Chore Charts & Reward Jars

A while ago, my husband and I were talking about how we could get Mr. C more interested in helping around the house. I always felt like I was the one cleaning up toy after toy after toy with no help from him. Little miss is a bigger help than him. We decided that maybe we could have some sort of chore chart that would work for a 3 year old, with chores easy enough to complete and a chart that would keep him interested.

I found some metal plaques at Hobby Lobby on clearance. What I liked about these was 1.) the size, 2.) they were light weight, and 3.) they had picture hanging teeth on the back.

I tore off the paper from the front of the metal sheet. If I couldn’t get all of it off, I sanded it so that when I covered it with modge podge and scrapbook paper, it would stick.

One of these plaques I covered with paper and the other I left plain. (Like I said, I made this up a while ago and it has received a lot of use.

Then I printed off the chore chart. I left the blank squares so that when a chore was completed, Mr. C could find the matching picture and put it next to it’s match.

I printed out smaller versions of the pictures I used on the chart to make corresponding magnets using clear stones.

Mr. C is excited to put the matching magnet next to the chores each day. Usually he will carry around the magnet of the chore he is trying to complete. I try and tell him we don’t need to take our magnets into the bathroom! Even little miss knows when it’s chore time we go to the chart to see what needs to be done.

I like that I can update the chore chart as he gets older without having to remake a whole plaque. We just remove the 8.5 x 11 paper and replace it with the updated chart.

We also have found that time out doesn’t work for when he chooses to ignore mommy and daddy and is mean to his sister. Money however is a little more effective.

So hanging above his chore chart is his money jar. Made in the same fashion as the chore chart, when he does something nice, listens to mommy and daddy and does his chores, he gets to put money in his jar. But when he doesn’t listens or hits little miss, he gets money taken away. You would think life was ending when he gets money taken away!

At the end of the week he gets to go with mommy or daddy to the store and buy a “special” treat or he gets to earn a fun little present. We are still testing out the money jar, but so far it is helping. Eventually we will have to start using real money!

The first week I took him to the gas station looking for all the $.05 or $.10 candy areas, there were none to be found. Where did they all go? I was feeling old.

If you are interested in a copy of the chore chart, email me at lizziejanebaby@gmail.com.