This post about teaching kids responsibility is brought to you by Kiddo Tags, and I was provided free samples for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
As an educator, I know the best thing to teach children is responsibility. Everything else will follow.
Teaching responsibility to children comes by intentional practice. I have a list of several areas I want my children to be responsible in: their belongings, their words, and their actions.
Here's five key areas preschoolers can take responsibility for their belongings:
Books - Small children can easily stack books, shelf them, or at least put them in a bin. Books are a primary focus in our house, so our son knows not to step on them. Not to leave them on the floor after reading time. Not to "color" in them. Not to leave them splayed open upside down.
Dishes - After every meal, I ask our son to take his dishes to the sink. He's tall enough to reach over the counter and dump his bowl, cup, and utensils. (Oh, and he sometimes is asked to take his brother's dishes too, which teaches him to look out for his sibling!).
Clothing - As soon as he could wriggle out of his clothes and dump them on the floor, they became his responsibility! Now he drops his pjs in the hamper in the morning, and puts his shoes in the bin when we come home from being out. He can't fold yet, but he can lay clean clothing neatly on the end of his bed. Sometimes when I'm putting away laundry, I hand him socks or tshirts - he knows which drawers they go in. And if they aren't put in neatly, at least he's learning to put his things away!
Out & About - Goodness knows, I forget coats and bags often enough when picking him up from Sunday School or a relative's house. It's time consuming to make a trip back to retrieve items or have to buy a new one if it gets lost. So I'm teaching my son to look around and gather all his belongings when it's time to go. Just so we can spot our things, I affix Kiddo Tags Name Labels to all the sippy cups, toys and snack bowls I send along!
I also use Kiddo Tags Clothing Tags to label important articles of clothing and the diaper bags. For these items, I customized my tags with the statement: "This Belongs to a Kieras." Since the items are communal or will be passed down to siblings, the clothing tags (which stick to fabric SO well even through washings) help him notice his belongings among a pile of other children's coats and bags (some of which look similar to his own). I think this helps him develop a sense of shared responsibility as we both make sure we aren't leaving our things behind. (PS: no need to iron on these tags, although Kiddo Tags does make an iron-on version!).
Toys - Kids can certainly learn to sort and stash toys at a very young age. I also received the Kiddo Tags Dishwasher Safe Value Pack, handy for SO many objects like sippys, snack cups, pacis, and of course, TOYS! One way I use these tags is to label bins for his toys and the baby's toys. Even though they play with the toys together, I like him to separate the baby toys when he cleans up. Cars and other toys the baby can't play with go in his own toy bin. Having clearly labeled bins helps him know where each item should go - plus, sorting is an important preschool skill, so not only is he being responsible but he's also practicing sorting skills and decision-making!
My son recognizes his own name in print, but not his brother's. So I customized the Kiddo Tags to have different character icons for each boy. The baby gets airplanes and my toddler gets owls! Cute, right? Kiddo Tags has over 150 character icons, plus 18 colors and 25 fonts to customize labels for each child!
All these areas of responsibility are easy for preschoolers to master, and especially fun if there's cute labeling involved! Plus children get a sense of satisfaction from being given the ability to manage their own little lives to anextent! (And maybe, just maybe, you won't step on that Hot Wheels car for the fifty-sixth time today!).
What are some ways you teach your kids to be responsible? Do you have any exciting games, tips, or suggestions?
Thanks to Kiddo Tags for providing items for my use in creating this post. All opinions are 100% my own.
Thanks for sharing this! I've been trying to figure out what chores are good for my preschooler and what are a little too much.
Thanks for sharing this! I've been trying to figure out what chores are good for my preschooler and what are a little too much.
I like your ideas. I was probably guilty of doing things myself too much just to save time and get it done. I'm going to keep these labels in mind though because that is so smart!
I like your ideas. I was probably guilty of doing things myself too much just to save time and get it done. I'm going to keep these labels in mind though because that is so smart!
love these! i really like the ones that say YOUR name as the parent too.
love these! i really like the ones that say YOUR name as the parent too.
I totally agree and we work hard to teach our kids responsibility too! They clean up their dishes and books as well. Recently, I decided to break up the family room cleaning tasks so they each have a specific job rather than to say just clean up everything, they each have a job. My 2 year old does shoes and clothes since he is usually the one leaving them out and my 4 year old does blankets and trash, my 6 year old does books and toys. It works out really well because it is easy for them to remember and see than what parts are their responsibility.
I totally agree and we work hard to teach our kids responsibility too! They clean up their dishes and books as well. Recently, I decided to break up the family room cleaning tasks so they each have a specific job rather than to say just clean up everything, they each have a job. My 2 year old does shoes and clothes since he is usually the one leaving them out and my 4 year old does blankets and trash, my 6 year old does books and toys. It works out really well because it is easy for them to remember and see than what parts are their responsibility.
What great ideas, I love those tags too! They look cute and fun and like they could really help get things in order. We need all the help we can get!
What great ideas, I love those tags too! They look cute and fun and like they could really help get things in order. We need all the help we can get!
That's a great list! I'll have to bookmark it for later. Right now I'm looking for chores for my 20 some month old. As of now she can dust and help load the dryer...and she loves to help out.
That's a great list! I'll have to bookmark it for later. Right now I'm looking for chores for my 20 some month old. As of now she can dust and help load the dryer...and she loves to help out.
i think these are great responsibilities for preschool aged children. MY daughter is in preschool and also has these responsibilities.
i think these are great responsibilities for preschool aged children. MY daughter is in preschool and also has these responsibilities.
Another area I felt was important was teaching financial responsibility. When they were very young, they each had a bank with three sections, one for spending, one for saving and one for charity.
Another area I felt was important was teaching financial responsibility. When they were very young, they each had a bank with three sections, one for spending, one for saving and one for charity.
I love how our boys are getting bigger and can do these things by themselves - actually even insisting on doing them by themselves. Part of me is sad though as they are growing up.
I love how our boys are getting bigger and can do these things by themselves - actually even insisting on doing them by themselves. Part of me is sad though as they are growing up.
This is such a great post! I was just thinking I should do a post on the areas of responsibility (sounds better than "chores"!) that we have our preschooler do! 🙂 Thanks for adding some extra tasks that she could be in charge of! (and don't worry--she loves to be a big helper, haha)
Also your tags turned out so super cute! My son is SO into construction vehicles right now and he would LOVE those ones! 😀
This is such a great post! I was just thinking I should do a post on the areas of responsibility (sounds better than "chores"!) that we have our preschooler do! 🙂 Thanks for adding some extra tasks that she could be in charge of! (and don't worry--she loves to be a big helper, haha)
Also your tags turned out so super cute! My son is SO into construction vehicles right now and he would LOVE those ones! 😀
Great post! My son is about 2 1/2, and I am working on some of these things. I think I need to make a few changes, such as getting a plastic plate for him to eat out of, and getting a bookshelf for his books. Thanks for the ideas!
Great post! My son is about 2 1/2, and I am working on some of these things. I think I need to make a few changes, such as getting a plastic plate for him to eat out of, and getting a bookshelf for his books. Thanks for the ideas!