Category: How To

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Allergies Big Kid Classroom Health How To Parenting

How You Can Help Keep Your Child Safe At School

Primary school may be overwhelming for both pupils and their parents, and this is exacerbated even further during a pandemic. Parents are concerned about bullying, emergencies, and other frightening situations as their children navigate through school and important developmental years. Learn how to keep your child safe while at school in this post.

Keep Your Child Safe At School
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How to Keep Your Child Safe At School

1. Familiarize yourself with COVID-19 updates

We all have a lot of additional questions when it comes to the health and safety of our children this year.   Is there really anything done at the school to stop the spread of COVID-19? What happens if a student in my child’s class or at his or her school contracts the virus? What will the school do in the event that a teacher becomes unwell as a result of the virus? Is the school COVID safe in general?

Even as we all work together to negotiate these difficult decisions, you may take steps to equip yourself, prepare your children, and assist teachers in preparing classrooms. Remind your children of the importance of regular handwashing. They should wash up after using the toilet, before eating, after playing outside, and if they have sneezed or coughed.

2. Find out how schools deal with issues

It is critical to understand how a school handles emergency circumstances as well as the policies that students are required to adhere to. Every school year, take time to go over the school’s handbook with your child at the beginning of the year. Many questions are answered in this guide, which covers topics such as school uniform, visitors policy, disaster drills and routes, and the school’s position on bullying.

3. Talk to the teachers

Speaking with teachers and administrators on a frequent basis is the most effective approach to stay up to date on the school’s safety policy. Plus, it’s the best way to follow up on any safety issues that may arise. If your child is experiencing difficulties, these discussions may offer insight into the situation. In order to keep physical contact to a minimum during COVID-19, you can conduct them via Zoom, email, or phone.

If your child’s school does not offer parent-teacher conferences, ask for one with each teacher toward the middle of each term. Staying in contact will help your child succeed and stay safe at school.

4. Make sure your children’s records are up to date

When you first registered your child for school, you had to fill out a mountain of paperwork. However, it is easy to forget about updating their school files as the years go by. In the event that your child develops an allergy or if there is an emergency at the school, this can be a problem.

Additionally, if your personal or contact information changes, make sure that you notify the school as soon as possible. Review and update your child’s files at least once a year, or at the beginning of each term if possible. 

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Adulting For the Home Home How To Winter

Winterize Your Home with These 3 Easy Steps

It’s that time of year again! The leaves are falling, and the air is getting colder. Some people don’t bother to care for their home during the wintertime, but it makes a difference if you do some preparation now. Learning how to winterize your home ensures that you’re not caught off guard when those first few snowflakes start to fall.

Winterize Your Home
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How to Winterize Your Home

1. Make Insulation a Priority

The first step to getting your home ready for the winter is ensuring you have insulation. If you don’t have any or want it replaced, get in touch with a professional who can assess the situation. They can give you all the details on how much this will cost and when they can do it. Additionally, check for drafts around windows and doors so that cold air doesn’t seep through them during those colder months.

You might also want to look at items such as baseboards which may need replacing if there’s damage from water leakage. Not sure where these spots are? No problem – experts recommend hiring an energy auditor to take care of things like this once a year because not only would they know where to look, they’d also know how much the temperature change would affect your bill.

2. Have your Furnace Inspected

An essential part of getting your home ready for the winter is ensuring your furnace won’t give out on you. Since this system works hard all year long and has a high chance of malfunctioning when it’s least expected (like during the winter), make sure to get an inspection.

You don’t want to be stuck in freezing temperatures with no heat because your furnace won’t start, then you will need new insulation and a whole new heating unit altogether. Both can cost quite a bit and might leave you wondering what happened to your cash. But, of course, it doesn’t hurt either way so take care of these things now instead of later.

3. Clean the Gutters

One of the most common issues during wintertime is ice forming in your gutters. When ice forms, two things can happen. Either they break completely, or their shape gets warped from all the weight. In any case, both situations aren’t great for your home so do yourself a favor by checking up on those gutters.

Winterize Your Home

Getting your home ready for the winter isn’t just a good idea; it’s also something that can save you quite a bit of money. Follow these three steps now to winterize your home.

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For the Home Home How To Parenting

2 Easy Ways to Put Together a Budget Nursery for Your Baby

Having a child is expensive, and there’s no getting around that. However, there are many ways to save money on some essentials while still offering your child a comfortable, healthy life. You don’t need to go cheap, but there are many ways to stay frugal so that you can maintain your financial situation. Learning the best ways to put together a budget nursery can make all the difference right from the start.

Budget Nursery for Your Baby
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How to Put Together a Budget Nursery for Your Baby

Use Hand-Me-Down Items

Hand-me-down items are common for the baby’s nursery because you really only need them for a few years. Your baby will grow up faster than you think, and those items you bought for your baby are going to be useless. So if you’re spending a lot of money on something like a crib, remember that your baby won’t need it for long.

So when you become a parent, put your pride aside and accept when people offer you hand-me-down items. Using these items is a great way to save money, and you can get some fantastic deals. Some people give out baby items for free, or you can find ads on websites that offer free baby items that are still in perfect condition.

Buy it All From One Place

One of the best ways to save money is to buy all of your baby-related items from one store. Since you’re likely to have it delivered, many stores offer free delivery or they’ll add in some discounts and bonuses. Taking advantage of these benefits is a brilliant way to ensure that all of your items arrive on time. Plus, you get to save money since you’re not paying for multiple deliveries.

Check out stores such as Foryourlittleone that offer a complete selection of baby-related items and furniture. With a massive selection like this, you can get baby car seats that you’d typically need to buy from a specialist vendor. It’s convenient, inexpensive, and can help save a considerable amount of money.

Making a Budget Nursery for Your Baby

While having a child is expensive, there are many great ways to stay on a budget. Do you have any other tips? Leave a comment and let us know, we’d love to hear them!

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For the Home Home How To

3 Easy Ways To Make Your Bed Extra Cozy

Your bed likely isn’t as comfortable as it could be, even if it is comfy enough. Most of us have basic beds with just a mattress cover and sheets. We don’t often think about how the materials make us feel, just as long as we’re warm. But being warm in bed isn’t hard to do, and you can easily keep your body temperature high enough to be content and cozy. However, we need to consider the whole bed, not just what you cover it with but what you could put on it to make it more than just a basic bed. Here are three ways to make your bed extra cozy.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Make Your Bed Extra Cozy
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How to Make Your Bed Extra Cozy

Why cotton and not wool?

If you want to fall asleep without trouble, you shouldn’t be too warm. Our body temperature needs to drop for the body’s sleep routine to kick in. With this being the case, avoid using wool bedding. Instead, opt for cotton, which will help regulate your body temperature.

Plus, cotton is more versatile and more affordable. Consider the best kind of cotton, such as Merino Cotton and Egyptian cotton. The thread count should be between 800 and 1200 so that it’s soft enough to avoid creasing and becoming rigid when washed. Anything lower than 800 will be too coarse, and above 1200 will be a little too fragile.

Eco-friendly bedding

Everyone agrees that global warming affects the planet, and we need to prevent it from worsening. The way you can help is to change the way you think about what you buy. Instead of choosing synthetic sheets, you should consider cotton, wool, or even bamboo sheets. Bamboo sheets are very soft and still durable, unlike what you see in cotton and wool. This plant-based material is rigid at first, but after it has been threaded and treated, it becomes very flexible and luxurious. 

More on top 

Don’t just consider how you cover your bed or pillows, but also think about what you could put on top of the bed. Can you put a smaller pillow to plug any gaps? Maybe you can put a throw on the bed to give your feet some extra warmth should they pop out from the bottom by accident? Consider using an Oxford pillowcase for supporting pillows as these have extra material, providing you with more comfort.

You can also consider a bolster pillow for your arms, feet, or neck. A bolster pillow can help improve your lumbar spine health if you feel the need to sleep facing up.

Make Your Bed Extra Cozy

These are just a few ways to make your bed more comfortable without busting the wallet or purse strings. Consider investing in wool or cotton at first for your bedding, but bamboo if you want something luxurious and more modern.

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Health Healthy Living How To

4 Guaranteed Ways To Help You Stay On Top Of Your Oral Health

Staying on top of your oral health is as important as maintaining your physical health. It will help to avoid any health complications and achieve optimal health overall. Getting lazy with your oral health routine can quickly cause your teeth to start to deteriorate. These tips are guaranteed ways to help you stay on top of your oral health.

Stay On Top Of Your Oral Health
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How to Stay On Top Of Your Oral Health

Join a local dental practice

It is easier to stay on top of your health checkups if they are close by and convenient. You won’t want to drive or walk for miles if you have other things to do. Using local dental services will ensure that you don’t have to go out of your way to attend routine checkups. 

The appointments will be much more convenient, and you’ll have less of a reason to cancel them. Staying on top of your routine appointments and not delaying them will ensure that you maintain the best oral health and avoid any teeth or gum complications.

Eat the right foods

Surprisingly, many healthy foods can make your teeth look brown. Foods such as berries, beets, and soy sauce can change the color of your teeth. Although this color may disappear when you brush your teeth, it won’t if you lack a regular brushing routine. 

It is best to eat the right foods if you want to avoid your teeth from looking brown. Good foods for optimal oral health include:

  • Apples
  • Cauliflower
  • Pears
  • Cheese 

Should you eat foods that discolor your teeth, make sure to brush them as soon as possible to avoid staining. 

Use a fluoride-rich toothpaste

Although many of us might think that using any toothpaste will strengthen our teeth and make them look white and pearly, they aren’t all as effective as each other.

It is best to use fluoride-rich toothpaste as the ingredients will strengthen enamel and keep teeth in their best condition. Fluoride-rich toothpaste will also help your teeth stay white, which is essential to maintain your smile. 

Floss regularly

Along with brushing your teeth, it is essential to floss too. Some toothbrushes and brushing routines might not be effective enough to remove all plaque and food remains. The floss will loosen it and remove it from your mouth. A build-up of plaque or food can deteriorate the teeth as well as the gums.

Make sure to floss once a day and do it before you brush so that you can loosen anything that needs brushing and washing away. Taking it in your bag with you will also help you dislodge anything that gets stuck, which can deteriorate your teeth throughout the day. Or, you can use it to stay on top of the condition of your teeth and gums. 

Stay On Top Of Your Oral Health

Using these oral health tips can help you optimize and maintain the health of your teeth. Make sure to develop a good routine and check in with your dentist to avoid any oral health issues.

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For the Home Home How To

4 of the Best Tips For The Perfect Yard Makeover

When your home is calling out for some love, it’s easy to focus on interior renovations. However, it’s also essential that you keep your yard in good order. Even in the winter months, having easy access to a nice outdoor space can be a mood booster. Plus, it can make selling your home easier, with recent research suggesting that nice yards are a priority for many buyers. With that in mind, here are some of the best tips for the perfect yard makeover.

Best Tips For The Perfect Yard
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Best Tips For The Perfect Yard

Install New Fencing

While you may want to grab your watering can and try planting flowers, there’s more to your yard than what grows. Transform your yard by switching up your Residential Fencing. Not only does this look great, but it also adds structure to your space and enhances your privacy, meaning that you can keep your home secure and safe. When choosing new fencing, don’t be afraid to experiment with different styles and colors. For example, white fencing can make a small backyard appear much larger than it is. 

Know Your Limits in the Garden

Gardening is a skill that doesn’t always come naturally, meaning that you’ll need to work on your abilities over time. When looking to transform your garden, start by focusing on plants that are easy to grow for first-time gardeners. You can develop the skills you need without overstretching your abilities or tending to a garden full of dead plants. Do plenty of research to choose plants that are well suited to your home environment (weather, temperature, etc.). 

Create the Illusion of Space

If your yard is small, don’t worry – there are plenty of ways to make the most of the space. For example, you can create the illusion of having more space by introducing different levels to your yard. Consider installing raised wooden decking or hanging plants across the walls and fences.

Put Together a Gardening Routine

Unfortunately, you cannot simply spend one day taking care of your yard and then leave it to fend for itself. Much like having a cleaning routine for your home, you should also have a routine for yard work. Some plants will require daily watering or maintenance. Other duties, such as mowing the lawn, can occur weekly. Remember, you don’t have to do all of this yourself – as gardening is a great way to teach your kids responsibility. Plus, if everybody wants to spend time in the yard, they should help take care of it.  

Best Tips For The Perfect Yard Makeover

Do you have any tips for the perfect yard? Leave a comment and let us know. 🙂

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Family Activities How To Parenting

2 Ways to Support Your Little Ones As They Grow Up

As soon as you learn that you’re bringing a child into the world, your attitude and priorities change. Rather than focusing your whole world around yourself, you begin to center it around someone else. You want the best for your child, and you’ll do whatever you can to achieve this. Of course, knowing what’s best for your child and what you should do to provide them with the best upbringing can be difficult. Nobody receives a book or guide on how to do this, and often, most people find that it’s a matter of trial and error and finding their own way to do things as best as they can. Of course, there are a few key things you can consider and work on to support your little ones and provide them with the best upbringing possible. 

Supporting Your Little Ones, Support Your Little Ones
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How to Support Your Little Ones As They Grow Up

Prioritize Their Health and Wellbeing

Children can’t take care of themselves. They don’t have the emotional or mental capacity to create a healthy and positive environment for themselves to grow up in. Instead, this is your responsibility. Taking care of your child’s health and wellbeing ensures that they are physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. 

If your child experiences a major injury, you’re going to take them into urgent care. But it’s also essential to focus on small and less severe situations and conditions. If you notice that your child has an ongoing issue, such as skin complaints, wheeziness, or anything else, take them in to visit a general practitioner who can diagnose any issues and recommend a course of treatment. Make sure to take them for regular checkups with healthcare professionals like doctors, dentists, optometrists, and audiologists. Tackle any problems about mental health following medical advice and with the support of charities and support groups. Doing these things can all benefit your children greatly.

Provide Them With a Good Education

Education can be one of the most influential factors in a child’s life, direction, and future. Good quality education can open up all sorts of doors and opportunities that provide your child with potential and a better quality of life down the line once they become dependent on themselves. Of course, the unfortunate truth is that all schools aren’t equal, which means you have to look into the best schools in your area and do your utmost to get your children into them. 

Remember that education doesn’t begin and end in the classroom. There are all sorts of educational activities you can carry out with your children at home out of school hours. Nature walks, visiting museums and art galleries, and encouraging creativity through arts and crafts are just a few examples.

Support Your Little Ones As They Grow Up

These are just a couple of areas of focus, but they’re important ones. Hopefully, they’ll be able to kickstart your journey towards providing your little ones with the best upbringing possible.

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Healthy Living How To Life Mental Health On My Mind

5 Ways To Love Yourself And Feel Better About Who You Are

Are you unhappy with the way you look? Do you find yourself admiring your friends or celebrities and wishing you looked more like them? You are not alone. Many people are unhappy with their appearance, but you must start loving yourself. These tips can help you love yourself and feel better.

Love Yourself And Feel Better
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How to Love Yourself And Feel Better About Who You Are

Focus on Staying Healthy

Beauty starts from within, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can make you feel better about your appearance. When you feel good about yourself, you tend to feel better overall. You will have more energy and fewer mood swings from eating lots of sugar and other unhealthy foods. A healthy lifestyle will also improve your physical appearance. It will help you maintain a healthy weight, and your skin will glow.

Think Carefully Before Making any Major Decisions

Many people have plastic surgery when they are unhappy with their appearance. While there is nothing wrong with this, you need to think very carefully before doing so. Will you be happy and content once you have had the surgery? Or, will there be something else you want to change? If something goes wrong, you will need a medical malpractice attorney to help you take legal action. Whatever you choose is fine, but make sure you think it through and consider these things. 

Take a Break From the Mirror

Are you constantly looking in the mirror all of the time? If so, it is time to take a break because obsessing over your appearance won’t help. Beauty is all about how you feel inside, not about what you look like in the mirror. Have you ever met someone who thought she was ugly when you thought she was beautiful? It shows how beauty comes from within – it is more of a personality trait if you think about it. You have to feel beautiful yourself, and that feeling comes from the heart, mind, and soul, not the eyes.

Wear Comfortable Clothes

Do you try to squeeze yourself into fashionable clothes that you don’t like wearing or wear high heels even though you hate them? Or, do you plaster makeup on and wear false lashes even though they irritate your eyes? If so, time to stop! You need to wear what you feel comfortable in if you want to feel beautiful.

Smile to Love Yourself And Feel Better

Last but not least, try to smile more! It is clichéd, but people do look much, much better when they smile. It doesn’t matter who you are, how old you are, what you look like, or how bad you think your smile is; you are going to look and feel much better and healthier if you appear happy.

Love Yourself And Feel Better

If you follow these steps, you should start to feel better and more confident. Many people hate their appearance, but it is often due to misbeliefs and misconceptions we have planted in our minds due to society and social media. You are you. You are unique, and that is why you are beautiful!

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Adulting Gifts Holiday How To Parenting

4 Ways To Save More Money In Your Christmas Budget

save more money on christmas, save money on christmas, save money during the holidays, how to have a good christmas without money

Most of us are trying to figure out how to save more money this holiday season. This can be useful if you are struggling with your personal budget right now. Or, it can be useful if you are simply trying to stay ahead of your finances. Luckily, there are some great ways to keep the costs low and ensure that you still have fun with your family. 

save more money on christmas, save money on christmas, save money during the holidays, how to have a good christmas without money
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Check Out A Gift Guide 

First, you might want to think about exploring a Christmas gift guide at The Art of Doing Stuff or a similar resource. You’ll find lots of guides like this around the festive season that can be ideal for people who are trying to save.

There are always a few budget-friendly choices for a variety of individuals to choose from. You might also want to think about looking at guides that are laid out specifically for certain people. For instance, you can find him/her guides as well as guides for kids, boyfriends, and even those who are tricky to buy for. 

Gift Guides You Make Enjoy

Don’t Forget The Deals 

Next, you can think about exploring different business deals. There are always deals around the holiday season that will be perfect if you’re looking to save.

For instance, you should definitely explore the deals around Black Friday. Be aware that this is starting earlier this year, seemingly as a result of COVID-19. It’s worth noting that Black Friday deals aren’t always quite as they seem. Some products will rise in price a few months early only to drop later. 

You should also think about exploring coupons, codes, and vouchers. You’ll find lots of these online and potentially even a few in your email.

Start Early to Save More Money

A great way to ensure that you can save more money in your Christmas budget is to make sure that you are starting early. It doesn’t need to be the holiday season for you to start buying presents. You can do this at any time during the year and get some great deals on items, too. You could even start buying towards the end of summer. 

Make Your Own Decorations 

Finally, you could think about making your own decorations rather than buying them in-store. This is a great choice if you are concerned about how much you spend decorating your home.

It’s fair to say that the cost of Christmas decorations can certainly add up. You might discover that you are spending at least a couple hundred on your electric bill just to make your house look festive.

If you are interested in this possibility, then you might want to think about exploring a few DIY decoration guides online. This is also something you can do with your kids. 

save more money on christmas, save money on christmas, save money during the holidays, how to have a good christmas without money

Save More Money In Your Christmas Budget

It isn’t difficult to cut costs and save more money on Christmas this year. COVID-19 has hit everyone hard and you might not be prepared for the massive expense the festive season brings. With these tips you can avoid this expense completely or at the very least, reduce it. Do you have any tips for saving money on Christmas? Tell me about it in the comments!

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Family Activities How To Learning Life Parenting

How to Teach Your Kids Responsibility By Using a Chore Store at Home

We all want to raise responsible kids that help out, take care of things, and understand the value of money. Sometimes it’s hard to teach these concepts, though. In our house, we use a chore store to get the kids doing chores and learning about earning/spending.

The chore store is something that I set up once each week, usually on Saturdays. Throughout the previous week, the kids work to each chore store money. For each chore they do, they earn one chore store dollar. When Saturday rolls around, they can choose to save their chore money for something bigger, or they can cash it in on the items in the chore store.

Since the kids can earn one chore store dollar for each chore, they can choose how much they want to earn that week. It helps them understand that the harder they work, the more they get rewarded. If you don’t want to use chore store dollars, you can also use chore charts from Dollar Tree and implement a way to earn rewards from the chore store with the chart.

You can put anything in your chore store, as long as you know your kids will like it. I pick up small things to add to it when I see something I know they’d love, but I typically get most items from Amazon. I also go to Dollar Tree for multi-packs of items to include.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Chore Store

What to Put in a Chore Store

The options for what to put in the chore store are limitless. I love browsing around for new items to add. Some ideas include:

1. Invisible Ink Pens

Kids love invisible ink pens, as they can pretend to be a spy or share secret messages with their friends. These pens were a hit in our chore store!

2. Play-Doh in the Chore Store

Play-doh is always a good option. No matter how careful you and your kids are, play-doh gets mixed together or dries out. When you keep play-doh stocked in the chore store, you won’t have to feel bad about throwing some away. I buy it in a 10-pack case for variety and excitement each time.

3. Pop Its

Fidget toys are super popular right now, with pop it’s being at the top of the list. These fidgets come in all different shapes and sizes, and your child will be excited to see them as a choice.

4. LED Lights

If my kids can save up the chore dollars, they can use them to buy bigger items. Sometimes I let them pick whatever they want on Amazon, but other times I keep items I know they’ll love in our store store. When they can see these bigger items, it encourages them to save up and work hard to get what they want. LED lights were a hit in my house.

5. Super Hero Capes and Matching Bracelets

These superhero capes and slap bracelets are perfect for your store. I love items like this because we can just throw them in the dress-up bin instead of having random little stuff laying around the house.

6. Kinetic Sand

Sensory play is always one of my favorites, and my kids love it, too. It’s easy to clean up and your child can do so much with it. These small, individual containers are perfect because you won’t have so much kinetic sand out at once. Plus, your child can choose it each time they earn chore store dollars.

7. Sand Art Kits

I was so excited to see these sand art kits on Amazon. As a kid, I loved sand art. I didn’t even realize they still made things like this!

8. Mini Animals Building Blocks Sets

If your child likes Legos, these are the perfect option for your chore store. The blocks are smaller than Legos, but they are still super cute. You can use them as a learning opportunity, too, if you teach your child about the animals they build.

9. Candy for the Chore Store

I don’t love including candy in your store, but occasionally I’ll add some. Ring pops are always a hit, so they are one of my go-to’s. I also add smarties and sour patch kids.

10. Make Your Own Bouncy Ball Kit

I love any toy that involves science and learning. These bouncy ball kits are so much fun, and they are easy to make. Then, your child can have fun with the ball they created, giving them positive feelings about learning.

11. Coupons

I love adding coupons to the chore store because it offers an experience rather than toys. You can print some pre-made coupons for your child, or you can create your own with paper and markers. Think about things your child loves to do, and create eye-catching coupons for them to purchase from your store. For some ideas of things to put on your coupons, check out this post – 15 Ways to Give Your Child the Perfect Day

12. Stickers in the Chore Store

My kids love stickers, and they are easy to find. I typically get the stickers from Dollar Tree, but you can pick them up pretty much anywhere. Target also sometimes has a good selection of stickers.

13. Crayons, Colored Pencils, or Markers

Crayons, colored pencils, and markers are always good options for the chore store. My kids love to have a fresh pack, so every couple of weeks they’ll choose these items. You can have fun with these items by including specialty packs or the mega box of crayons.

14. Books

We all want our children to read, but some books are expensive! I would never charge my child the same price for the book that I paid, but I still like to make them an option in the chore store. When your child gets to choose the book for themselves, they’ll be much more excited about it. Plus, the chore store is a fun treat so your child will associate books and reading with rewards.

15. Craft Supplies

Crafts are exciting, and they get your child’s mind going. When you see fun craft supplies while you’re out shopping, pick them up for the store. Your child will be so excited to see something new in there to choose from.

Chore Store

Using a Chore Store to Teach Responsibility and get Your Kids Doing Chores

Whatever items you decide to fill your chore store with, have fun with it! Be creative and choose items that you think your kids will be excited about. Anytime I see something that I think my little ones will like, I pick it up and add it to the chore store next time. My kids love seeing random little additions. What would you fill your store with? Leave a comment and let me know!