Jobs (chores) for small children

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. - Ephesians 6:1 KJV

Do everything readily and cheerfully - no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! - Philippians 2:14 MSG

When children are encouraged and praised for being helpful from early on they seem to have a desire to help. 

Now, my children do not always want to help, but usually the are willing. When they don't want to help, they are still required to obey if I tell them they have to help. And they have been taught to respectfully respond "yes, ma'am" or "yes, sir" in various situations... And this is one of those. 

Just because they want to stay and play Legos instead of helping with a job doesn't mean they get to stay and play. Nope, they are expected to help. Sometimes I will say that they can play for a little longer before starting the job, other times they are required to stop what they are doing and help immediately. 

Here are some jobs that my little girls (just turned age 5 and 3.5) help with:

1. Filling the toilet paper caddy in the bathroom

2. Picking up or sweeping up chunks of food (especially moist food) off the dining room floor

3. Taking dishes to the sink after a meal

4. Emptying the dishwasher of items they can reach (except breakables and/or sharp knives until they show they are trained for those)

5. Wiping down table after it is cleared

6. Picking up living room of toys

7. Making beds - helping with other not just their own

8. Vacuuming one room

9. Putting groceries into lower cabinets, and lower shelves in pantry or refrigerator.

10. Sanitizing doorknobs 

11. Organizing books on shelf

12. Putting dirty clothes in hamper or transporting them to the laundry room

14. Putting laundry away in drawers, on shelves or on bars they can reach

15. Setting the table for a meal

Comment below with what your kids do to help or your tips of what small kids can do.