While this may not seem like the most important thing to teach your child from a young age, it will certainly help to keep your house in order as they get older- so it’s worth the effort now. Here’s how you can make it fun for your little one…
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Separate the colours: If you are teaching your toddler about colours presently, this is an excellent way to help them along. Ask them to put all the whites into one pile on the floor and all the black/dark clothes into another. Or if you have a lot of another colour in your washing basket- ask them to do the same with that one too. The more colour piles you can create the better!
Load the washing machine: While you should ALWAYS keep your toddler away from washing pods and detergents, they can help you load the machine with clothes once they have separated the colours into piles. Keep an eye on them while they do this to make sure they don’t get a stray red sock in with your whites! A gentle reminder...
Hanging washing up: When the weather was good during the summer, my daughter used to pass me a wet item of clothing and some pegs from the basket so I could put them on the washing line. While it may be too cold outside to dry your washing, you could set up a maiden in your home next to the radiator and ask them to do the same for you. Toddlers love to help parents with jobs around the house so they will feel a sense of satisfaction once it’s all done and it’s a chance for you to give them some well deserved praise.
Putting laundry away: If you are putting things away in drawers and baskets that are at their height, this is a great opportunity to get them to help you. Opt for things you aren’t too precious about such as socks and underwear as they won’t put things away with the same neatness as you will. As long as they know which area is for what- this is a worthwhile activity and they might just remember for next time.
Dirty clothes in the laundry basket: When you are getting your toddler ready for bathtime and you take their clothes off- ask them to place their dirty things in the laundry hamper and similarly when they take their pjs off to get dressed on a morning, ask them to put their nightwear in the basket too (it may help to have one in their room). Get them into this habit now and you might not have to pick things up after them when they get older!
Separate clothing: If you have a big pile of clothes fresh from the dryer that consist of pieces from the whole family, get them to put them into piles for each member of the household. This not only gives them a sense of ownership for their things but helps them to understand what belongs to mummy and daddy and brothers and sisters too.
Talk about the task at hand: The washing machine and dryer are an educational tool in themselves. Ask your toddler what shape the outside of the machines are and what shape the doors are, what happens to the clothes when they go in, what colour they are as well as what they are doing to the items once they are locked inside. This is the perfect chance to discuss shapes, colours, actions, temperatures and the difference between wet and dry.
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