Choose the Right Job for the Right Age

Cheryl Roberts, director of education at the Gesell Institute of Human Development, describes what "meaningful" means, in terms of children's work: "It's work that is interesting and challenging without being too difficult; work that has tangible results; work that offers accomplishments that are satisfying." She helped us sort out the best jobs for different ages:

12-month-olds
"Great imitators."
Characteristic: Newfound mobility
Skill: Grasp and release
Good jobs:

• Picking up toys to drop in a bin
• Smoothing bed covers, sweeping — by imitating

18-month-olds
"Can't do everything they think they can."
Characteristics: Problem solving; new attention span
Skills: Strength and coordination
Good jobs:

• Serving from a tray
• Watering a garden, washing produce
• Helping to feed or groom a pet
• Using a mechanical carpet sweeper

2-year-olds
"Routine and ritual are very important."
Characteristics: Increased hand-eye coordination and concentration
Skills: Following directions, sorting
Good jobs:

• Spreading peanut butter or cheese
• Dusting, sweeping, wiping a counter, washing windows
• Sorting laundry, silverware, toys
• Washing, stirring, mashing food

3-year-olds
"Work is still play."
Characteristic: More awareness of significance of help
Skills: Sorting and arranging
Good jobs:

• Setting the table
• Using kitchen gadgets, with supervision: sifter, rolling pin, cheese grater, mortar and pestle
• Planting, weeding, raking, digging, arranging garden flowers
• Pouring tasks

4-year-olds
"Love anything new and relish their independence."
Characteristics: Increased precision; increased sense of responsibility
Skills: Making things; taking things apart and putting them back together
Good jobs:

• Using still more gadgets: peeler, pitter, slicer, food mill, juicer, whisk, even — with close supervision — a true paring knife
• Hanging wash on a line, neatly folding dry clothes
• Simple, supervised woodworking

5-year-olds
"Like to please."
Characteristics: Sense of confidence; expanded curiosity about how things in the house work
Skills: Understanding what a job is; tackling even uninteresting jobs
Good jobs:

• Big supervised jobs, such as vacuuming or taking out trash
• Behind-the-scenes jobs, such as removing the vacuum bag or coming along to the dump

6-year-olds
"Full of energy and enthusiasm."
Characteristic: Independence
Skills: Beginning reading and math
Good jobs:

• Measuring — for recipes, pet food, laundry soap
• Reading to a younger sibling
• Noticing what needs to be done, and helping out