My kids are still quite young (almost 5, 3 1/2 & 2), but I still have them help! 

My oldest is good at putting her folded clothing away, they all help me match socks and they all are responsible for putting their dirty clothes in their hampers.  The jobs sound minimal, but I think it gives them a good idea of how much work it really is to do the laundry for an entire family and it gives them the idea (from a young age) that they'll be expected to help as they are able.

Good luck!

my preschooler likes to help me sort the colors. They also help me put there folded clothes away. I wish they could help me make it dissapear all togeather I hate doing laundry!

I'd love to have some suggestions here myself.  I usually call everyone to the laundry room and tell them to bring their hangers.  When a load comes out, I try to have them fold and put away their own.  Older brother often uses a little bribery to get the little ones to fold his for him.  Like, letting them hang out in his room. They somehow have been snowed into believing this is a privelege. lol

I remember doing my own laundry around the time I was in junior high.  I'd helped my mom with it prior--especially with the folding after it was dried.  I don't recall that I had much in the way of instruction--I mainly started doing it because otherwise I couldn't count on having clean clothes!

Thanks for the input.  I wasn't quite sure how active this community is in discussions.  Its nice to get some feedback.

As a mother, it feels great to hand over more responsibilities and chores to the kids and see them gain satisfaction and ownership.  My 9 y.o. daughter just lectured my 6 y.o. son on the importance of  "aim" in the bathroom.  (It's her turn to clean the bathroom this week)  I LOVE IT!

With #5 due in June, it will nice to have some of the laundry chore shared between the kids.  Keep the advice a'comin'!

My mom had us help from a young age. Starting with putting our laundry away, and helping sort, then we got big enough, moving it to the dryer from the washer and then helping fold.

I thinking this through myself..my kids are 14, 13, 10 and 8..right now I do all the laundry and they are responsible for folding and putting away, the kids take turns for whose day it is to fold.  I am thinking the older ones at least need to know how to do laundry so they are not helpless!

I just taught the too olders how to do towels, figured it was easy and you couldn't really mess it up.  Anyone have problems with letting others possibly mess up delicate things?

My boys are 4, 5 and 7 and I already have them helping me do laundry...mostly folding and putting away their own clothes. I remember when I was eight and could wash and dry and fold and put away my own clothes, and it will probably be the same way with my kids. I'll give them guidance for now while they are learning, but the most important thing to remember is that my kids won't do it perfectly every time. They need lot of reinforcement right now.

Then again, I am the mother that makes her boys clean up their own bathroom too.

I think it's very important that children learn from a young age to do chores and work around the home. If not only for my own sanity, but also so they'll learn life skills. I had three too many roommates at Ricks College that had no idea how to do their own laundry, much less cook their own food.

Screwed Up Texan

Thanks for your input ladies.  It is motivating me to keep at it.  We get a new washer and dryer on Wednesday.  The dryer will stack on top of the washer.  I think this may be the perfect time to have my oldest (9 yrs old) to start learning how to run a load of clothing from start to finish.  The others (4 and 6) sort, fold and help put away.  The 2 yr old gets a free ride for now.  Anyway, sounds like I'm on the right track.

Helpful tips are always welcome!!!  Keep 'em coming!

Hi, I have two children ages 6 & 4.  They've been "helping" me since they were able to walk.  For the past couple of years, they have been able to be really helpful.  Before age 4, they bring me laundry and help sort, and pretend to help fold. At 4 they learn to fold, match socks, sort, load/transfer from the washer to the dryer (we have front load), and start the dryer.  I always take out the items that can't be dried, before they begin.  When the washer is ready, I do the soap and start it.

I once read an article written by a wise mom who said, "It's our job to train our children) ourselves right out of a job...then we become Queen of our castle and the children become more able as adults to train their children."

So with all tasks from when they can walk...they are in training.  And, training here is fun...not a job.  They still don't know they have chores....:).  We just all pitch in to help get the jobs done so we can have fun.