Chore Chart and Allowance for Kids

Chore Chart for Kids

My son has been looking forward to earning an allowance and last night at dinner, we told him we’d start a chore chart and allowance this weekend.

He was so excited!

A man on a mission, he picked up the entire living room AND playroom on his own within 20 minutes. (Thanks, Toydozer, for helping him finish so quickly!)

We hadn’t decided yet on the amount of his allowance, but now I’m going to feel bad getting all that extra help for only $1 a week.

While we don’t want to specifically tie chores to his allowance, we DO want to emphasize that if he’s old enough for an allowance, he’s old enough to be responsible for some of his own chores. We’re talking basic ones here – picking up the playroom, getting dressed on his own in the morning, brushing teeth, sharing with his sister, etc. For the most part he does these all already (with a few hiccups here and there), so the chore chart for him is really about reinforcing what he’s already doing and making sure he’s consistent about getting them done.

So I’m on the lookout for a great chore chart that will help us keep track of his progress throughout the week.

Finding a Chore Chart for Kids

Here’s a chore chart from Melissa and Doug. I love that it focuses not only on “chores” but also on bigger responsibilities, like sharing, stop whining, keep hands to yourself, etc. It’s also very visual and kid-friendly, which is a huge plus, especially when the kids are young.

Here’s a close-up of what chores and responsibilities are covered on the Melissa & Doug chore chart.

Here’s a dry erase version of a chore chart, but it’s also magnetic, so each star is a magnet that can be moved around.

If you’d rather avoid the magnets, this is a fabric chore chart. I like that there’s a bag attached where you can keep all the stars.

How do you keep track of responsibilities at home? Do you have a chore chart for your kids?