How to use it

1. Start with the preschool or kindergarten set, or type your own jobs, one per line. Each job gets a picture matched to its words.
2. Paste your class list, or load the one you saved in the spin wheel or group generator. Leave it empty if you’d rather pin names on with clothespins.
3. Set the rotation week. Week 2 moves every child along one job. If there are more children than jobs, the waiting list moves up one place each week.
4. Choose what to print: the wall chart, cut-out job cards for a pocket chart, or matching name cards.
5. Pick a color and a tall or wide layout. Choose US Letter or A4, then print. Laminate the wall chart if you’re attaching names with clothespins.

Why teachers and parents use it

• Nobody is line leader twice before everyone has had a turn. The rotation keeps track.
• Each job has a picture, so children who can’t read yet can find their job on the wall.
• Two children per job, if your room runs helpers in pairs.
• Job cards and name cards print in the same style as the wall chart.
• Jobs and names save in your browser. Next week’s chart is a click away.

Classroom jobs for preschool

Keep preschool jobs short and physical, with a result a three year old can see. Line leader walks at the front; caboose walks at the back and closes the door. Door holder holds the door for the line. At rest time, light helper turns the lights off, then on afterward. Calendar helper puts the day and number on the calendar at circle time. Weather reporter looks out the window and tells the class. Snack helper hands out napkins and cups, and table wiper wipes the tables with a cloth after snack. Plant waterer waters the classroom plant. Pet feeder feeds the class pet with help. Book helper puts books back on the shelf, spine out. Messenger takes a note to the office with an adult. Clean-up captain rings the bell for clean-up time. Before home time, chair stacker stacks the chairs. Music helper picks the goodbye song. Greeter says good morning to each child at the door.

Classroom jobs for kindergarten

Kindergarten jobs can carry a little responsibility and last all day. Paper passer hands out worksheets; paper collector collects them. Pencil sharpener keeps the pencil cup full. Board eraser wipes the whiteboard. Attendance helper counts who’s here and reports the number, while lunch count helper counts hot lunches. Librarian keeps the class library tidy and checks books back in. Line ender goes last and checks that the room is empty. Supply manager makes sure the caddies have glue and scissors. Technology helper turns the projector and tablets on and off. Recycling helper takes the paper bin to the big bin. Before lunch, hand sanitizer helper stands by the door with the bottle. Flag holder leads the pledge. During centers, time keeper watches the timer. Teacher helper runs errands and covers any job whose owner is absent. Substitute covers for anyone away that day.

How many jobs, and how to rotate them

Aim for one job per child, or close to it, so nobody is a bystander for long. Twelve to sixteen jobs suits most preschool rooms. The chart maker handles up to twenty-four. If you have more children than jobs, the chart’s waiting list shows who’s off this week. They move up the list one place a week. Rotate weekly in preschool: daily is too fast for three year olds to learn a job, and monthly is too slow to feel fair. Kindergarten can rotate every two weeks once the routines are solid. Teach each job once in front of the class, then put its picture where it happens: the light picture by the switch, the plant picture on the plant shelf.

Displaying the jobs

The wall chart is the simplest display. Print and laminate it, with names either printed on it or added in dry-erase marker. For a pocket chart, print the job cards and name cards, then slide a name beside each job. Clothespins work too. Print the chart with blank name spaces, write each name on a clothespin, and clip it to the job. Put the chart at child height near the door or circle time rug, where children pass it every day.

FAQ

Is the classroom jobs chart free?

Yes. The chart maker, job cards and name cards are free to make and print. No signup, no account.

What are good classroom jobs for preschoolers?

Short, visible jobs with a clear result: line leader, caboose, door holder, light helper, calendar helper, weather reporter, snack helper, table wiper, plant waterer, book helper, messenger and clean-up captain. The preschool set in the chart maker loads these with one click.

How do I rotate classroom jobs fairly?

Type your class list into the chart maker and change the week number each Monday. Every child moves along one job. The waiting list moves up one place each week. Weekly rotation suits preschool; every two weeks suits kindergarten.

Can I print job cards for a pocket chart?

Yes. Choose job cards to print your jobs as cut-out cards with pictures. Choose name cards for a matching card for each child.

How many classroom jobs should I have?

About one per child, so nobody waits long. Twelve to sixteen suits most preschool rooms. The chart maker takes up to twenty-four jobs and thirty-six names.

Do the pictures print in color?

Yes. The pictures are standard emoji, so they print in color on a color printer and in gray on a black and white one. The card colors and filled cards need a color printer.