Clever Ways to Get Your Kids to do Chores

Managing a household with kids can feel like juggling in a circus while riding a unicycle. Throw in a housekeeper and maybe a nanny, though, and you got yourself a dream team at home. 

But what do the kids do? Do they sail through each day feeling like they don’t have to lift a finger just because others are around to get things done? 

If that sounds like your household, it might be time to shake things up a bit. Getting kids involved in chores is essential for their development. And yes, you can get them to do their chores – the key is to make it fun! 

Here are some clever ways to make sure your little (and not so little) ones pitch in, even with extra hands on deck: 

Use Digital Chore Trackers (and Instant Rewards!) 

Remember those gold star charts from when you were a kid? They’re still around, and they’re more awesome because they’ve gone digital!(thanks, Verity!)  Create a chore list where each task comes with a reward—maybe it’s extra screen time, maybe it’s a little cash. 

You can have the nanny or housekeeper check on the quality of work, then you can approve the task so kids can receive their payment directly into their Verity account. It’s a great way to teach them the value of work and money management all in one go. Plus, the instant gratification of seeing their earnings grow right away is a powerful motivator

And hey, make it competitive if you’ve got more than one kid. Who can finish their chores the fastest? Who can do it without being asked three times? (Parents, we know this one’s a biggie.) Give bonus rewards for extra effort, and watch as your kids start actually wanting to help out—crazy, right? 

Turn Chores into a Game 

Who says chores have to be boring? You can create a number of games that you can play when it comes to chores. 

One idea is to play Chores Charades, where each family member (including nannies and housekeepers) complete chores while acting like a member of the family. Here’s how it works:

Create a list of chores for the kids on the Verity App and a list of chores for you and the household help on a piece of paper. Write each person’s name on a small piece of paper, fold it, place it in a container (a bowl would do!), and have each person takes turn to pick out a name.

The challenge: each person is to complete one of their chores while impersonating the person whose name they picked – without talking! For example, dad may easily get distracted by his phone, mom may always complains, the housekeeper may always hum, etc… At the end of the chore, each person writes their guess– the more correct guesses, the higher the score! You can even create teams and a scoring system.

Give out awards for most dramatic, most funny, etc…  This way kids complete their chores while earning some money, and the whole family gets to have a ton of fun!

Theme Days: Because Routine Doesn't Have to Be Boring

 Shake up the week with themed chore days. Monday? Laundry Day! Tuesday? Tidy-Up Day! You get the idea. Naming the days makes chores feel like a special event rather than just another thing they have to do. 

Throw in some fun, like a family playlist while everyone works, or a small prize or a cash reward at the end of the day for the best tidied room. Suddenly, you’ve got a household that all wants to do their chores. 

Hold a Monthly Chore-lympics Event

Turn chores into an Olympics-style competition. Who can tidy their room the fastest? Who folds laundry with the most precision? Set a timer and see how fast they can complete their tasks. If you have multiple kids, let them compete against each other or against the clock.

Award gold, silver, and bronze – maybe even throw in a little medal ceremony.

For extra fun, create a leaderboard where they can track their scores over time. And don’t forget to set the rewards on your Verity App! Incentivize them by having the winner win DOUBLE the rewards. You can also give out extra screen time or a small treat for prizes. Rewards make the game even more exciting!

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With the right ingredients, chores can become appealing to your kids, even if they’re used to having the household help do them. Just make sure to add a pinch of fun, a dash of Verity, and a whole lot of including the whole household. 

Stay tuned for our next blog on how to convince your housekeepers and nannies to let your kids do chores instead of them. Happy choring!