If your toddler is anything like mine, then he or she loves to be a big helper (i.e. right underfoot) any time you clean. I have to keep Veronika safely contained when I do tricky chores like mopping floors or unloading breakable dishes! Here are a few tricks to keep your toddler as a true helper, not a hindrance.

Embracing your toddler’s presence makes all the difference. It helps to have a toy set of each item or tool for your child to use, although the “real” thing works too if you have duplicates or child-safe versions.

First up, dishes! When I’m washing dishes, I give Veronika a plastic set, along with a tray of just enough soapy water to get her dishes wet but not make a mess on the floor. This keeps her so busy while I knock out this chore!

She also loves to “help” empty the dishwasher. I give her the baby utensils to sort, and she feels very important while I tackle the fragile plates and cups.

Then there’s cleaning windows, a toddler chore made in heaven. Fill a spritz bottle with a little water, give your child a cloth, and let him or her go to town!

And then there’s the aforementioned mopping. Now that Veronika has her own mini mop and bucket, I can set her loose in a safe, dry part of our home while I make the floor truly slippery and clean elsewhere.

All this is fun and games, now, but it’s an important precursor to the first real chores down the road. How does your toddler “help” with chores? Laundry? Sheet day? Please share in the comments!