signed up multiple times and have not gotten an email. Is there another way to get these awesome printables? thanks so much

    Reply
    • Erin says

      April 7, 2020 at 3:15 pm

      hi there. i am going to check on your sign up. sometimes technology is strange! i will send you a direct link to the items. sorry for your wait! we will figure it out!!

      :: erin ::

      Reply
  7. Christa Nielsen says

    January 27, 2020 at 1:00 pm

    Excited to try this, signed up yesterday and still haven’t received a password to download the job chart 🙂 How many days does this typically take? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      January 27, 2020 at 8:28 pm

      hi christa. you should have received the password already. let me check your email address. check your inbox again in 5 minutes. 🙂 can’t wait to hear how it works for you. i was just thinking tonight {as i put my son’s laundry in the washer, knowing he will put it away in the morning} – i am SO GLAD we took the time to learn chores. it makes my life SO MUCH EASIER! hope it does the same for you!! make sure you check out the post on mom bucks – a super easy way to reward your kids for doing chores {that won’t actually cost you anything}.

      :: erin ::

      Reply
  8. Jess says

    January 17, 2020 at 11:48 am

    I was trying to download the job chart. And am getting stuck in the loop. How long does it take to get the password? Thank you 🙂

    Reply
    • Erin says

      January 18, 2020 at 10:05 pm

      i jess. i just resubscribed you using the email you provided here so you should get a notice immediately in your inbox with the password for the LITTLE resource library. i am not sure why you were stuck in the loop but i apologize. most of the time, this technology works well. once in awhile it is a little unpredictable. let me know if you have any trouble getting in with your password.

      :: erin ::

      Reply
  9. Meghann says

    January 6, 2020 at 3:30 pm

    I can’t get the link to work either. I keep getting redirected to subscribe again. There is a link to click if you are already signed up, but you can’t click on it.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      January 6, 2020 at 7:53 pm

      i am so sorry about this. where is the link you are clicking so i can fix it?? here is the link to the LITTLE resource library. on this page, you should be able to put in your password from your email and find the kid’s job chart, which i think is what you are looking for! 🙂 directions on how to save it to your computer so you can personalize for your family are in the “family” section. please let me know if this works!!

      https://noticethelittlethings.com/resource-library-main-page/

      :: erin ::

      Reply
  10. Samantha says

    August 29, 2019 at 2:42 pm

    I can never download the printables… I have a password and when I try to download it just keeps redirecting me to sign up again. I used the link in my email…..

    Reply
    • Erin says

      August 30, 2019 at 1:00 pm

      samantha, i am so sorry this isn’t working for you. i will email you the link and password at the email you provided on this comment. look for that by the end of today.

      :: erin ::

      Reply
  11. Elizabeth Hearring says

    August 14, 2019 at 7:44 pm

    How long does it take to get the password? I’m stuck in a loop where it wants me to sign up which I have done. I received an email but there is no password. And when I tried to clink on the link to email you directly it says Error 404 🙁 Please help and thank you.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      August 14, 2019 at 8:32 pm

      hi elizabeth. i just emailed you at the email you provided. i am SO SORRY for your troubles. i am not sure why it didn’t work for you but i am going to look into it right now. let me know if the instructions in the email don’t work!

      :: erin ::

      Reply
  12. lee says

    June 20, 2019 at 1:44 pm

    seems great, but every link just redirects me to sign up again…

    Reply
    • Erin says

      June 23, 2019 at 4:07 pm

      hi there! i am sorry you are having trouble with the links. if you signed up once, you should have received an email with a link to the printable library, along with a password. use that link from the email to access the printables from now on, instead of the links on the blog. i hope that makes sense. please email me erin@noticethelittlethings.com if you are still having trouble!

      Reply
  13. Erin says

    August 27, 2019 at 2:28 pm

    awesome! what a helpful post with so many unique options. THANK YOU for including my job chart!

    :: erin ::

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 51 Free Printable Chore Charts (for Kids, Adults & Families) - MoneyPantry says:
    August 27, 2019 at 2:21 pm

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