Toddlers love to help out around the house. One area that is easy for them to help with is laundry. Laundry can be one of those tasks that can feel quite mundane. However, with the help of a toddler it can go from a chore to an exciting new adventure. Below are 6 ways your toddler can help with laundry. Teaching children at a young age to participate in housekeeping can build skills, grow independence, and keep them entertained.
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Filling Laundry Baskets
Contents
The first task that Little One can help with when starting laundry is filling up the laundry baskets. He takes the clothing that is in the hamper and puts it in the basket to be taken to the washing machine. This is done with varying degrees of success – some days Little One throws the laundry around more then them ending up in the basket. When this happens I try to turn it into a game where we toss the clothes in like a mini game of basketball! I am going to include a couple links to some laundry baskets made of natural materials. Check out this wicker one, a jumbo wicker one, and this cotton rope one. They are all great options.
INDRESSME XXXLarge Cotton Rope Basket 21.7″ x 21.7″ x 13.8″ Woven Baby Laundry Basket for Blankets Toys Storage Basket with Handle Comforter Cushions Storage Bins Thread Laundry Hamper-Black Stitch
39% Off $37.99 $22.99 (as of April 24, 2024 02:48 GMT +00:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Pushing Laundry Baskets
This is Little One’s favorite task when it comes to laundry. He gets to push the laundry baskets across the floor and toward the laundry room. We pretend that they are cars or trains that go zooming down the hallway. This is a really physical task and makes Little One feel really strong. It is also a great task for developing gross motor skills.
Loading Dryer
This is a great activity if you have a front loading dryer. I’ll hand whatever item needs to be dried to Little One and he will toss it into the dryer. It’s really simple but keeps him involved and stops him from wandering around in the laundry room and getting into mischief. This is great for smaller items like socks but can be challenging for larger items, such as sheets.
Adding Laundry Detergent
If you use liquid or powdered laundry detergent, I would not recommend letting your Little One help with this. However, we recently switched to these great zero waste laundry strips that just tear off and get thrown into the drum. It is so easy for Little One to throw it into the washer. We also have a glass top, so he can watch the clothes spinning for a bit. We are all about the cheep thrills!
Take Items off Drying Rack
Little One loves taking clothes off the drying racks. It works best when they are smaller items, like his clothes or his cloth diapers. This activity allows him to reach and bend while taking the clothes off the rack and putting them in the laundry bin.
Home-it Wooden Clothes Drying Rack for Laundry – Collapsible Folding Bamboo Laundry Drying Rack for Drying Clothes – Heavy Duty Pre Assembled
20% Off $49.99 $39.99 (as of April 24, 2024 02:48 GMT +00:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Help with Hangers
The last activity I do with Little One is hanging up the clothes. We do this one of two ways. I’ll stand by the closet and put a pile of hangers on the floor. He will hand me one and I’ll put a shirt on it and hang it in the closet. The other is if my hubby helps. I’ll put a shirt on a hanger and hand it to Little One, who will bring it over to my hubby who will hang it in the closet.
Final Word
Does this process take a lot longer than if I were to do laundry on my own? Yes, it does. But Little One enjoys helping me so much that it makes it all worth it. These activities are easy to keep Little One engaged and out of trouble when I need to get chores done. Do you have any other tips on how your children help out with the laundry? Let me know in the comments below!
