Summer is here and with it comes lots of outdoor chores. We want to teach our children responsibility right? Why not create a summer chore chart for your kids? Here are some tips and ideas to get you started with a summer chore chart.

During the summer, most kids are out of school (unless they go year-round) and this means more idle hands. Even if they go to camps, there’s probably still more downtime than they have during the rest of the year. You can plan vacations and activities, but you might also create a “before you play” list of things you want your children to do first. This also teaches this responsibility.

Here is how you can create a summer chore chart for your kids:

• List the chores that need done daily/weekly/etc. Then sort through who will do what, based on their ages and maturity, and their physical capabilities.
• Create or print a weekly or monthly calendar and begin writing in the chores for each day. You can also put each child’s name on their chore, or create a color-coded way to organize whose chores are whose.
• Another way to do this is to create a separate chart for each kid. They can hang them in their rooms and get started on their day by doing their chores first.
• Some parents like to use a chore chart combined with a behavior chart. Your child can “earn” privileges by doing certain chores and they can “buy” more time on activities by doing extra chores. A chart is going to be the best way to keep up with this and no who is doing what, and when they have earned a reward.

This Chore Chart may vary from the one they have during the school year because they are not getting up and rushing off to school. They will have more time during the day to complete extra tasks, and the weather is typically warmer and nicer, so certain chores may not apply (like raking leaves or shoveling snow) and other chores may be easier (like taking out the trash since it won’t be freezing). Adjusting your chore chart with the seasons also means it mixes things up some for your children and it can be more tolerable, while also teaching them varying important life skills.

One very important thing to remember about using a Summer Chore Chart is that you don’t forget the praise. Even if these are expectations, and even if there is a physical reward such as being allowed an activity they really want, kids still need to hear verbal praise from you. Tell them when they’ve done a good job. Tell them you are proud of them for doing their chores without asking. Tell them “thank you” for a job well done. It’s important they receive appreciation for their efforts.

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