The holidays are all about spending time with loved ones: enjoying good company, great food and all the presents in between. With school out, kids will do what they want: glue their eyes to a TV, tablet or smartphone screen. Fortunately, My Job Chart is helping parents get kids involved this holiday season with recommendations of fun tasks that kids can do. The list of holiday-themed chores is fun for kids and helpful to parents. The new tasks will not only help keep them busy and off their tablets, but will also give them a sense of purpose and responsibility when there’s no homework to do.

1. Sweep and water the Christmas tree: The Christmas tree is a holiday favorite, and those families that like the look, smell, and feel of the natural pine, know what it takes to keep it looking fresh and clean. Fresh trees require up to a gallon of water every day. Set up a reminder and keep the tree looking fresh through the holidays by allowing the kids to take on the responsibility of regular watering and needle cleanup.
2. Clean guest bedrooms: In most households, the guest bedroom is left untouched and un-cleaned, until the holidays come around. Have the kids dust, sanitize, and change the sheets for arriving guests. Once guests arrive, have the kids give them a tour and show off their accomplishment.
3. Help decorate the home: Decorating the home is one of the best parts of the holidays. Setting up the stockings, lights, and ornaments are all things kids can help with. While it is not recommended that kids climb on ladders to set up lights outside, they can help by handing nails and other tools to a supervising adult.
4. Make cookies: Whether kids believe in Santa or not, baking cookies is a favorite during the holidays. Not only does it leave the home warm and with a delicious scent, it also provides snacks for guests to snack on, not to mention they make for a great dessert after dinner.
5. Wrap gifts: Wrapping gifts is usually an activity parents leave children out of, mostly because their motor skills aren’t always the best. Get the kids involved this year and let them add their personal touch to each gift. Perfect isn’t always better. Kids will have a sense of accomplishment and the un-perfect wrapping will make it easy to distinguish each gift.
6. Salt the sidewalks: Depending on the part of the country you live in, snow can be a blessing and a curse during the holidays. Making it easy for guests to walk to the door is essential. Let kids help and have some fun by allowing them to salt the sidewalk. It will save parents time and keep kids busy.
7. Volunteer: No more chores left? Have the kids offer their services to a neighbor in need. Volunteering doesn’t necessarily mean driving across town on a cold, snowy day, sometimes, people who we never think about are in need. A simple gesture can go a long way in making someone else’s holiday a better one.