Are you looking for easy and fun chores for 2-year-old toddlers?
Would you like to know how you can encourage your child to help with the daily housework routine? Or are you wondering at what age should kids start doing chores?
In this post you will find out about age-appropriate easy and fun chores your 2-year-old toddler will love doing.
It’s important to involve your child to help with work around the house from an early age on.
According to Raising Children, kids can learn a lot from doing household chores:
You wonder why? Here’s a list of reasons why it’s never too early to start your child on chores:
- They get to know about all the things that need to be done around the house
- They learn skills on how to care for themselves and others which prepares them for being an adult
- Helping out makes them feel good and worthy
- Improvement of their communication skills
- It teaches them about team work
Other advantages of your 2-year-old toddler helping with chores are:
- It keeps them occupied
- It reduces your stress levels and helps you stay on top of the housework
That’s a lot of benefits, right?
Let’s get to it and look at some easy and fun chores your 2-year-old toddler can do to help you manage your housework.
- 14 Easy and Fun Chores for 2-Year-Old Toddlers
- 1. Help with Laundry
- 2. Setting the Table
- 3. Clearing the Table
- 4. Loading the Dishwasher
- 5. Unloading the Dishwasher
- 6. Wipe Spills
- 7. Dusting
- 8. Taking Small Rubbish Bags Outside
- 9. Picking up Their Own Toys, Shoes, Clothes
- 10. Carrying Groceries
- 11. Putting Trash in the Bin
- 12. Watering the Plants
- 13. Feeding the Pets
- 14. Picking up Sticks in the Backyard
- 14 Easy and Fun Chores for 2-Year-Old Toddlers
14 Easy and Fun Chores for 2-Year-Old Toddlers
1. Help with Laundry
Next time you have to do some washing, ask your child if they can help you filling the washing machine with laundry. Put the washing basket in front of the washing machine so your toddler can fit next to it and let them take out one piece after the other to put in the washing machine.
This will take a while and you get to do other chores during that time. Or maybe it’s time for a coffee?
Once the washing machine has finished, you can get your child to unload the washing machine as well.
After doing this, they can help pass you the clothes out of the basket so you can hang them up to dry.
Or if you put them in the dryer, that would be another easy chore for your toddler to do.
2. Setting the Table
Are you busy in the kitchen cooking dinner? Your little one wouldn’t leave you alone and keeps pulling on your jumper to get your attention?
Get them to set the table with placemats, plates, cutlery, glasses etc.
This chore will keep them busy for a while.
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3. Clearing the Table
Lunch/dinner is done and everyone has finished eating. Don’t just let your toddler walk off and leave you with all the work. Get them to help clear the table just how they helped setting up the table.
Which brings us to the next chore.
4. Loading the Dishwasher
Whatever dish they bring back from the table, get them to place it straight in the dishwasher. That way your kitchen won’t get any messier than it probably already is and at the same time it teaches your toddler fine motor skills (i.e., putting the plate in the right spot).
5. Unloading the Dishwasher
The way I do it with my daughter is to let her take the dishes out the dishwasher (except for the cutlery and the knives) and I put them away for her. As she can’t open draws (too heavy) or reach cupboards (too high) yet, I figured this would be the easiest option for now until she gets a little bit older.
6. Wipe Spills
Another easy way for your child to help with household chores is to make them wipe up (their own) spills. There was a time when my daughter absolutely loved doing this so she would even spill water on purpose just so she can wipe it up. At that point I’ve almost regret teaching her this skill but luckily that phase eventually passed.
7. Dusting
Give your toddler a cloth and off they go! You can do some dusting further up on the top where your child can’t reach while they do the bottom shelves or cupboards.
8. Taking Small Rubbish Bags Outside
Why not let your toddler take their own diaper bags outside? Or rubbish bags, if they’re not too heavy.
The short walk to the bins will get you both out the house for a little while. At the same time, it teaches your child that rubbish bags don’t just magically disappear but rather go into the bin outside and being picked up.
By the way, my daughter loves watching the truck on bin day! So, if you get the chance, let your toddler watch the truck empty the bins.
9. Picking up Their Own Toys, Shoes, Clothes
You can’t start too early to teach your child to clean up after themselves! What a great chore for a 2-year-old toddler.
Every night before going to bed, let them tidy up their toys inside and outside and put them back where they belong to.
Same goes for shoes and clothes. Clean clothes go back in the draws and dirty clothes go into the washing basket.
10. Carrying Groceries
Next time you come home from a grocery shop, let your toddler carry a light item while you carry the heavy bags.
Toddler’s love taking things off you and carrying them around. Let’s just hope it will make it into the kitchen!
11. Putting Trash in the Bin
Used tissues? Straight in the bin.
Banana skin? Straight in the bin.
Packaging? Straight in the bin.
Teach them to not let garbage lie around the house but to put it straight in the bin. Super easy and fun chore for a 2-year-old toddler.
12. Watering the Plants
Are the plants due for some water again?
Fill the watering can with a little bit of water and show your toddler which plants need watering.
13. Feeding the Pets
Children love giving animals food. Sometimes way too much than what they’re supposed to have.
Let your toddler fill up your dog’s or cat’s food bowl or let them give them a little treat during the day.
14. Picking up Sticks in the Backyard
This is one of the best and most fun chores your 2-year-old toddlers can help you with (if you have a backyard).
It gets both of you out the house and while your child is picking up the sticks and taking them to a centralized point, you can do other tasks like weeding.
Children love to be out in nature. Soaking in some Vitamin D is another great benefit while getting some chores done around the house.
Conclusion: Easy and Fun Chores for 2-Year-Old Toddlers
I could go on and on about chores for children. However, I want to keep it simple and only suggest easy chores I have tried out myself with my daughter.
Household chores that are too difficult and not age-appropriate will frustrate your child and they will stop enjoying to help you.
Also, don’t make them do chores all day long. Just a little bit at a time. And be sure to praise them for the good work they have done.
I’m sure, once you’ve let your little one do a few chores, they will start doing them without even being asked.
Toddlers just love to help!
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14 Easy and Fun Chores for 2-Year-Old Toddlers
About The Author
Saskia is a mom, blogger, and freelance writer. She loves sharing tips on gentle parenting, self-care, and productivity & organization. Find out more here or visit her contact page to get in touch.
