Can You Expect a 5-Year-Old to Fold Clothes Neatly?

5-Year-Old Talents

• By the age of 5 most children have general control over fine and gross motor skills, but folding clothes in neat piles may pose a problem for children who need more practice to improve coordination. For example, 5-year-olds can use forks and scissors with dexterity, and children this age also have the body coordination to swim, notes Lesia Oesterreich, family extension specialist at Iowa State University, A typical 5-year-old shouldn't have much trouble tackling a few folding duties after some basic instruction. Begin by modeling the folding process, teaching her to fold her own clothes, and be prepared to help your child with the more complicated folds such as sweaters.

Type and Quantity

• Your child may have the ability and stamina to fold several shirts with precision, but asking her to neatly fold and stack a week of clothing in one sitting typically ends with one tired child and less-than-perfect folds. The type and size of the items in the laundry basket also influence the neatness factor. Folding adult-sized clothing creates problems for small children, and some pieces don't fold easily -- even when adults attempt the task. Sock sorting and pairing offer easy duties for young helpers. Five-year-olds typically can also handle folding underwear and short-sleeve shirts.

Tools and Demonstrations

• Some adults make the folding task look like a magic show. After a series of mystical moves, the clothing lands in the folder's hands neatly tucked into perfect form. Don't expect your 5-year-old to master this magic. The University of Illinois Extension cautions that every child develops skills at a personalized pace. Giving your child the proper equipment helps get things done correctly. Pull out a folding table with enough space to place the piece of clothing on the top. Slowly demonstrate the folds needed using a sample, and then supply your child more of the same items until the folds become neat through practice. If you're not folding a week's worth of laundry, a large bed can double as a folding table.

Focus and Concentration

• Kids, like most adults, focus best on interesting activities, and for most kids the task of folding clothes ranks low on the interest scale. Making a game of the folding duties helps improve your child's concentration. A game that keeps points for neatness also improves the attention given to folding items with precision. Or teach her a song to sing with you as she folds. "This is the way we fold our clothes...." Your 5-year-old looks for your praise and approval, and she is at an age where she feels embarrassed by her mistakes, according to the National Network for Child Care. Praise her lavishly for a job well done, and she'll continue to strive to neatly fold her clothes.