If you have children and you're anything like me, getting your child to do their chores can be quite a challenge. Making them fun, somehow, seems to be the best way to get my son's cooperation. I've tried a number of tools in the past, but as soon as it becomes a chore for me, then it no longer works.So as I laid in bed last night half-asleep, I came up with this idea. Perhaps it was an overflow from all the cool felt food I've seen posted lately. Perhaps it developed out of desperation because I realized my son hadn't made his bed for weeks. (At least!)
Regardless of what drove it, I'm very excited about this idea! I whipped up an initial prototype tonight and plan on using it beginning tomorrow. I showed my son my preliminary work and even he was excited. Fingers crossed!
So here's what I put together...
First, I cut out and stitched a "bun" from tan felt. I used embroidery thread and added some sesame seeds to the top of the bun.
Then I added some strip magnets to the backs. I used hot glue, but I'm not sure how well it's going to hold up. I'll get back to you on how well (or not) after a little time trial.
Then I started making ingredients to put on the burger. Each one will relate to a chore. I used a label-maker to put the chore on the ingredient, since this is still in the experimental stage. If I make another one, I'll probably use my embroidery machine to apply the chore. But I'm sure there are any number of ways to do this part.
Then I put a strip magnet on the back of each of the sandwich ingredients...
... and a chore on the front.
For ingredients, I made a burger and tomatoes, ...
lettuce and cheese, ...
ketchup and pickles, ...
mustard and mayonaise, ...
and just to be silly, some carrots.
I didn't have patterns for any of them, just made a basic color/shape that represented the basic idea. I'm quite certain some of the felt food crafters reading this have much better models.
The bun and all the ingredients are going to get put on the front of the refrigerator. In the morning, I'm sure my son will check it out, and I predict he'll start building his burger right away, layering the ingredients into the bun as the chore is completed. He's usually good about brushing his teeth. I'm wondering if it will motivate him to make his bed in the morning?If he has a really good day of getting his chores done, he can make a macho-manly, super-duper, gazillion-decker burger as a reward! As long as he doesn't decide not to do a chore because he doesn't like the ingredient. Like tomatoes. That would be a bummer. I would have to make some new ingredients, like candy and ice cream. Not that they would sound very tasty on a burger, but then that would be just like a boy, wouldn't it?
If you would like to try one of these, you might consider some other food groups too. I don't expect the interest in this to last forever, so I think I'll work on a pizza version to replace it ultimately. If this one is well-received anyway.If you try something different, I'd really like to hear about it. Just drop me a comment or a note. And if you'd like to see the follow-up for my son's reaction, check out the results!
WINNER OF ...
Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoyed my tutorial. If you'd like to see more like this, I'm sure you'll want to check out my Ice Cream Cone Chore Chart...
... as well as my Veggie Garden Chore Chart.
Also, check out my home page childmade.com. And please take the opportunity to share a few links of your own. It's a link party that never ends! To find out more, check out my "About" link.
I'll be linking up on the following McLinky parties:
Sunday
Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple
Monday
Metamorphosis Monday
Just Something I Whipped Up
It's So Very Cheri
Make it Mondays at the Persimmon Perch
Tuesday
Toot Your Horn Tuesday
Today's Creative Blog
Wednesday
Penny Pinching Party at The Thrifty Home
Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Designs
Thursday
Transformation Thursday
Show Off Your Stuff Party
Strut Your Stuff Thursday
Thrifty Thursday
Get Your Craft on at Life as Lori
Friday
Victory of the Week
Show and Tell Friday
Frugalicious Friday
