Making "Clean Up" Fun

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, I die-cut some shamrocks at the school where I teach. I was trying to think of a fun game to play with them and then it came to me: I will write bead amounts (if you don't know about my bead system for doing chores, read here) on some shamrocks and hide them under the kids' toys in the playroom. The kids will have to pick up toys to find the shamrocks and they can not have their beads until the toys are put away.

Kids doing chores

I posted earlier about starting a "bead system" to get my kids to help out. I am amazed at how much they really can do, even my 2 year old. They love to earn beads and sometimes offer ideas to me like today when Lauren (5) washed her hands and used the towel to wipe the faucet, handles, and behind the faucet. She wanted beads. Why not?

I bought some little beads (a little bigger than a pea) in the floral section at Hobby Lobby and they put them in 4 oz baby milk bottles. The older kids have to fill up to the 4 oz line to get $5, the 2 year old doesn't have to get as many.

So here are just some of the ways they earn beads or get them taken away:

Earn beads:
3 for putting laundry in washing machine (front loading)
1 more for taking the laundry bag back to the sorter
3 for emptying the dryer into a basket
3 for taking their own plates to the counter after each meal (2 year olds can do this)
3 for putting silverware away after I have taken all sharp objects
3 for putting shoes in shoe cubbies when we get home
2 for letting the dog in/out
3 for putting water in dog's bowl
3 (or more) for helping others without being asked to
5 for making their bed without being asked ...note..once my daughter made all the beds just for beads
3 for making bed after being asked
1 for each chair they wipe with a wet wipe
4 for bringing in junk from the van
behaving in church
1 for wiping bathroom counter
doing something helpful without being asked


Beads get taken away for
arguing
not picking up toys when asked
pushing, hitting, kicking (not really a problem in our home)
clothes on the floor
being silly during prayers
not picking up toys in the tub
leaving cups/dishes outside

This list is growing....I love how it works. Not only does it teach the kids responsibility and respect for the home, it helps me do things that are really hard since I am 34 weeks pregnant. I think the older kids could possibly empty more dishes and stand on chairs to put them away, but the 2 year old would want to too and I am not ready for that.

To this day I HATE doing dishes because my mom always screamed (and I mean screamed) at me about the way I did dishes. That is not the way I want to teach my kids. I want them to realize that if we all work together to take care of OUR home, Mommy and Daddy will have more time to spend with them.

Kids and Chores

Last summer I made the coolest chore cards ever for Lauren and Caleb. I even took a picture of them doing each chore so that my husband could make a sticker out of them and we could put them on the chore chart. If they did 6 out of 7 chores each day, I gave them a coin, After 7 coins, they could choose from the treasure box. It worked wonderfully. Until school started! Maybe that's my husband's fault because he is home with them in the mornings and just doesn't discipline himself to follow through.

A friend was telling me what she does instead of a chore chart and I think I like it. Each child has a plastic jar that they have decorated. When they do good things/chores, they earn lima beans.....more beans for harder chores, less beans for simple chores. When the children do not obey, they get beans taken away. When their containers are full, they get to pick from their prize box.

So right now I am trying to make up the conversion chart. So far I have the following ways to earn "beans":
-taking your own dishes to the counter (even my 2 year old can do this)
-hanging up coats and putting shoes in shoe cubbies
-making the bed without being told =5
-making the bed after being reminded =2
-taking your toys upstairs the first time I ask = 3
-pick up toys outside before coming in = 3
-pick up toys in bathtub = 2
-put away toys on the floor before bed = 5
-clean up playroom before bed = 3
-wiping bathroom counter = 2
-bring junk out of the van = 4
-sharing your special toy = 5
-saying prayers nicely without being silly = 3
-being quiet in church = 7
-setting the table= 5



How "beans" get taken away:
-arguing =5
-leaving clothes on the floor =1
-not picking up after arts and crafts =3
-Pushing = 4
-Hitting = 4

As the kids get older, the list will change but I don't have to hang 3 huge posters and this list can be for all the kids no matter what their age.

I am adding to this list as we speak.