I’d like to introduce a new idea to help organize your home: the Interactive Kid’s Chore Chart Cards! I was previously using a handwritten chore chart, but I kept forgetting to pay my kids for their chores, and they would forget to write down when they completed one. I needed something more visual for everyone, and got this wonderful idea from a woman at my local homeschool mom’s night this month!
Click here to download the Chore Chart Cards
Supplies needed:
- Cardstock (for my printable cards, tickets, etc)
- Pocket Chart similar to the one in the photo.
- Reward Stickers
- Small Prize box (you can make this anything you like)
- NOTE: Pages 24-29 are black and white images if you prefer not to print color.
Instructions for Slots:
1. Card with child’s name
2. – 6. Mon – Fri Chore cards to be completed
7. Reward tickets earned, Sticker Sheets, Best“ Bee-havior” awards
8. Extra Cards can be kept in the bottom slots
Directions for Use:
Put the assigned Monday – Friday task cards in the 2nd – 6th slots. When a task is completed, your child can turn the card backwards and place behind the remaining task cards for the day. (I used one color for each day just to try and keep things straight)
At the end of the day, look to see which tasks are completed and switch them out with reward tickets. At the end of the day or week, allow your child to spend his tickets on items in a small prize box (gum, candy, erasers, pencils, 5 Minutes iphone time etc). Instead of a prize box, you could also choose to let your kids exchange their tickets for money, we pay $0.25/ticket. This way they can save their money for something they want to buy, we also encourage them to tithe and save some of that as well.
If your child completes all the assigned tasks in a day, they receive a sticker on the reward card in the 7th slot. Once that reward card is full, they can exchange it for something more special like larger prize box, I use things like mini-Lego sets, Pet-Shop’s, Polly Pockets, computer time, TV time, Wii Time etc. Really the prizes are up to you.
I also included “Best Bee-havior” cards that you can reward when your child has displayed a good attitude for the entire day, helping others, being kind to siblings, or anything else you deem as outstanding behavior. These are very special for our family and are handed out only for very good behavior. They can be redeemed for something fancier like a trip to ice cream, a sleep over, etc.
If a task is not completed, the child does not earn tickets or stickers. Since my kids are still young, I do not force them to do any chores, it’s fairly optional except for the feeding of our animals.
My Chore Chart download includes all the cards you need for chores, tickets, sticker reward sheets and “Best Bee-havior” cards. I had some friends help me come up with common chores for their households so hopefully there are plenty to choose from. There is also a blank set of cards included so you can write in your child’s names, or specific chores that apply to your home.
I also have a Chore Chart for younger kids that is a little less intimidating and easier to use.
For this one, I just put the chore cards in slot #2 and when your child completes them they move the cards to slot #3. At the end of the day I change the cards out with tickets and put the chore cards for the next day back in slot #2.
Again, if they complete all their tasks for a given day, they get a sticker on the rewards chart in slot #4. They also can earn Best “Bee-havior” tickets as well. This download includes less chore cards, a blank sheet for you to add in your own, Best “Beehavior” cards and colorful tickets.
You can find the small Tabletop Pocket Chart at Lakeshore Learning.
Hope the chore rewards idea works for your family!
Click here to download the Chore Chart for Older Kids
Click here to download the Chore Chart for Young Kids
(TIP: If you are having trouble getting the file to open in your browser window, RIGHT click on the download link, then select “SAVE LINK AS”. You will be prompted to save the file to your hard drive.)
Here’s a great idea from Shining Our Lights for setting up the chart for little ones!
I love how she uses velcro to put the cards on, then replaces them with tickets as chores are completed! Great idea!
I’ve gotten some great emails from you all and would love to see how everyone is using the chart, if you have pictures, make sure to link up so we can see other ways to use it!
How wonderful!! Thank you so much for sharing! Can you make the tickets just black and white for me? Thank you! -Elisa
SO cool that you posted about your chore charts! I found your chore chart printables recently, made a chore chart for my 4 and 8 year olds, and blogged about it yesterday! You also answered a question I had. I was not sure about handing out small prizes for every ticket… that's a lot of stuff laying around… and then you said you pay .25 per ticket. Check out my version of the pocket chore chart using your cards!http://theylendmetheirhearts.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-chore-chart.html Thanks for the great ideas and printables!
Do have a simpler solution for multiple kids I have 7 kids and space is limited
You might create a spreadsheet that you can adjust & print out as needed. That way you could fit everyone on one sheet and they can just cross off their items each day. Just an idea 🙂
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! I have been SEARCHING for something exactly like this and this just brightened my day!!!! Thanks!!
I can not thank you enough! This is an answer to prayer. We have been really struggling on how to do this. I so appreciate your wisdom and encouragement. This is our first year of homeschooling and we live way out in the country and if it had not of been for your blog I would have felt so very alone. May God bless you!
Love this idea! Looks like it would be fun to make with the kids, too. Just also wanted to let you know that the link for the Pocket Chart in the supplies list gives a "Page Not Found" error. Thanks!!
Such an awesome resource. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Erin,This is right on time. I have been pushing chore planning to the back of my mind, but as more tasks need to be completed around our home, I knew I couldn't go another weekend w/o looking at putting something together. This will be a great help w/my planning.
Thanks, Erin! I have been going to make a chore chart something like this for a long time now and just have not gotten around to it. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!! I just found your website and LOVE it!! The neat thing is that I have a blog and it is called Confessions of a Couponer. LOL. Thank you for the chore cards!!Jennifer
Thank you so much! I was going to attempt to make my own today in fact, what awesome timing! I absolutely love this! I think in my reward box I'm going to put in a lot of "coupons" for TV/computer time, date with Mommy/Daddy, etc!