Saturday 15 May 2010

COOL KIDS JOBS

Wouldn't it be convenient if our kids really wanted to pick up their toys, books and dirty clothes?

SORRY.

They only want to help with the "cool" jobs such as cutting vegetables, washing the porch, sweeping the floor, folding clothes..... Here are some appealing jobs that little kids can handle with you and later on their own.

Sorting laundry. "Whose shirt is this? Right It goes in Daddy's pile. Whose socks?" It's slow going, but what a great "EDUCATIONAL" activity involving memory, classification and matching.

Recycling. Preschoolers can carry cans and empty plastic bottles to the recycling box. Be sure to talk to them about why we do it. They'll feel even more important knowing they're helping the environment, too.

Spray cleaning. Fill your sprayer with something safe like a water mixture soap (kids do get carried away spraying), give her a clean cloth and point her/him towards the appliances, the sliding glass doors or the TV screen.

Washing dishes. Consider this as "water play" and use it to keep him/her busy while you prepare for dinner. Stand him/her on a chair, fill the sink with water, some plastic cups and plates and few drops of dish washer.

Preparing food. Your preschoolers can rip up salad, peel onions and garlics, "batu tumbuk" activities etc. If you have time to supervise, them will love to use a real knife to cut up vegetables or slice the ends off bread. Frying simple stuff such as egg will be a good exposure to them. It might be messier but try to make them feel good not inadequate.

Loading the washing machine. Definitely requires adult supervision. Basically, preschoolers will love to do it as it's also an early training on their contribution on the household chore.

Washing the car. Preschoolers heaven. But don't let them to help unless you're willing to get wet!

Learning to help is a very important part of the child's development. It is a gift you can give your child. But there must be some cautions and guidelines to keep the experience positive.