These charts make it fun to cross things that need to get done off the list and keep the family routine moving.
This great little chore chart really helps one BCP Reader’s family finish their chores after supper.
Because the frames have inserts that can be filled out how you wish, they are completely customizable.
Note that these chore charts are not particularly sturdy or long lasting, but they will do the job of kickstarting a nice routine for a month or so. There are pricier options that may be better quality (more versions are shown below), but it may be smart to test out the concept with the lower-priced option to see if it works in your house first.
This is how she works it:
Starting from Sunday at suppertime, she sits with her kids and fills out a board for each of them. The top slot of each chart gets the name, for example “Sara Sunday” or “Eli Sunday.” Then, she filled in the slots with chores and prep for bed. So it would look like this:
-Eli Sunday
-Clear your place
-Sweep kitchen floor
-Finish HW
-Prepare briefcase
-Take a shower
-Laundry in the hamper
-Bring down hampers to the laundry room
-Brush, Floss
-Prepare clothing
Mixed into his bedtime routine are two jobs (sweep kitchen, bring down hampers). His sister will have 2 other jobs (give toddler a bath, put all shoes on the mat) and the other bedtime items might be in a different order to avoid having everyone brushing at the same time (though she does allow them to go out of order if they prefer, they generally don’t).
She doesn’t have every kid taking a bath/shower every night in the winter, and only includes it on the card for the nights that they do. No need to remind them or argue about it anymore.
On Monday night, she does the same thing, writing each kid a card labeled “Sara Monday,” etc.
She looks around each night to see what needs to be done, and divided up some of those chores among her kids (night after laundry day will include putting out laundry, night before laundry day will include bringing down hampers, Thursday night includes more Shabbos prep, etc)
Because she didn’t write all the cards in advance, it wasn’t overwhelming, and the cards are very on-point with what actually needs to get done.
After one week of doing this each night, she had a complete set of cards set on auto-repeat. Now, she justs put the correct card in the frames, and while she does the younger bedtimes, the older kids do their thing.
This can incentivize as needed on a family or individual level!
Love this idea!