Ever think about how laundry was done before the invention of the washing machine? Wow, it was truly a huge task, then again regular folks did not have many clothes so there was much less to wash! With so many clothing choices these days and lots to choose from at every budget, buying clothing for your family can be so much fun, and with all those cute little boy clothes and adorable girl clothes that make your child look polished and cute, who can resist? But, of course, with more clothes, as well as different clothes for every activity, comes lots of laundry loads. Busy parents can really benefit from teaching kids to help out with basic household chores. Thankfully, laundry is a great introductory chore for young kids, and there are numerous ways that you can get your family to help out with the laundry. Here are some ideas for ways to get kids of all ages involved when it comes to doing the family's laundry. Phew!
Start by modeling behaviors for them.
When your children are very young, they might not be able to do any laundry tasks on their own — but they can watch you do laundry. Make sure that your children are present while you are doing various laundry tasks and they will learn simply by watching. Not to mention that young chidren generally want to feel "grown up" by doing what they see others doing, which will surely lead to them wanting to “help” with the laundry when they are old enough.
Teach them what not to do.
Young children need to be taught what not to do first. For instance, not to touch random buttons on the washer or dryer, never ever to climb into the machines, or think about drinking the detergent or eating the detergent pods, for example. Teach them laundry safety first and then focus on the chore aspect to avoid any accidents connected to the laundry.
Have them put dirty clothes in the hamper.
Once kids are old enough to start helping a little bit, one of the best tasks you can start them off with is placing their dirty clothes in a hamper after they get undressed. This task is simple and requires limited coordination, so many toddlers can do it with no problem. Just make sure that the hamper is low enough for them to reach so they don’t knock it over.
Gather dirty laundry from around the house.
Even if you teach your kids to put dirty clothes in the hamper, laundry may still end up strewn all over the house. Whenever it’s laundry day, send your kids on a scavenger hunt to gather up all the dirty items and bring them to the laundry room.
Sort laundry items by category.
As your kids get old enough to start recognizing patterns and colors, encourage them to sort the dirty or clean laundry by category. For example, you can ask them to pull out all the red items, or all the cute dresses for little girls. This will help build essential skills while also teaching them how to do laundry.
Check pockets for toys.
If your kids have a habit of leaving toys or accessories in their pockets, then ask them to check all the pockets of the dirty laundry before throwing in a load of dirty clothes. You can even turn this into a game if you decide to deliberately hide a few items in their pockets and award small prizes (such as stickers) for finding them.
Prepare clean clothes for folding.
Speaking of sorting clothes, if your child isn’t ready to fold yet, then you can have them prepare the clean laundry for folding instead. Depending on the load, you could have them separate out their clothes from everyone else’s, or sort their clothing according to type. You can also show them how to turn items inside out, do up buttons and zippers and get the garments ready for folding.
Begin with simple folding tasks.
Once your child has the motor skills to start folding, start them off with simple tasks such as folding or rolling washcloths, and then work your way up to more complicated items such as shirts and pants. In the beginning, you will need to refold the items after they are done, but this type of practice is essential to eventually being able to fold clothes on their own.
Turn folding into a game.
As your child gets older, they will eventually be able to fold clothes by themselves. Once this happens, you can turn folding into a contest or a game to make the time pass faster. You can also put on some entertainment, such as music or an audiobook, to pass the time while you fold together — as long as it doesn’t distract your child too much, that is!
Add picture signs to their clothes storage.
Many kids are capable of putting away at least some of their clothes before they can read the labels on their drawers. To help them out, put picture labels on each drawer or bin so they can put the clothes away in the correct places — even if they can’t read yet.
Move clothes between the washer and dryer.
Bigger kids can help move laundry from the laundry basket to the washing machine, the washing machine to the dryer and the dryer to the laundry basket. If you have a top-loading washing machine, you can have them stand on a sturdy step stool to do it, or have them toss the clothes in basketball style. Make sure to show them not to wrap the clothes around the agitator in the middle. Older kids can be taught to hang laundry on the clothes line, though be sure to never give kids the task of hanging laundry on a line outside a high window!
Haul clothes to the laundry room.
Older kids can also help with hauling laundry to the laundry room on wash day once they are strong enough to carry the hamper. If younger kids want to help, but aren’t strong enough to carry the hamper by themselves, then have them team up or offer to help them carry it.
Supervise starting the machines.
Children in late elementary and early middle school are able to start laundry loads themselves, with supervision. Measure out the detergent and show them where to put it, as well as which cycle settings to select. Remind them to add a dryer sheet or dryer balls and to clear out the lint tray before starting the dryer.
Follow these tips and with just a bit of patience, your kids will be able to tackle most of the laundry in your home before you know it. Treasure this time though, because in another blink of an eye they'll be off on their own doing their own laundry in their own homes!
