To keep chores, important appointments, and other things from seeming monotonous, help your kids make a colorful, fun calendar, chore board, or schedule that can be viewed at a glance to help them remember things that need to be done as well as special events.
Instead of just writing stuff on an existing calendar, make a large customized one with lots of fun pictures, stickers, stamps, and eye-catching reminders.
Most desktop publishing programs have calendar layouts, so you might want to let your children each design their own at the beginning of each month, adding important events or reminders before printing it off.
An extra large one is more fun, and big is usually better for little kids. A large calendar also gives you more room to add fun and funky stuff. This is great for children that are too young to read, since you can label important dates with pictures of what will happen that day or things they need to keep in mind.
Add a picture of Kitty to each date that it’s your son’s turn to feed the cat. Mark birthdays and holidays with special pictures, stickers, or stamps that represent the holiday or other festive items. Go three-dimensional and glue a bow from a gift to the square that indicates your daughter’s birthday. Draw and cut out a pair of scissors to stick to the date your son needs to get his haircut.
For a schedule, make a simple list of things that need to be done and when. Each of these items can also be marked with pictures or images, and visualizing what needs to occur, plus reading the words, will help people remember things better.
Working on a chart or calendar with your child is also a good way to get his or her input on plans, chores, and events. You may just discover that your daughter would rather feed the cat than walk the dog, and your son may agree to a switch, making everybody happier.