When Should Kids Do Their Own Laundry?

Charlotte Menke

9 years ago

[tps_header]Laundry is the one chore that I seriously hate doing. It’s not hard to, but it is tedious and never ending. As soon as you get clothes put away there are more dirty clothes to wash. I like things that I can finish and feel a sense of accomplishment with. Laundry is never done.

When should kids do their own laundry?

My kids already love to help with the laundry. Mostly they like to help me take the clean clothes out of the basket and separate them before we put them away. They also like to take them out of the basket and run away with them. That’s more of a laundry game they play.

Our laundry closet is downstairs with the TV and toys. So it makes it very easy for them to play nearby while I put dirty clothes in the wash and hang up dry clothes. Even if they don’t help with those aspects, they still see me on a daily basis doing these tasks. As they get older and more physically able to help with everything involved in turning on the washing machine and the dryer, they will help with those things as well.

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Advice and Stories from Real Moms

Turn on some music

We start to introduce our kids to laundry as soon as they can pull his/her self up to look into the basket. We try to make it a fun activity by turning on music (like these Disney Silly Songs) and making a game out of it. The hope is that as they get older this chore won’t become such a pest and more part of our weekly routine. – Brittany from Pennies Into Pearls

Respect the Mother

Respecting the mother also means pitching in and helping. We were never in a position to have a household cook or cleaner. We talked about how, as family members, it was everyone’s responsibility to pitch in and do what needed to be done. Mom is not another word for servant. – Tamara from Empowered Single Moms

When they can remember the instructions

As soon as they can reliably sort laundry, remember wash settings, and not dump 4 gallons of detergent in on top of the towels. – Leanne from The Transplanted Southerner

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Every load is a team effort

We all help with laundry in our house, it’s a team effort. No one gets to only do their own. Since we have a front-loading washer, our kiddos started helping carry and switch loads as soon as they could walk and carry something at the same time–usually 2 years old! – Jamie from Walking In High Cotton

Start young, when it’s fun

From age 5! Of course not daily but try to keep the routine and system fresh. When they are young it’s fun for them, once they get older it’s hell. – Chloe from Creatively Clo

Kids will love playing with this mini washer machine – perfect for girls and boys.

The question is – when will they fold it and put it away?

My 2.5 year old loves to help. She will have a breakdown if I put the clothes in the basket without asking for her help…so she (no joke) now does the laundry minus the detergent and starting the wash. She also doesn’t fold or put them away yet. So, basically none of the hard stuff. – Stephanie from And Don’t Your Forget It

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Thank you Moms!

This is just another example of choosing what is best for you and your family. It’s important to start early with chores for kids, so they can develop a good relationship with work ethic that can improve their lives as they get older.

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