Canadian winter is in full swing, and the season brings with it specific tasks and responsibilities that need to be tackled around the home.
At Mydoh, we’re all about fostering independence and financial responsibility at an early age. And kids learn to be financially savvy by having their own money to play with. Taking on tasks around the home is a great way for kids to earn their own money. This isn’t to say that winter chores can’t be fun. Or that you can’t follow them up with a cup of warm hot chocolate!
7 winter chore ideas for kids
There’s plenty of opportunity for kids to help in and around the home during winter (come on, what’s more fun than playing in the snow?). Here are seven chores and winter jobs for kids to tackle safely this season:
1. Shovelling snow
No snowblower? Snow problem! Task your kids with shovelling snow off the driveway, walkway or entrance when winter hits—provided, of course, the surface isn’t icy underneath. Younger kids should have their own sturdy snow shovel. One that’s not only sturdy, but also easy for them to handle. If your children are novice snow removers, show them how to push snow to the side rather than trying to lift it and hurl snow onto the lawn. And while shovelling the snow feels like a workout (it is!), remind your kids to dress warmly in layers. That way, they can peel off layers as they work up a sweat. Finally, to prevent accidents, we suggest leaving the task of salting icy paths to parents or teens.
2. Clearing off the car
Clearing off the car after a big dump of snow is another relatively easy and quick task to delegate to your kids. Younger children should be able to brush off snow gently (this is important—you don’t want the paint scratched) on the easier to reach places, such as the hood and windows, while older children can also remove snow from the roof of the car. As they say, teamwork makes the dream work. So while you’re digging out the snow from around your car, have your kids help by clearing off the vehicle.
3. Take down the holiday decorations
Most of us have checked this one off of our to-do list. But if not, have your kids take down the holiday decorations and pack baubles, wrap-up delicate items, and put away the lights. That way, everything is prepared for the next holiday season. You could make this chore a 2-for-1 deal where kids are responsible for helping with putting up the decorations next time, and possibly even sweeten the pot a little when adding this task to their Mydoh app. Because who wants to be reminded that the holidays are over for another year?
4. Load and unload the dishwasher
Why not get some help, so that you can free up a little bit of your time everyday? Have your kids take care of the dishwasher, so that you don’t have to! You can show them how some dishes – especially plastic ones – belong on the top rack, while others go on the bottom rack. If your kids are old enough, you might even teach them how to start the dishwasher after they’ve loaded it. Lastly, show them where dishes go, once they are clean and dry.
5. Clear out the kitchen pantry
The winter season is a great time to declutter your kitchen pantry. Get the kids involved by looking for items that have gone stale, like the collection of half-eaten cereal boxes or anything that has expired. Task them with taking everything off the shelf, wiping them down, then returning items neatly. Unopened gifts of food you may have received over the holidays or multiple cans of the same goods can be boxed up and donated to your local food bank.
Read more: Tips for saving money on family meals
6. Pitch in around the house one day a week
Ever notice that once the cold weather arrives and everyone is at home for what feels like 24/7, each room of your house quickly resembles a jumble sale? Set up a recurring task in Mydoh, where your kids help for a set period of time one day each week (such as a weekend or after school). It can be as short as 15 or 30 minutes, depending on the age of your child. And jobs could be anything from feeding the family pet, to decluttering the family room, and clearing out closets. Whatever is going to help bring order to your living space.
Read more: How to set weekly chores for kids and teens.
7. Wash, dry and fold the laundry
Doing laundry could be a task for kids of almost any age. If your kids are younger, have them help you sort the laundry by colour, or even match and fold pairs of socks. This is a great way to teach them some responsibility, and learn about shapes and colours along the way. If you have young teens, have them help put sorted laundry into the washer, and show them how to start the wash cycle. Next, have them help with drying and folding – you’ll be amazed at how much time you can get back for yourself.
Looking for more chore ideas for kids? Read more about fun chore ideas and top spring chores for teens and kids.
How to track winter chores for your kids in the Mydoh app
One of the ways Mydoh makes it easy for kids to earn their own money is by completing tasks. You can set up any task you like and decide if it’s a one-off job or weekly chore, such as cleaning their room. By creating tasks for your kids in the app, you won’t have to keep reminding your kids (AKA nagging) of what needs to be done. The incentive for them to stay on task (see what we did there?) is that once a new task is marked as “done” in the app, they’ll be paid on Pay Day.
Here’s how to set up a new task on the Mydoh app:
1. Go to the Earn screen in the app and tap on “Add a Task”
2. Choose a task category or customize your own.
3. Fill in the title (such as: dusting) and any additional details (like “Be careful not to break anything”) then mark it as a one-off or recurring task.
4. Set the completion date for a one-time task, or if it’s a recurring task, set the days of the week the task needs to happen.
5. Enter an amount that you would like to pay your child, and tap Create Task!
Not sure how much allowance to give your kids? Use our kids allowance calculator to get started!
Why assign chores as tasks in Mydoh?
Not only does the research prove that kids who have chores grow up to have higher self-esteem, can delay gratification, and are better able to handle their frustrations, but also many of us would agree that the past few years have been tough enough. So why not share the load with everyone who shares your home? It not only frees up time for parents (to perhaps focus on their holiday shopping!), but also teaches kids what it means to work as a team and show up for one another.
Read more: 10 life skills that chores can teach kids and teens.
Learn more about Mydoh and how it can help your kids learn responsibility and build good money habits early in life.
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This article offers general information only and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While the information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or its affiliates.
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