I taught my 2 year old daughter (Arwen) to help out at a really young age and now she loves to help out with different chores! I know each child is unique so some of the chores my 2 year old can do may not be suitable for your 2 year old, but here are some things my daughter does to help!
1. Set the table
I have all of Arwen's plates, utensils, and cups in a drawer where she can easily reach. When I am setting the table before eating a meal, I ask Arwen to help me set the table. Arwen gets her own cup, utensil, plate, and she will get utensils (usually either spoon or fork) out for my husband and I too. If there are additional plastic things that need to be placed on the table, I also hand those to Arwen so she can set them too. I think breakable items should still be avoided in case of an accident.
2. Dinner Prep
I usually try to start dinner prep in the morning since afternoons get busy for me. When we are having vegetables for sides, I have Arwen help me wash the vegetables. I lay a towel down on the floor with a large mixing bowl filled with water. I will place the vegetables in the water (like potatoes, squash, cucumbers, etc) and hand Arwen a scrub brush for vegetables. After showing her how to use the scrub brush, she will wash certain veggies for me!
Another vegetable she likes to help me with is the green beans. I usually wash them and lay them out on a paper towel and Arwen will snap them in half and place them in a bowl for me. I think she gets really encouraged by helping because I will brag to her daddy about how Arwen helped me with dinner. Her face just lights up when I say things like "Arwen helped Mommy with the green beans today! Aren't they so yummy?" or "These potatoes are so yummy because Arwen washed them for Mommy!"
3. Cleaning
Sweeping, dusting, wiping off tables, and vacuuming are things that Arwen likes to help me with. After each meal, I usually clean up the kitchen and dining room floor. I have a small hand held broom and dust pan that Arwen will use to help me clean up crumbs from meals. If there are lots of crumbs I usually get the hand held vacuum instead of the broom.
For dusting, she will use her toy duster from the Melissa and Doug cleaning set and dust the TV stand and shelves down stairs.
When I am wiping down the kitchen counter tops, Arwen will want to help by wiping down the dining room table. She just gets on the chairs and wipes off the stains and crumbs from the table.
4. Laundry
There are two ways Arwen helps me with the laundry. By helping me put the washed wet clothes in the dryer and by helping me sort the dried clothes for each family member. When I take out the wet clothes from the washer I put them in a basket so Arwen can put them in the dryer (I always keep a close eye when she is doing this just in case!). She only puts in a few pieces of clothing but I really appreciate any amount she helps me with. When the clothes are dry, I put the clothes in the basket and dump them all in the middle of the living room where I will sort them out by family member. I have a Mommy pile, Daddy pile, Arwen's pile, Ember's pile, and a linen's / kitchen pile. Arwen recognizes her clothes easily so she will pick out her clothes and place them in Arwen's pile. She can't quite fold yet so I do all the folding, but I love that Arwen takes a part with the laundry chore.
5. Clean Up
When Arwen plays with her toys, she knows that she has to pick up everything she gets out or plays with before moving on to a different activity. For example, if we are getting ready to have a snack she will clean up her toys to be able to have her snack, or she will clean up her room before going outside to play. I have been doing this with her since she started to crawl and now it is just habit. She has never thrown a tantrum over picking up or tidying her room because this is what we have been doing ever since she can remember. People always ask me how I keep my home tidy with a toddler and this is my secret! Everything has its place and we always clean up before moving on to a different room or different activity.
Are there some chores that your toddler does additionally to this? I'd love to get some feedback!
XO, Hannah
