Making sure the entire family shares the chore load can be difficult (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Juggling work and family life often feels a bit much, especially in the run up to Christmas where diaries are filling up and to-do lists growing ever longer. When you add household chores into the mix it’s easy to start feeling out of control and constantly surrounded by mess but, in my home at least, in the end I end up doing things myself because constantly asking for people to muck in feels like nagging.
My husband does more than his share but it still feels like we are fighting a losing battle, especially at weekends when the house is full and there seem to be used mugs and plates on the side every time you turn round – why are they always on top of the dishwasher and never in the dishwasher? Having previously written about the family chores app , I decided it was time to give it a try.
The concept of gamification in technology has gained popularity in recent years, partly due to the widespread adoption of language learning with during lockdown. Gamification involves transforming mundane or routine tasks into small, frequent habit-forming games. Duolingo, with its focus on small, regular tasks that gradually build momentum towards language learning, is overseen by a slightly passive-aggressive owl. This owl sends congratulatory messages when you’re doing well but nudges you to keep going if you don’t log in for a while, reports .
works in a similar way and comes with a friendlier looking mascot to boot. Could it be the solution to getting my children, who are happy to spend hours landscaping in Minecraft but less enthusiastic about helping me with the leaves turning into mulch in the driveway, involved? I signed up to find out.
I set up the Chorly app on multiple devices (Image: Narin Flanders)
, which is suitable for children from age four although there’s no upper age limit on participants, allows you to create custom job lists for each family member. When these jobs are completed, they can be ticked off for rewards – and the genius part is that these rewards don’t even have to be financial ones.
I installed hoping it would make some of the eye-rolling jobs more appealing to my children. While my daughter loves a list anyway, my son is very much at the tech and gaming age, so I was keen to give it a try. Setting up the app was really straightforward. I downloaded it to my phone, set up the family settings, and then used an invite code to download versions to the children’s tablets.
Initially, I chose a mix of daily jobs like setting and clearing the table and weekly chores like homework and bedroom bin emptying. The children were happy to get involved and we had a lot of fun ticking off tasks.
‘s functionality and user-friendliness are commendable, with the children quickly mastering it. Some features may seem superfluous – I’m not convinced I need a daily image of a made bed, but we’ve ended up with the kids sending me amusing selfies to ‘verify’ they’ve completed certain tasks – which frankly some days is the only time they’ll message me nowadays.
I also appreciate the ability to schedule rotating tasks for the children – in a home where there’s a constant squabble over whose turn it is to vacuum, it actually reduces conflicts. offers a seven-day free trial, providing an excellent opportunity to see if it suits your family’s lifestyle and technology – I was pleasantly surprised that it functioned well on both my daughter’s older iPad and my newer Android tablet, as well as my phone.
If you choose to continue using it, you can pay monthly or subscribe for a year upfront. As a family, we frequently discuss the importance of teamwork and collective effort, and has truly reinforced this sentiment.
The children have enjoyed ticking off their chores and working towards rewards, with the added bonus of them learning to decide whether to save or spend their stars – another life lesson we’re eager for them to grasp in an age-appropriate manner.
They’ve started suggesting tasks to add to and are much more open to helping. Time will tell whether it makes these things habitual long-term, but in the meantime, it’s a fun way of getting everyone involved.
I’ve had more success with the gamification element than I did using during lockdown, so I’m taking that as a win. If you’re looking for something similar but are less concerned about the (admittedly cute) child-friendly interface, apps worth considering include , which turns your to-do lists and desired habits into daily games or . Both are free although subject to in-app purchases to unlock more features.