Gamification Meets the Chore Chart

Most kids aren’t too excited about doing their chores, but really, who can blame them for their lack of enthusiasm? It’s only natural that they’d rather play video games than fold the laundry. So it’s no wonder many parents are looking for ways to incorporate gamification into daily routines.

We’ve seen chores gamified with Chore Wars before but now there’s another option. Enter the new online game HighScore House, where kids can track their chores and earn points that are redeemable for real rewards. The whole process is completely customizable, so parents can decide on the tasks, point values, and rewards. To make things easier, during the setup process the site makes suggestions and provides a wide selection of badges with pictures of common chores and rewards.

After everything is set up, it’s easy to make changes as you go along. But for the most part all the hard work is done (except, of course, actually doing the chores). Kids simply log in on a computer or mobile device to see which tasks are on the agenda, check off completed chores and keep track of their rewards. Parents oversee the whole thing from a “Parent Dashboard” so the kids won’t get credit for cleaning the bathroom if there’s still toothpaste smeared all over the counter.

Aside from monitoring the kids’ progress, parents can get in on the game as well. Even loading the dishwasher can become a little more appealing when you get stars for completing the task. Since the rewards can be personalized, everyone from preschoolers to adults can work toward something that really motivates them.

Although HighScore House is still in beta, there are still a few spots left and, for now at least, it’s free to participate.