Maybe one of your new year’s resolutions for your young child is to give them simple chores.

Young children love to help! Don’t go ahead and do it for them. Let them do chores around your home all during the week so you and your child can have special time together on the weekends. Helping in age-appropriate chores makes them feel responsible and trusted when you allow them to help you around the house. It may take a little longer to do a chore but it is well worth it.

There are so many readiness and academic lessons to be learned through household chores that truly aid in your child’s development at learning.

Sorting laundry into piles, they can choose what belongs to Mom, Dad, Brother, or Sister. They can sort and pair up socks that are alike and different; they can sort silverware by putting forks in one slot, spoons in another slot; and they can help sort coins into proper stacks of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters as you pick up and straighten up around the house.

Taking time to teach your child to set the table like, counting how many family members you have and how many plates, cups, forks and knives will be needed for each family member teaches your child about patterning and one to one correspondence.

When children help their parents safely cook in the kitchen, they learn order and sequence by following the steps of a recipe. For them to let Mom know when the timer goes off teaches him or her the concept of time and using the clock on telling time. In the kitchen the quantities of measurement can be taught. Fractions can be taught as you cut up fruits and vegetables. Comparing sizes and amounts is another math lesson learned.

The magic of safely spraying a cleanser fascinates young children. It never fails when you spray a pleasant spray cleanser they will scrub and scrub. If you need a bathroom counter or table clean, spray on some shaving cream. Young children love to draw pictures in the shaving cream, then clean it up.

I know this sounds funny but if your child is not allergic to dust, let them draw with their pointing finger in the dust, then safely dust the furniture in different shapes and motions like a circular motion or rectangular motion. Children love to shine a table and see their reflection! At the same time you can get your furniture dusted by little hands.

Children love to sweep and mop in small areas so they can see immediate results. They may imitate you by using toy brooms or mops.

Showing kids how to pick up their toys and put them in the same spot, taking time to show your little-ones how to make their bed, and sort their books from smallest to largest, and just straightening up, teaches your child how to be proud of their space.

Reward your child on a paper chart with a simple happy face or sticker after they do their jobs. This will encourage them to help you when they see a need.

Beth Pinyerd lives in Daphne and serves as director of younger children at Faith Family Fellowship in Spanish Fort.

Her column appears every other week in the Daphne Bulletin and Spanish Fort Sun.