By: By Roy Wang

Children may groan at the prospect of washing the dishes or weeding the garden, but a recent study suggests that these activities and others could possibly improve a child’s ability to use their brain.

The study, which was conducted by a team at La Trobe University in Australia, involved the participants of more than 200 parents and guardians of children aged between 5-13. The parents and guardians were asked about the number of chores their children performed, as well as the executive function, or the ability to efficiently perform tasks, of their children.

According to twinkl.com, they found that the children who performed chores more often typically had better working memory and inhibition. They also found that cooking and gardening were particularly beneficial. The leader of the study, Ms. Deanna Tepper, said “Children who cook a family meal or weed the garden on a regular basis may be more likely to excel in other aspects of life – like schoolwork or problem-solving.”

While the results of Ms. Tepper’s study may be cause for excitement amongst parent and guardians, the findings probably won’t be appreciated as much by the children who may soon have more chores on their plates.

Sources:

https://www.twinkl.com/newsroom/story/doing-chores-could-boost-kids-brainpower