From Babies to Teens: Getting Your Kids Involved in Laundry Every Step of The Way

This post is all about getting your kids involved in laundry so it's not all on you forever.

Laundry is often dismissed as a simple chore. But the reality is far more complex, encompassing endless cycles and multiple steps, often unacknowledged and unappreciated.

This post aims to redefine laundry as a shared family responsibility rather than a solitary burden, offering practical steps to involve kids from infancy through their teenage years. By teaching children these skills early on, we can foster independence and lighten the load for moms everywhere.

Getting Your Kids Involved In Laundry

The importance of teaching laundry skills

Hot take: The things that make motherhood feel hard aren’t actually all that hard.

Take laundry. Someone could say “just do it” like it’s no big deal.

To that person I say: Well sure, but — the never-ending relentlessness. This on top of everything else. The resentment if you’re doing it all, without appreciation or cooperation. Believing no one else will do it right. The fact that it’s not one chore you can check off your list and be done with it, but actually a 6- to 8-step process. The being pulled in another direction, getting distracted, and forgetting to come back to the next step.

So yeah, “doing the laundry” might not be all that difficult, but if we’re honest, it can be hard.

I'm on a mini-mission to make laundry easier for moms

One way we can start making laundry easier for us as moms is to stop doing it.

Looking at laundry as a life skill you’re teaching rather than a burden that’s yours alone to carry changes everything. By involving your kids in the process from a young age, you instill a sense of responsibility and independence that will benefit them throughout their lives. In this post, we’ll explore how to gradually introduce and teach valuable skills to your children, from babyhood (yes, we’re getting babies in on this process) to their teenage years.

Kids of all ages can help in the laundry process - it’s not too early or too late to start.

Baby Steps: Involving Infants and Toddlers

Even though babies and toddlers might seem too young to help with the laundry, this is a great time to start laying the foundation and engaging them in the entire process. At this stage, it’s all about modeling and sportscasting. Involve your children on a regular basis.

Model the steps: Let your small children watch as you gather dirty clothes, load the washing machine, and press the buttons. Narrate what you’re doing, like a sports commentator, to make it engaging and educational.

Involve them in simple tasks: Babies can sit in a safe spot while you sort clothes, and toddlers can help by carrying items to the laundry basket. As they grow, encourage them to help press the buttons and turn the dials with your guidance. These small actions build their interest and involvement in the process, setting them up to be self-sufficient kids.

Create positive associations: Make laundry time fun by singing songs or playing games. This way, your child starts to see it as a positive activity rather than a chore. Not to mention, it’s a great way to spend quality time with each other.

Growing Responsibilities: Preschoolers to Big Kids

As your young children move into the preschool and early school years, their ability to help with laundry increases significantly.

Preschoolers: At this stage, kids can start helping more actively. They can assist in adding laundry detergent, fabric softener, or dryer sheets, loading the washer, cleaning the lint trap, and pressing buttons. These kids are experts at matching socks and folding washcloths and kitchen towels.

And by expert I mean: LET THEM DO IT. An important thing to remember: If you re-do their work, they aren’t going to want to do it.

School-age kids: By the time they reach school age, young kids can take on more responsibility. This is a good time to encourage them to gather their dirty laundry, help with loading the washer in the laundry room, and transfer their own clothes from the washer to the dryer. Make folding and putting away clean clothes a collaborative effort.

Keep it fun: Laundry time is a great opportunity to teach about colors, water temperature (when to use cold water vs. hot water), counting, and organizing. This not only helps with the laundry but also enhances their learning skills. Listen to a favorite playlist, audiobook, or kid podcast while you fold together. Hey — I as a grown-ass adult need to keep household chores interesting, so why would it be any different for the kids?

Teen Takeover: Empowering Adolescents to Manage Their Laundry

When your kids hit their teenage or high school years, it's time for them to take care of their own laundry routine.

Set expectations: You’re getting the older kids to the point that this is their job. From gathering to sorting to washing to drying to folding to putting away. If they aren’t following through on their steps, work together to come up with a laundry system that will work for them. Is it a schedule, reminders on their phone, incentives, motivators.

Set a schedule: Establish a regular schedule for them to do their laundry. If they play sports and need their gear ready for games and practices, let that inform the schedule. If they have more time and energy on certain days of the week, let that guide the schedule. Help them develop a routine that includes regular laundry days.

Show appreciation: Praise their efforts and independence to reinforce positive behavior, giving them a sense of accomplishment.

Mom-Win: Raise Responsible Humans Who Do Laundry and Reap Long-Term Benefits

Teaching your children to manage their laundry from a young age is a great way to equip them with important life skills. It fosters independence, time management, responsibility, and self-sufficiency, preparing them for adulthood.

Moreover, it lightens YOUR load (literally and metaphorically) and creates more shared family time.

Step one in leading your kids down the path to independence is downloading the free one-pager Raising Responsible, Capable Humans Who Do Laundry. It takes you through all the ages and stages of raising a kid, and all the steps in the laundry cycle.

This post was all about getting your kids involved in laundry. If this meant something to you, you might also like:

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