How to Make a Magnetic Chore Chart for Your Child

If you have kids, you also need their help to get all of the work done around the house - especially when company is coming. Here's one way to make a chore chart to motivate your kids.

Some things need to be done every day, and the everyday chore chart needs to be in a prominent place - like the refrigerator! Here's what you need to make a magnetic chart to put on the fridge. These materials make one chore chart for one child.

1 - 9-inch by 12-inch sheet of construction paper (your child's favorite color, not too dark)
2 - 10-inch by 13-inch sheets of clear contact paper
1 - pack printable magnet sheets (available from office supply stores)
1 - pencil
1 - dark-colored, fine-point permanent marker
1 - ruler
1 pair scissors
Glue
Fine-point dry-erase markers
Inkjet printer

On the construction paper, use a pencil and ruler to make a grid. Most people will want to do this in the landscape or horizontal position. There should be 8 columns (one for each day of the week plus one) and one row for each chore you expect the child to do. You may want a few extra rows in case you decide to add more chores later. If you are happy with your pencil grid, go over it with the permanent marker (still using the ruler). Write in the days of the week across the top in permanent marker.

Carefully remove the backing from one sheet of contact paper, leaving the contact paper flat on the table with the sticky side up. Place the construction paper on the contact paper, being sure to leave space around all four sides of the construction paper. Now, remove the backing from the other sheet of contact paper and gently place it on top of the construction paper, sticky side down, smoothing it carefully to avoid wrinkles. Using scissors, trim the edges evenly.

Cut two strips from one of the magnet sheets, 8 ½ inches long by ¼ inch wide. Glue the white side of the magnet strips to the back of the chore chart, one at the top and one at the bottom, centering them on the page.

The chore chart itself is done. You can now write in your child's chores using a dry-erase marker - and you can change them whenever you want! You can also use the dry-erase markers to mark off the chores as they are finished, or, if you want to make it a little more fun, you can make magnetic stickers for marking off the chores.

To make the magnets, open a Word document (or other word processing program) on your computer. Use the Insert/Picture/ClipArt command to find a picture or pictures you'd like to use as a magnetic sticker. After inserting the picture, it will probably be too big. Double-click the picture and then resize it to fit into one of the boxes on the chore chart. When you're happy with the picture, copy and paste as many as you need onto the page. Follow your printer's instructions to print the document on a magnetic sheet. Cut your magnetic stickers apart and place them on the refrigerator with the chore chart or in an envelope.