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.
[...] The Chore Board: A Helping Out Around the House Game (2 — U.S. or Canada) [...]
I would LOVE this game!!!
This is what’s missing in my life–The Chore Board Game!
I think that this sounds very interesting and am very excited about the possibility of winning! Thanks!
This would be a neat game to play with my little girl!
we could definitely use this-it looks like fun too!
This looks great! Thanks!
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.
What a fun “game!” Would love to win this game.
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!
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
This looks like a great game and a great motivator.
This game sounds great!
A fun way to get your kids to help around the house. Include me in the drawing.
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.
If it helps my kids do their chores, I’m all for trying!
enter me pls!
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I would love to win this game. Thanks for the giveaway.
accoupons at gmail dot com
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!
OOOH, who can’t use help with Chores? LOL! Please enter me!
What a great idea. Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
carlene
iluvreading(at)verizon.net
who would like to take turns with this one. mverno@roadrunner.com
What a cool idea.
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
CUTE GREAT IDEA
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.
How cool! My kids would love this game and hopefully be more excited to help out around the house.
i appreciate them donating the games
Sounds like a fun game, my kids would definitely love to play it!!
This is exacly what I need for my kids, please count me in.
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.
Do they make one for adults? I know a few who could use some motivation! Thanks for the chance.
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
Great ideal!
This looks like some fun motivation!
What a great way to get the kids into their chores, they would love this game.
I hope I win for my family
This would be nice to have.
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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?
I’ve been looking for something like this!! Hope I win!!
We’ve been meaning to restart the chore chart this summer–this game would make it more fun and add incentives! Hope we win!
What a grat concept…..I love the idea….
This would be amazing for my son! Thank you!
This would be fun to use, since my kids are just getting old enough to start helping out.
Perfect for my granddaughter! Love it!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
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
This would be perfect around here!