Household task management game and method therefor

Abstract

A household task management game includes a set of household task cards, a set of identification cards, a set of reward cards, and a set of consequence cards. Each of the household task cards lists a different household task. Each of the identification cards has an identification side that includes an erasable surface on which information is to be temporarily written, which information includes a name of a child and at least one household task drawn randomly from the set of household task cards with an expected due date of completion. Each of the reward cards lists a different pleasant experience for a child to be randomly drawn as a reward for completing at least one randomly drawn household task. Each of the consequence cards lists a different unpleasant experience for a child to be randomly drawn as a consequence for not completing a randomly drawn household task.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A household task management game comprising:
 a set of household task cards, each listing a different household task to be performed by a child;   a set of identification cards, each having an identification side comprising an erasable surface on which information is to be temporarily written, including a name of a child and at least one household task drawn randomly from said set of household task cards with an expected due date of completion;   a set of reward cards, each listing a different pleasant experience for a child to be randomly drawn as a reward for completing at least one randomly drawn household task; and   a set of consequence cards, each listing a different unpleasant experience for a child to be randomly drawn as a consequence for not completing at least one randomly drawn household task.   
     
     
         2 . The household task management game of  claim 1 , wherein said set of household task cards comprises:
 pre-printed household task cards, each listing a different pre-printed household task, including regular chores that are to be performed by a child at shorter time intervals including daily or weekly intervals, irregular chores to be performed by a child at longer time intervals including monthly or quarterly intervals, and laundry chores including washing, sorting, and folding clothing; and   blank household task cards, each comprising an erasable surface to permit a parent to write a parent-selected household task thereon.   
     
     
         3 . The household task management game of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said pre-printed household task cards comprises an erasable surface and a blank section to permit a parent to write a parent-selected modification to a pre-printed household task. 
     
     
         4 . The household task management game of  claim 1 , wherein each of said set of identification cards has a pre-printed personal task side opposite said identification side and listing personal space cleaning and hygiene tasks to be completed on one or more days of the week, a list of days of the week, and checkboxes to mark expected and actual day of completion, wherein said pre-printed personal task side comprises an erasable surface on which information is to be temporarily written. 
     
     
         5 . The household task management game of  claim 1 , wherein said set of reward cards comprises:
 pre-printed reward cards, each listing a different pre-printed reward, including small rewards of a smaller value or cost and large rewards of a larger value or cost; and   blank reward cards, each comprising an erasable surface to permit a parent to write a parent-selected reward thereon.   
     
     
         6 . The household task management game of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of said pre-printed reward cards comprises an erasable surface and a blank section to permit a parent to write a parent-selected modification to a pre-printed reward. 
     
     
         7 . The household task management game of  claim 1 , wherein said set of consequence cards comprises:
 pre-printed consequence cards, each listing a different pre-printed consequence; and   blank consequence cards, each comprising an erasable surface to permit a parent to write a parent-selected consequence thereon.   
     
     
         8 . The household task management game of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of said pre-printed consequence cards comprises an erasable surface and a blank section to permit a parent to write a parent-selected modification to a pre-printed consequence. 
     
     
         9 . The household task management game of  claim 1 , wherein the household task management game further comprises dry erase markers. 
     
     
         10 . The household task management game of  claim 9 , wherein the household task management game further comprises a calendar comprising an erasable surface to permit users to temporarily write information relating to assigned tasks and dates of completion and dates when a reward will be provided. 
     
     
         11 . The household task management game of  claim 10 , wherein the household task management game further comprises reusable vinyl stickers comprising symbols corresponding to rewards and household or personal tasks, wherein said stickers are removably attachable to said erasable calendar to mark expected and actual dates of completion. 
     
     
         12 . The household task management game of  claim 1 , wherein the household task management game further comprises a set of attachment devices to temporarily attach said identification cards to a household surface including a wall or a refrigerator. 
     
     
         13 . The household task management game of  claim 12 , wherein each of said set of attachment devices comprises magnets. 
     
     
         14 . A method of using the household task management game of  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 having a child randomly select one of said set of said household task cards;   writing the name of the child, the selected household task, and an expected due date of completion on the erasable surface of the identification side of one of said identification cards; and   one of (A) and (B):
 (A) when the child completes the selected household task in a satisfactory manner by the expected due date, having the child randomly select one of said set of reward cards, then providing the reward by a selected date; and 
 (B) when the child does not complete the selected household task in a satisfactory manner or by the expected due date, having the child randomly select one of said set of consequence cards, then performing the consequence by a selected due date. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each of said set of identification cards has a pre-printed personal task side opposite said identification side and listing personal space cleaning and hygiene tasks to be completed on one or more days of the week, a list of days of the week, and checkboxes to mark expected and actual day of completion, wherein said pre-printed personal task side comprises an erasable surface on which information is to be temporarily written, wherein said method further comprises:
 marking one of said checkboxes to assign a corresponding personal space cleaning or hygiene task to be completed and an expected day of completion; and   one of (C) and (D):
 (C) when the child completes the selected personal space cleaning or hygiene task in a satisfactory manner by the expected day of completion, having the child randomly select one of said set of reward cards, then providing the reward by a selected date; and 
 (D) when the child does not complete the selected personal space cleaning or hygiene task in a satisfactory manner by the expected day of completion, having the child randomly select one of said set of consequence cards, then performing the consequence by a selected due date. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said method further comprises using household task cards, reward cards, and consequence cards having pre-printed information thereon. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said method further comprises using household task cards, reward cards, and consequence cards having pre-printed information and a blank space thereon and writing a parent-selected modification to pre-printed information in said blank space. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said method further comprises using household task cards, reward cards, and consequence cards having blank space thereon and writing a parent-selected information in said blank space. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said method further comprises:
 using household task cards, reward cards, and consequence cards having pre-printed information thereon;   using household task cards, reward cards, and consequence cards having pre-printed information and a blank space thereon and writing a parent-selected modification to pre-printed information in said blank space; and   using household task cards, reward cards, and consequence cards having blank space thereon and writing a parent-selected information in said blank space.   
     
     
         20 . A household task management game comprising:
 a set of household task cards, each listing a different household task to be performed by a child, wherein said set of household task cards comprises:
 pre-printed household task cards, each listing a different pre-printed household task, including regular chores that are to be performed by a child at shorter time intervals including daily or weekly intervals, irregular chores to be performed by a child at longer time intervals including monthly or quarterly intervals, and laundry chores including washing, sorting, and folding clothing, wherein at least one of said pre-printed household task cards comprises an erasable surface and a blank section to permit a parent to write a parent-selected modification to a pre-printed household task, 
 blank household task cards, each comprising an erasable surface to permit a parent to write a parent-selected household task thereon; 
   a set of identification cards, each having an identification side comprising an erasable surface on which information is to be temporarily written, including a name of a child and at least one household task drawn randomly from said set of household task cards with an expected due date of completion, wherein each of said set of identification cards has a pre-printed personal task side opposite said identification side and listing personal space cleaning and hygiene tasks to be completed on one or more days of the week, a list of days of the week, and checkboxes to mark expected and actual day of completion, wherein said pre-printed personal task side comprises an erasable surface on which information is to be temporarily written;   a set of reward cards, each listing a different pleasant experience for a child to be randomly drawn as a reward for completing at least one randomly drawn household task, wherein said set of reward cards comprises:
 pre-printed reward cards, each listing a different pre-printed reward, including small rewards of a smaller value or cost and large rewards of a larger value or cost, wherein at least one of said pre-printed reward cards comprises an erasable surface and a blank section to permit a parent to write a parent-selected modification to a pre-printed reward, 
 blank reward cards, each comprising an erasable surface to permit a parent to write a parent-selected reward thereon; 
   a set of consequence cards, each listing a different unpleasant experience for a child to be randomly drawn as a consequence for not completing at least one randomly drawn household task, wherein said set of consequence cards comprises:
 pre-printed consequence cards, each listing a different pre-printed consequence, wherein at least one of said pre-printed consequence cards comprises an erasable surface and a blank section to permit a parent to write a parent-selected modification to a pre-printed consequence, 
 blank consequence cards, each comprising an erasable surface to permit a parent to write a parent-selected consequence thereon; 
   dry erase markers;   a calendar comprising an erasable surface to permit users to temporarily write information relating to assigned tasks and dates of completion and dates when a reward will be provided;   reusable vinyl stickers comprising symbols corresponding to rewards and household or personal tasks, wherein said stickers are removably attachable to said erasable calendar; and   a set of attachment devices to temporarily attach said identification cards to a household surface including a wall or a refrigerator, wherein each of said set of attachment devices comprises magnets.