by Robin Tidwell

Created on: January 02, 2011   Last Updated: March 07, 2011

There are so many easy chores for a five-year-old that, once taught, can serve him for a lifetime.  By using the formula of “tell, show, and supervise”, a five-year-old can learn to do many helpful things around the house and handily shorten a parent’s to-do list.

*Toys

Children even younger than five are capable of pulling out their toys and playing with them, so of course they are able to put them away when finished.  Tell your child to put them away, show him where and how, and watch while he does it himself.  Make a rule in your house that all toys must be put away before another can be brought out, or make a rule that says all toys must be put away before bedtime.  Either way, your house will have much less clutter, and your five-year-old will be learning to take care of his things.

*Beds

Five-year-olds can be taught to make their beds every morning.  Tell him, show him, watch him do a few times, correcting when necessary, and soon it will become a habit for him.  Let him know this needs to be done every morning, like brushing his teeth or eating breakfast.  Five-year-olds can also take sheets off the bed, and learn to put them back on.  Use the same principle of tell, show, and supervise.

*Laundry

A five-year-old’s laundry does not have to be done perfectly or necessarily make use of additives such as bleach or dryer sheets, so he can also be taught to wash his own clothes.  First, teach him to separate whites from colors; then introduce him to the washer and dryer.  He’ll think this is great fun, and why disillusion him?  Let him load the washer, add soap, and teach him the proper settings.  When all is washed and dried, show him how to fold and hang his clothes.  Voila, you just lost another job!

*Pick-up

Picking up goes hand-in-glove with “toys”.  Since your five-year-old is a member of the household, he can learn to pick up things as he goes along, or at least put away the things he left out that you have placed in his room.  Just like toys, make a rule that all items must be put back before bedtime.

*Table

Five-year-olds love to help in the kitchen, and table-setting and –clearing are no exception.  Besides, learning to properly set a table is a life skill, and the sooner learned, the better.  Tell, show, and supervise.  Teach him to carry only two things at a time, one in each hand, and not stack the plates or

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