Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Chore Charts

We've been using this particular chore system for several years and it works great for us. I love that it easily grows with our family and the kids' increasing responsibility and ability levels.

Our system consists of a chore chart and chore cards. The chore chart is simply a poster board with two library card pockets for each child: a "to-do" and a "done." It looks like this (yes, the colorful artwork was professionally done by me...lol):

The chore cards are 3X5 cards with a picture of the chore on the front for my non-readers and the chore written out on the back:



I got most of the pictures from Barry's Clip Art. (Note:  Barry's Clip Art appears to now be a subscription site, so you may have to search elsewhere for free clip art.) After pasting the pictures on the cards and writing the chores out on the back, I laminated the cards with 3-M laminating pages. This was a recent update from the previous method of contact paper "laminating." The 3-M pages are quite a bit more expensive than contact paper, but they make the cards MUCH sturdier. And, I have to confess, it's more aesthetically pleasing -- not one of my more frugal moments, but well worth it, in my opinion.

What I love best about our chore system is that it's so flexible. Not every chore needs to be done every day, so there's no chart with a big empty square for that day. I simply place the cards in the slots for the chore that need to be completed that particular day. This also makes it very easy to rotate chores among the kids.

10 comments:

Donna(mom24boyz) said...

Oh it looks great! I like the pocket idea--once my kids are done with their chore packs we have had the dilemma of not knowing what to do with them--this would work great--right now their last chore on them says "place chore pack on counter" this is a message to me that they are done and I can check their work--but the packet would work much better!!

Thanks for showing us! Thanks for joining in!

Dolphin Valley Academy said...

We do this, too! I also like that we can rotate the chores between the kids very easily, and that they are good visual cues for the non-readers. I think I may have gotten this idea from you a long while back on the homeschool board? At any rate, it works swell for us - however, yours is much more aesthetically pleasing than ours! ;P

Pixilated Mum said...

Your chart looks pretty! Our chart doesn't ... which is probably why it looks abandoned and is abandoned ...

We go through charts like crazy ... but I love this one. The pocket idea is rad.

Alisha said...

Still love this idea! One of these days I'm going to get on the ball and make one for my kiddos. I've been saying that for months though! I'll let you know when I finally get it done! (don't hold your breath though!:-) lol!

G said...

I am so stealing this idea!

Amanda said...

I have been racking my brain for a good idea for my 6 year old son and this is it!!! Thank you sooooooo much for posting this. I'm going to buy the supplies to make this tomorrow. Since it's only my son I'm going to have it set up just like yours, but the top will be morning, the middle will be after school & the bottom will be before bed. Thank you once again.

Courtney said...

This is AWESOME!!!

We have been needing one!

Thank you for sharing

Missy said...

I am loving this idea. I've been trying to think up a chore chart idea for our house and I haven't found one that I "love."

I may just have found it.

Thanks!

Debbie said...

I've been looking for a good chore chart for my son and this looks great! Thank you!!

Rana said...

I love this idea. I have been working on our chore chart for the past couple of weeks trying to figure out how to put this together. This was so helpful. Thank you!