Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere

Your toddler is now entering what Montessori calls the “sensitive period” of wanting to help. You may see them putting passion and zest into household work like throwing away trash, wiping up spills, and helping with the laundry.
Giving your toddler opportunities to help around the house makes them feel independent and valuable. They have an innate drive to contribute and find a lot of confidence and joy in having their own role and responsibilities.
Research shows that children who are exposed early to household work without rewards are more likely to be helpful and involved later in life. Child development experts consistently say happy children are the ones who are given responsibilities around the house for which they don’t get a prize or money. Talk to your toddler about being an important part of your household community.
Try to let go of needing their early work to be productive (or even complete) and think about it as an investment in making a habit of helping.
Here are some ways to let your toddler help out around the home
Encourage them to:

- Help with siblings
- Bring in the mail
- Water plants

- Prep snacks (by peeling eggs or cutting soft foods like bananas or avocados)
- Put placemats on the table
- Sort silverware from the dishwasher to the silverware tray

- Feed pets
- Open and close doors
- Clean up/wipe up spills

- Throw away pieces of trash
- Take small bags of trash to the outside bins
- Transfer clothes from the washer to the dryer

The Play Kits
The Play Kits by Lovevery are thoroughly tested, baby safe, eco-friendly and Montessori inspired. Give your child the best start with our stage-based play toy subscription boxes.
Learn more
Montessori Placemat & Utensils
Have your child set the table on their own with Lovevery’s Montessori Placemat & Utensils. The colorful guide will help them know where everything goes. See inside the Montessori Placemat Set.
Learn moreKeep reading

19 - 21 Months
22 - 24 Months
The orientation schema: why your toddler loves a new view
When your toddler looks through their legs or climbs up or down stairs, they're exploring the "orientation" schema. Offer these activities to support their curiosity.

16 - 18 Months
19 - 21 Months
22 - 24 Months
The enclosing schema: 4 simple activities for toddlers
When your toddler crawls into a cardboard box or places a cup inside a bigger container, they’re exploring the “enclosing” schema.

19 - 21 Months
22 - 24 Months
The trajectory schema: how your child learns by throwing, dropping, and flinging
Children learn so much about the physical world by throwing, dropping, rolling, and flinging things—including their own body.