Kids helping out

One of my online groups has been talking about how your kids help (or don't help) around the house. Obviously picking up toys is one area K can help out with. He might not have made the mess, but he always helps spread it. We don't have a rule around here that you only clean up your own messes because I often clean his up and he is sometimes asked to clean up the baby toys too.

Here are a few of the things that Kristopher knows how to help do around the house:

• set out plates, forks, and cups for everyone (if they're within his reach) for dinner
  
• get a snack out of the pantry (generally with permission) or fridge and open it himself
  
• pick up clothes and put them in the hamper or guest room depending on whether they're clean or dirty
• pick up toys and put them where they belong
• re-construct the changing table (diapers in diaper baskets, shoes in shoe basket, etc.) if it's been undone my our little destroyer
• put a new trash bag in the kitchen trash can
• use kids' scissors to cut the wrapper off of the packs of ensure and put them on the shelf after we grocery shop
  
• put away babyfood jars in the pantry and other crackers and such where they go after we grocery shop
• while we shop he can walk up the aisle a short way and pick out something by color/item (like- get the green box of crackers on the bottom shelf and right next to you grab a box of cornbread mix)
• bring clothes to the bedrooms and put them in the appropriate drawers if they're already sorted and given to him one set at a time with directions of which drawer they go in
  
• put lunchboxes and his book bag and school folder in the front foyer cubbies

Of course he doesn't ALWAYS do these things, but these are some of the things he might be asked to help with that he's able to do well on his own to be helpful around the house.

Brianna helps as well and will generally take Kristopher's lead on an activity and join in to help him. After grocery shopping she's usually going down for a nap so she doesn't help with those things but she will help with some things. Here's her list:

• pick up toys and put them into a bin closeby
• put shoes back in the basket
  
• bring me shoes for whoever needs them
• bring me a diaper for whoever needs it (sometimes it's the right size...)
• bring something to a different room to leave it there- we're sitll working on "put it on the bed" or "in the closet" but at least it goes to the right room...
• and the biggie, the one she does best, is when asked to go "help" one of the babies, she's so good about it! If someone's fussy and I am either working on bottles or just can't get to them right away I can ask Brianna to go help them and she will go and comfort them WITHOUT FAIL. They both love when she goes and snuggles them and pats their head, lays on them, etc. to make them feel better.
  

What do your kids do? And how old are they?