June 4, 2009

The Chore Board Game

Written by Jennifer (5 Minutes for Books)

When I showed The Chore Board: A Helping-Around-the-House Game to my 10 1/2 year old daughter Amanda, she immediately began unpacking the pieces and looking at the instructions.

"What are some chores I can do, Mom?" she asked. I reminded her about the chores that are on her regular list: cleaning her bathroom each week, unloading the dishwasher as needed, keeping her room straight.

She didn't look excited, but reluctantly added them to white board list that was part of the game board. "Are there others I can do?" I added on some things that I'm always asking her to do, such as put her clothes away (instead of leaving them on the chair in her room where I pile them) and take out the garbage.

"What about Kyle?" she asked, moving on to the next section of the board. I reminded her that he feeds the dog, does the silverware from the dishwasher, sets the table, and makes his bed.

The game is magnetic, and it has stayed put on the front of our fridge for several weeks now.

Why does this work? Well, the game suggests that a mutually agreed upon incentive is offered when the child reaches the end after moving one square per chore (There are also fun squares throughout the track, such as "Do two chores in an hour and move forward two squares," and "Trivia Question.").

It's taken the nagging out of helping around the house, because the kids can see their reward approaching. It's also brought out some competition. If Amanda sees Kyle's piece moving forward quickly, she wants to be sure that she has the opportunity to do some chores as well. I am always ready with a suggestion or two to help her out.

Summer is a great time to start new habits. See if The Chore Board Game might cause your children to be a little more willing to help out around the house.

Jennifer Donovan blogs at Snapshot about life in Connecticut with her family. They all would much rather be reading a book than doing chores.

Chronicle Books has donated two games. If you'd like to win one, please leave a comment here (U.S. and Canadian shipping addresses are eligible).

Click on the banner above to enter our other Summer Fun Giveaways. All winners will be announced on June 11.

Filed under Fun and Games, Home, Jennifer, Parenting by Jennifer (5 Minutes for Books)

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91 Comments

Pings on The Chore Board Game

June 4, 2009

Summer Fun Giveaway — 2009

June 6, 2009

The Chore Board Game Giveaway - Ends - 06-11-2009

Comments on The Chore Board Game

June 4, 2009

Stacy @ 6:13 pm

I would LOVE this game!!!

Marla Taviano @ 6:29 pm

This is what's missing in my life–The Chore Board Game!

Maria Delgado @ 6:53 pm

I think that this sounds very interesting and am very excited about the possibility of winning! Thanks!

Kiley @ 7:01 pm

This would be a neat game to play with my little girl!

CINDY @ 7:34 pm

we could definitely use this-it looks like fun too!

corinne @ 9:03 pm

This looks great! Thanks!

Danetta @ 10:53 pm

This looks awesome! I always have a hard time getting my little guy to do his chores and help out without a whine, moan or complain.

Jenn @ 11:13 pm

What a fun "game!" Would love to win this game.

Laureen @ 11:33 pm

I could see how this game would work to motivate my three girls to help around the house. They have loved the few times that my husband has pretended to be an announcer of a race, commenting on each one's status as they get ready for bed. Thanks!

June 5, 2009

Janet Carpenter @ 2:36 am

We tried using a Helping Chart with my three year old. I'm not crazy about the word "chore" because it has negative connotations for me, when something is a chore, it means unpleasant task to me.

My daughter responded very well to the visual reward and competitiveness.

This sounds like an excellent idea and once I get past the name, I think it would help in our house. Because Maya is an only child, Mommy and Daddy would play and we need incentive too

Carey @ 7:33 am

This looks like a great game and a great motivator.

Amy @ 9:11 am

This game sounds great!

Linda @ 9:43 am

A fun way to get your kids to help around the house. Include me in the drawing.

LuAnn @ 10:04 am

My son loves to beat his sister at anything. Maybe this would motivate him better than my nagging to get his chores done. I would love to win this.

pamr @ 10:08 am

If it helps my kids do their chores, I'm all for trying!

Kim @ 11:54 am

enter me pls!

Kim @ 11:55 am

subscriber

Kim @ 11:55 am

get newsletter too!

Angela C. @ 1:36 pm

I would love to win this game. Thanks for the giveaway.

accoupons at gmail dot com

Christy Hickman @ 2:08 pm

This has got to be one of the cutest games I have seen. I would LOVE this to play with our 3 children. What a great idea for a game. Thanks for the great giveaway!

Jennifer @ Quiverfull Family @ 3:43 pm

OOOH, who can't use help with Chores? LOL! Please enter me!

Carlene @ 4:25 pm

What a great idea. Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
carlene
iluvreading(at)verizon.net

susan varney @ 7:31 pm

who would like to take turns with this one. mverno@roadrunner.com

shannon Baas @ 8:08 pm

What a cool idea.

DanielleC @ 8:47 pm

I would love to get this game for me and my fiance. We are about to get married and start a family and this would be perfect for us living together as well after we are married

CINDY @ 9:31 pm

CUTE GREAT IDEA

Lisa M @ 10:33 pm

The Chore Board game sounds AWESOME!! This would be a great game for my two daughters who insist on NOT helping me with chores. They won't even clean their room.

Jenn S. @ 11:58 pm

How cool! My kids would love this game and hopefully be more excited to help out around the house.

June 6, 2009

clemens @ 12:16 am

i appreciate them donating the games

Jaclyn Reynolds @ 12:23 am

Sounds like a fun game, my kids would definitely love to play it!!

Adrian Lamont @ 12:50 am

This is exacly what I need for my kids, please count me in.

Carol Lawrence @ 7:09 am

What a great idea. I'll have four grandkids here all summer and this will be a great way to get a little help from them. They can help with the pool,yard,dogs and house and get rewarded for it. Making helping a game is a great idea.

Cynthia C @ 7:20 am

Do they make one for adults? I know a few who could use some motivation! Thanks for the chance.

JDSG @ 9:09 am

I'm sure that if I tell my mother about this game she will wonder why on earth was it not around when SHE could have used it to "encourage" my brother and I to do chores. The game sounds interesting. I wonder if it would help out my brother now with his two sons? Hmm!

JDSG

visionquest2020(at)msn(dot)com

Teresa @ 9:11 am

Great ideal!

Pat @ 10:58 am

This looks like some fun motivation!

Linda @ 12:12 pm

What a great way to get the kids into their chores, they would love this game.

Jamericanspice @ 3:38 pm

I hope I win for my family

Angela J @ 7:23 pm

This would be nice to have.

June 7, 2009

Renee T @ 9:25 am

Oh…this sounds like a fun game that tackles how to help your kids learn to healp around the house. Does it work on spouses, too?

Brynna @ 4:29 pm

I've been looking for something like this!! Hope I win!!

Maggie Hsu @ 8:12 pm

We've been meaning to restart the chore chart this summer–this game would make it more fun and add incentives! Hope we win!

michele anne @ 8:45 pm

What a grat concept…..I love the idea….

June 8, 2009

emily L @ 4:36 am

This would be amazing for my son! Thank you!

Heather H @ 11:47 am

This would be fun to use, since my kids are just getting old enough to start helping out.

Beth @ 12:27 pm

Perfect for my granddaughter! Love it!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Brooke @ 12:35 pm

This looks great.. Wee Man likes to have "lists" of what to do.. However, the system we have right now just isn't working that well

Christine @ 1:27 pm

This would be perfect around here!

Paula H @ 3:31 pm

I'm always looking for ideas to encourage chores being done around the house.

Jenny Martin @ 5:10 pm

What a cool way to make chores fun…I would love this!

edj @ 5:21 pm

Chores without nagging? Remembering whose turn it is to do what? Brilliant! Sign me up, please.

Kathy D @ 10:47 pm

We love games……

Christine Walker @ 11:54 pm

I love this! What a great idea!

June 9, 2009

samella @ 5:07 am

i sure could use this

Erma H @ 6:18 am

I would love the chance to win, thanks.

Diane Baum @ 9:44 am

great motivating idea

Ali Hammons @ 9:53 am

This sounds like a great idea! This would be great for when my kids are helping out around the house!

LaVonne @ 12:40 pm

What a great idea for a board game.

shawna @ 1:30 pm

My daughter loves games!

Cynthia Mercado @ 2:07 pm

We would love to win this. It would be helpful at our house.

mercsmercado at yahoo dot com

chantelle @ 2:21 pm

Thanks for another great giveaway! -ChantelleSabino at mac dot com

Bekki Lindner @ 2:43 pm

Oh my goodness, this looks like so much fun!

ALISSA @ 3:27 pm

this is a great idea for a game!

chastidy @ 5:12 pm

Id love to win this, maybe we could get this house clean. LOL, Thanks

Gabriel J. @ 5:41 pm

I really like the idea~!

Julie K @ 7:53 pm

I can see my kids laughing at me first, and then I think might work. I would love to give this a try, my house seems like it is messy again before I finish cleaning it!

Colleen Yamamoto @ 10:45 pm

this would help!

victoria howard @ 11:23 pm

i follow

June 10, 2009

Chrysa @ 12:03 am

Great idea!

Gianna @ 12:54 am

Please enter me

monique lashae saulsbery @ 1:01 am

This is great way to get kids to do chores. They need a good behavior game like this for classrooms. I sure could have used one when I was teaching.

Michelle H. @ 1:48 am

I would love to see how this works. It sounds like a great idea.

Angie O @ 2:07 am

We need this!! Please, please!

AmandaG @ 2:15 am

What a wonderful idea, we'd love to have it!

Rachel Robertson @ 4:21 am

I adore my children but when it comes to chores it is like pulling teeth. This would be such a great way to make doing chores fun. Well, maybe not exactly fun but I know that if they look at chores as a game, it will make getting them to do chores so much easier!