My children like responsibility and “jobs.” They like to help and feel they are making a contribution to our household. They are 7, 5 and almost 2 so I’m assuming this is a pretty common factor among children this age. I have a few things you can do with the kids that fit in the categories of “quick and easy” and “very little mess”…..once in awhile we do things that are more involved but easy is really my style!!
TIN FOIL ART
This is super simple! Give each kid a square of tin foil and some crayons. Now draw away! I used this opportunity to teach them how to draw the American Flag and fireworks because we did ours around 4th of July. We discussed the 13 colonies and 50 states. The only problem was then they asked me how fireworks were made. I just threw big words at them about chemical compounds and reactions and hoped they pay better attention in Chemistry class than I did. Anyway…..once you are done tell the kids they have just created you the most wonderful “bowl covers”
Bency and Iris’s Tin Foil Bowl Covers
Make Instant Pudding
Now, you’re probably thinking…”Wow, Melissa, what a novel idea..you are a genius (in a sarcastic tone). When I have only one child I do more in depth cooking with them (my 7 year old is a whiz in the kitchen and can be trusted to make cookies from scratch on her own.) When you have two, it’s harder so I keep it simple but it’s the “tool” I use. I have an old hand mixer that you have to crank by hand. They still sell these things for about $10 but I got mine at an estate sale. Any estate sale that belongs to a woman in her eighties will probably have one of these for a quarter. My kids love this along with my vintage cheese grater. Anyway, let them make the pudding and “crank” away. Let them choose the additions to the pudding…Pistachio pudding with banana slices anyone?? Now you can use one of those tin foil bowl covers and put in refrigerator. Use the pudding as an incentive to eat all their supper. This works like magic in our house…all their broccoli quickly disappears without a fight!
Making Pudding
Freezing Blueberries
Yesterday I bought 6 pints of blueberries. I cleaned them and told the kids to put them in storage bags for me so I could freeze them. I told the kids to do them one by one as blueberries are very delicate. This bought me a lot of time to do dishes and clean the kitchen. Every once in awhile I would do a small squeaky voice pretending I was a blueberry saying “Ow, someone squeezed me too hard.” The kids thought this was hilarious!
I hope this has given you some ideas you can do with your kids to make them feel they are contributing to the household and are important because frankly Kids are important!!!!
What kind of household jobs do you do with your kids? I’m always looking for more ideas!
Motherhood Is An Art 