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Little ones are such a joy. It’s fun to watch their little brains and imaginations at work. Of course, the milestones they reach can bring tears of joy to any parent’s eye. But through all this development, these little monkeys continue to make such a mess and it’s not always easy to get them on board with helping out.

Sometimes it feels like it’s just easier (not to mention faster) to just get everything done yourself instead of battling the resistant child. But in reality, the little bit of hard work you can do now to get your young child into a routine that will have lifetime benefits – for you and your child.

Contributing to the household chores teaches your child responsibility and self-sufficiency – positive things that will help your child throughout his or her life. Getting the kids involved helps ease your workload and that is priceless.

But what can a child under 5 actually do? Plenty!

Of course, the chore list will vary depending on the age of your child, but even kids as young as 2 can start contributing.

Ideas for Kids Under 5:

o Cleaning up Toys: It’s an obvious one, but one that parents give often give up on just to have a bit of peace. The rule in this house is just one activity / toy at a time. You have to put it your toy away before you get another one. Whether it’s Lego, some cars or books, they get put away before they start something else.

This teaches your children responsibility (i.e. I can’t start something new until the other thing is finished) and it also makes cleaning easier and less overwhelming for your child. If you’ve ever let your little guy or girl go wild in the playroom for a few hours and then asked them to clean up, they probably have a because the job seems just too big for them.

o Getting Dressed / Undressed: For very young kids, getting dressed can be challenging, so use your judgment – but don’t take the easy way out. Because most kids have no problem getting undressed, make sure they do that themselves. As they learn to master putting on different articles of clothing, let those articles be their responsibility. For example, if they can do their underwear, but have a heck of a time with socks, have them put on their underwear first and then help with the socks.

Resist the urge to just take over when your child is cranky or you’re rushing to get somewhere. The more often your child gets dressed themselves, the easier it is to get them into a routine, so avoid rescuing them. If you’re always in a hurry, start getting ready earlier.

o Laundry Tasks: After getting undressed, children can put their dirty items into a laundry hamper. Little ones can also carry laundry to the laundry room. It may take a few trips and some dropped socks along the way, but let them do it. If you have front-loading washer, small children can also help you load the washing machine and then move clothing over to the dryer. Of course, you want to explain laundry room safety and ensure that they don’t do these tasks on their own.

o Kitchen Tasks: Kids can most certainly clear the table after meals. Older ones can help set the table, even if you have to get the dishes and cutlery out from high cupboards. All kids can put condiments and other items back in the fridge and help load the dishwasher. They can also help sort recycling and bring it to the garage or wherever you keep your recyclables.

o Helps with Pets: Young kids can feed the pets, hold the leash on walks and help with grooming. To prevent overfeeding, you may want to measure portions first, but allow your child to fill the bowl with the pre-measured food. Also supervise if your child is going to do brushing or other grooming to ensure they are gentle and learn to handle their pets properly.

Motivating Your Kids

Many kids love the idea of responsibility and just giving them something they are in charge can be enough to motivate them. But that doesn’t always work and if it does, the motivation can be short-lived.

To keep them working, you can make it fun. You can sing a clean up song and work with your child as she works. Where it’s safe, make it into a game. For example, you can play stuffed animal toss to throw stuffed toys into a bucket or toy box.

Curiously, my kids are motivated if I give them a time limit to finish. I used to make the mistake of saying, “You’d better start cleaning by the time I count to 3.” They might get started, but they never finished their work. Instead, I now give them 25 (lenient) seconds to get dressed and 50 (also lenient) seconds to clean their rooms before bed. I count in a funny voice and when they need more time near the end, I start counting slow and saying “23 and a quarter, 23 and a half….” This keeps them from getting stressed out that they won’t make it and they think it’s hilarious when I count like that. As long as they keep working, I keep counting and it gets done.

You can put up chore charts that list your child’s responsibilities, allowing them to earn stars (or small stickers of their choice) for completed tasks. Stars can accumulate points and points can be subtracted when tasks aren’t completed. Children can earn special outings, rewards or a monetary allowance, which can also open the door for lessons in responsibility with money.

Finding What Works for Your Family and Stick with It

Start slow in introducing new chores for your kids, but continue to make steady progress. As you keep at it, you’ll learn what your children respond to and how to motivate them, allowing you to give them even more age-appropriate responsibilities.

About the Author: Alice Seba is the Schmoozer in Chief at Schmoozins, the online magazine that gives all women a voice. Come on over and schmooze a bit or just hang out a while.