It’s time… for back to school. I made these back to school chore charts for my kids last year, and they were really helpful! In fact, they were the first printables I put in my store. These charts really help my kids stay on track with their personal responsibilities. They get a feeling of accomplishment by ticking those boxes every day. And they are very easy to use! I made these to be fillable pdfs, which gives you options on how you want to use them. You can use a program like Adobe reader to type in the chores and tasks each week, then print them out. Or you can print them and write in your chores and tasks.
If you’re like me, you’re so ready for school to start and if you’re kids are like mine, they AREN’T! Don’t get me wrong summer is great! I love not having to get the kids out the door everyday. It’s nice to not have stick to a routine for a while. But come August, I’m ready to get back into that routine. I need it! We had a pretty lax summer around here. The kids definitely enjoyed not having much structure. But I think deep down (maybe VERY deep down) they will be grateful for a routine again too.
As I said, one thing that I use during the school year to get that structure back, and to help us stick to some good habits that may have gone missing over summer, is a chore chart. Some people call it a responsibility chart. I’ve found that if I don’t employ a tool like this, the structure I crave is more difficult to maintain. My kids need to check a box… IYKYK, and my list people know. Give me a list of things to do and I will be a master of the to-do! My kids seem to be the same. Using a back to school chore chart is essential for us. It gives my kids clear instructions on what needs to be done on the daily. I’ve developed a system that works for us, and I’m sharing it here in the hopes that it can help you too.
How to use a Chore Chart For Your Kids
- Flexibility is key for us. We need to be able to change up the chores from daily to weekly, and we often offer our kids some paid chore opportunity.
- Flexibility also means that I can use this for more than ‘chores’ – we use these for daily tasks that my kids often get lax on (hanging backpacks, putting shoes away, etc).
- Having a system is essential. What I mean by a system is that the kids know how to do the chores (age appropriate) and they know exactly where to look for their chore chart.
- Visibility is key! Out of sight, out of mind. Hang your chore charts with a clip board or picture frame in plain sight so that no one can claim they didn’t see it.
This printable is so flexible! There are several ways you can use this printable chore chart. Using Adobe Reader, you can easily type in your kids chores and tasks, then print it out. Or, you can print out the blank chart and fill it in yourself. You can put this in a frame and use a dry erase marker to write in your daily chores. That way, you don’t have to print it every week. We have also used a clipboard to hang these in plain site. The kids love clipboards.
What to look for in a Printable Chore Chart
- As I said above, flexibility is KEY for us. We need to change up our chores and have the option for daily and weekly. As well as having those pesky tasks listed. Think about this for your family. What do you need?
- A place to advertise money paying chores. Our kids are money driven! Don’t be afraid to tie allowance to chores!
- A fillable digital form is good – especially if your hand writing isn’t.
- Free is nice… but don’t be afraid to pay a couple of bucks for something that will work for you. Usually, you’re supporting a small business. BONUS!
As a special offer to StubenhockerLife readers, I’m offering a discount for these Back to School Chore Charts in my store! Use code “SCHOOL” to earn 25% off this printable chore chart for kids!