Tackle it Tuesday: Three Year Olds Can Put Away Laundry!
March 11, 2008
First off, I apologize - I meant to have photos to post of this project, but my camera up and died yesterday! Hopefully it’s just the battery and I’ll be able to post photos later this week.
Ok, now on to today’s Tackle. I have a family of 5 - soon to be 6 (if you haven’t already, check out the nursery blogging project!), and with our 3-year old potty training, let’s just say we generate a LOT of laundry! One of the biggest challenges to all this laundry hasn’t been getting it put through the washer and dryer, but getting it all put away. I can get through about 4-5 loads of laundry in a day if I stay on top of it, and it’s easier for me to put it all away at the end of the day, rather than put each load away individually. I usually sort and fold laundry while the kids are in their bath.
Here’s the problem with my existing system: by the time I have the clothes sorted and folded, the boys are ready for bed. I can’t really get the clothes into their dressers and closet while they’re trying to go to sleep, so their clothes end up being stored in laundry baskets.
That’s gotta end - it’s driving me nuts!
There are two reasons that the boys couldn’t put their own clothes away: First, they would have to accurately figure out which clothes belonged to which person, and second, they would have to remember which drawer each item of clothing belonged in.
On the first point - figuring out which person each item belonged to - I bought 3 smallish laundry baskets. They’re just big enough to hold one boy’s clothes, and small enough for them to carry or push them down the hall to their room. I labeled them with each boy’s name in their favorite color. As I’m folding, I sort the clothes into each boy’s basket.
On the second point - helping them remember which drawers are theirs and which holds shirts, pants, etc. - I’m turning that problem into a homeschooling opportunity! Our oldest is starting to read independently, our middle son is starting to sound out words, and our youngest is learning to recognize his name and his brothers’ names.
I found index cards with manuscript lines printed on them, and some clip art showing shirts, pants, and pajamas. I made three cards for each boy, and wrote a label for each drawer in the boy’s favorite color, then taped a picture of the clothing item to the card.
Now, each boy has a color-coded laundry basket with his name on it, and three drawers with color-coordinated labels with his name, the word for the appropriate clothing item, and a picture of the clothing that belongs in that drawer.
To test the theory, I lined up the full baskets in the hallway outside their room, and sent them each in to put their laundry away. It worked - even my 3 year old got all of his clothes put away in the correct drawers!
I’ll try to get pictures posted later this week, once my camera is working again.
It sounds like you have a good plan. Congrats on your pregnancy. Happy TT.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:28 am
Thanks! Be sure to check back in - I have two more posts to add to the Nursery project this week.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:52 am
YAY, so glad this system is working!
March 11th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
I wondered over here after your sweet comments on my blog. We DO have A LOT in common! The pictures of your art/computer room look just like our playroom! And, on the laundry thing, I, too, use small baskets with their names on them…but I LOVE your solution to helping the boys know where to put those clean clothes. I am going to try your system! And, congrats on the baby girl that is on the way.
March 13th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Good luck - I hope the system works as well for you as it has for us, so far! In fact, check back in here and let me know if the system works or if you tweak it a bit. Sometimes I wonder if what works for our family is just plain insanity for anyone else LOL!
Tricia
March 13th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
What a great idea this is. Division of labor and delegation works as well in the home as it does in the workplace. This is an awesome way to teach your kids responsibility and work-share from a young age so that they aren’t shocked by it later. Your kids will grow up to be respectful and happy teenagers, I bet!
February 4th, 2009 at 11:47 pm