Get Your Toddler to Help Around the House

By Cassie Monroe, Lifestyle & Routine Editor | Daily Life Column | Childcare Standards Council

If you’ve ever tried folding laundry with a toddler in the room, you know it can go either way: a sweet bonding moment or a full on clothing avalanche.

The good news? Toddlers can help, and they love to help when given the right tasks and encouragement.

In 2025, we’re embracing a more balanced, child inclusive approach to running our households. Giving toddlers small responsibilities isn't just about ticking chores off your to do list, it's about building life skills, self confidence, and even fostering family connection. Here’s how to turn everyday tasks into cheerful little learning moments.

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Why Toddlers Love to Help

Toddlers are naturally curious and eager to be part of what you're doing. They imitate, explore, and want to feel included.

While it might feel easier (and faster!) to do things yourself, giving your toddler little jobs helps them:

• Build independence and self esteem

• Develop motor skills and coordination

• Learn routines, boundaries, and responsibility

• Feel like a valued part of the family

With the right approach, you’ll be surprised how much they can do, and how much fun you’ll both have.

Setting the Scene: Keep It Safe and Simple

Before you hand over a spray bottle or stack of dishes, make sure the environment is safe. Use child friendly tools (think: lightweight dustpans, non toxic cleaners in labelled spray bottles, small laundry baskets) and keep anything sharp, breakable, or hazardous well out of reach.

Here are a few golden rules:

• Model the behaviour: Toddlers learn best by watching you. Do the task slowly and cheerfully so they can copy.

• Lower expectations: The goal isn’t perfection, it’s participation.

• Praise effort over outcome: "You’re such a great helper!" goes much further than "That’s not how we fold towels."

Age Appropriate Chores for Toddlers (Ages 2 to 4)

Start small and build up. Here are some easy, safe, and rewarding tasks your toddler can try:

In the Kitchen

• Wipe down plastic surfaces with a damp cloth

• Help put fruit and vegetables in the bowl or fridge

• Stir (cool) ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon

• Pass you unbreakable items from the dishwasher

• Help set the table with cutlery or napkins

In the Bedroom

• Put dirty clothes in the laundry basket

• Help you pick out clothes for the next day

• Place soft toys or books in a basket or shelf

• Pull the duvet up on the bed (with a bit of help)

In the Living Room

• Tidy toys into boxes or baskets

• Dust with a microfibre cloth

• Match socks together in a “sock hunt” game

• Help feed pets with supervision

In the Garden or Balcony

• Water plants with a small watering can

• Sweep leaves with a toddler broom

• Pick up small sticks or rubbish (wearing gloves if needed)

Turn Chores Into Games

Let’s face it, toddlers aren’t in it for the sparkling countertops. But they are in it for the fun. Try turning chores into playful activities:

• Sing a song while tidying up (bonus points for using their name)

• Set a timer: “Can we put the blocks away before the music stops?”

• Make it a challenge: “Let’s find all the red toys first!”

• Use a sticker chart for motivation and celebration

These small tweaks can make routine jobs feel like magical missions to little ones.

Be Patient, It’s a Learning Curve

Will things take longer with a toddler “helping”? Absolutely. Will the towels be folded like abstract art? Probably. But remember: you’re playing the long game. By inviting them into household life now, you’re building strong habits that will benefit them for years to come.

If something goes wrong (spilled water, upside down shoes in the drawer), resist the urge to correct too quickly. Instead, guide them gently and thank them for helping, even if you have to fix it later when they’re not looking.

Embrace the Mess (and the Joy)

Housework with toddlers is rarely tidy. But it's joyful in its own way. A smudge of peanut butter here, a sock stuffed in the cutlery drawer there, these are the signs of a child learning and growing.

You might find, over time, that your home feels more like a shared space and less like a battleground of adult tasks and toddler chaos.

When kids feel like they belong and can contribute, the whole home runs a bit more smoothly, and with a lot more laughter.

Final Thoughts: Raise a Helper, Not a Perfectionist

Helping around the house shouldn’t feel like a burden to your toddler or to you. It should feel like part of the rhythm of family life. A joyful, if slightly messy, rhythm where everyone has a role, no matter how small.

In 2025, parenting is shifting away from strict structures and toward connection and collaboration. Whether it’s wiping the table, putting away blocks, or proudly handing you a single matched pair of socks, every small act of help lays the foundation for a confident, capable child.

So next time your toddler says, “I want to do it!", take a deep breath, pass the cloth, and smile. You’ve got a little helper in the making.