Classroom jobs are one of my favorite parts of teaching preschool.
Our students are always looking for ways to help out and to lead, and preschool classroom job helpers are the perfect way to do both of these things at once!
Maybe some teachers see classroom job charts as just another thing to do or a cute item to display around the classroom.
But the truth is that classroom helper charts are developing independence, leadership skills, and they are even a behavior management tool too.
Wait??? What! Class jobs help your students behave better?
Absolutely!
When we offer classroom jobs for students, we are telling them that they belong in our classroom community. We have a preschool classroom job – just for them!
When we make classroom helpers part of the routine, we are showing them that they matter and the little things they do around our classroom make a big impact.
And classroom job charts are a way for children to learn about teamwork and being responsible for the materials in the classroom.
Class jobs are teaching life skills while helping the classroom from turning into looking like a tornado went through it, all at the same time.
I’ve been in lots of classrooms over the years and observed many teachers using classroom job charts, and I’ve put together my absolute favorites to share and give you some classroom job ideas and inspiration.
And if you like the classroom job chart I’m using, you can find it on TPT. It’s an editable class job chart with 11 different backgrounds to choose from and 40 different editable jobs.
Classroom Jobs Helper Ideas
I hope this classroom jobs list can help transform your class time and help give you some extra sanity too.
Art Helper – Having someone who is responsible for tidying up art area is so helpful! I find that this is a great classroom job because the art center usually needs some extra help more than other areas.
Attendance Helper – Are you checking who is at school today? Maybe you do this on a bulletin board too so everyone in the class can see. The attendance helper is the perfect class job for this. Plus, you can even have them count the friends too if you have time.
Bell Ringer – When it’s time to come inside or clean up, the bell ringer can let everyone know. Maybe I’m old school, but I love this preschool classroom job.
Bag Helper – If you have lots of bags around that need tidying, this is where a class bag helper comes in handy.
Block Area Helper – There’s something about block area. Some kids just throw the blocks in, and others organize them nice and perfectly. Having a block area helper is a sanity saver for me.
Botanist – If you have plants in the classroom, this is the perfect preschool classroom job for watering them. Plant helper and gardener are other names you can use too. Our favorite way to water plants is with spray bottles or pipettes. That way, they are less likely to over water.
Caboose – The last person in line gets to be the caboose and make sure the line is nice and straight and give a loud, “Whoo, whoo” to start the engine. I mean line.
Center Helper — This idea came to mind because one day I had a student walking around checking on all the centers during clean up time to see if they needed any extra tidying. It was the sweetest!!
Chair Helper – In preschool, this is perfect for pushing chairs in. For older kids, it could be stacking chairs.
Coat Helper – Is there someone in your class who can help zip coats? This is the perfect classroom helper job for them! They could also help hold up a coat for someone to put on. I normally like to have a couple of coat helpers each time we go outside. Remember, you don’t have to be superwoman. No one has time to put on every child’s coat! And I also use three methods to teach children to put on their own coats that you can read about too.
Custodian – This is kind of like the utility cleaning person. Do you need someone to wipe tables or pick up paper off the floors? Your custodian can do this or whatever other little things that need taken care of.
Door Holder – The door holder gets to use their very strong muscles to hold the door for the class.
Duster – Duster is a great preschool classroom job to help the classroom look sparkling clean. I actually reserved this job for kids who didn’t nap when I had a full day class. They would wipe the shelves for me or wipe down cubbies toward the end of nap time. And they loved it.
Electrician – Save energy with the help of an electrician as a classroom helper. If you turn off the lights when leaving to go outdoors, this is your person. Or if you need someone to check lights in the bathrooms, this is perfect too.
Energy Saver – This person helps us save energy by making sure we turn off fans and lights when we need too.
Flag Holder – The flag holder gets the very honorable duty of holding the flag for the class to say the pledge.
Folder Helper – For classrooms with folders, this is a great organizing and sorting classroom job.
Garbage Helper – Do you need someone to come around and help pick up papers? Poof, here you go! How about someone to check that everyone picked up their garbage? Done!
Gardener – The gardener helps take care of the class plants. And if you didn’t already know, having class plants helps the air quality of your classroom too. Extra bonus there.
Greeter – The greeter is a very special classroom helper who helps everyone feel welcome when they come to school.
Health Helper – If you need someone to get an ice pack or a paper towel, your health helper is there to the rescue.
Hospitality – The hospitality classroom helper could be a greeter, someone who is a friend to a new student at school, help set up the classroom, or anything else that makes the classroom feel a bit more comfortable and cozy.
Inspector – This classroom job idea is great for making sure that everything gets a second look. Are all the centers picked up, the chairs pushed in, cubbies organized?
Kindness Helper – I love encouraging kindness in the classroom. This special classroom helper keeps an eye out for kind actions throughout the day. Then at the end of the day or doing a large group time or end of the day circle time, they can give a report of some of the kind acts they saw that day.
Librarian – Our books are such an important part of the classroom, and the librarian is the class helper who gets to help make sure they are put away correctly and making sure that the books last as long as possible!
Light Monitor/Helper – Just like the electrician mentioned earlier, the light helper helps turn the lights on or off. Lights, camera, action!
Line Leader – The line leader gets to lead the way when your class needs to go down the hall or anywhere else. I have to be honest. As a child this was always the class job I wanted to have!
Mail Helper – A mail helper is great if the students use mailboxes or if you have a spot where you need to get daily papers.
Meteorologist – The meteorologist is a fancier title for the weather helper.
New Friend Helper – If you have a new student, then finding a special friend to guide them around and make them feel welcome is priceless.
Organizer – In a class full of little bodies, there is always something that needs to be organized! Am I right?
Paper Helper – Do you need someone to organize papers or pass out any papers? This classroom helper can take that load off.
Pencil Helper – A pencil helper can help pick up the pencils or make sure they are available at any tables or centers that might need them. In elementary school, a pencil helper might actually sharpen pencils.
Pet Caretaker – If you are lucky enough to have a pet, this might be the most coveted classroom job of all time! Class pets are one of the most exciting parts of the day and taking care of that tiny little animal makes them feel so big and proud.
Placemat Helper – Do you make placemats for your class to sit at? I’ve seen some that even show where to put a plate, cup, and utensils. This friend and classroom helper gets to help pass them out for the day.
Recycling Helper – Recycling helpers are great to help when there are scrap papers around. Maybe you have a recycling bin they can carry around or they can remind friends to put away their recycling.
Schedule Helper – I’m a huge fan of visual schedules in the classroom. If you don’t use one already, absolutely get one! Then use a clothespin or magnet that they can move to what activity you are currently doing.
Shoe Helper – Shoes come untied a billion times a day. And it’s a lot of tying. If there is someone in your class who can already do this, that would be a great classroom job idea for them. And even if they don’t know how to tie a shoe, they might still offer.
Song Helper – One of my favorite classroom jobs! This person gets to help pick songs for the day. I have a handful of welcome songs and goodbye songs, and this person gets to choose which one we get to sing.
Substitute – Do you have a student out for the day and someone needs to fill that class job? Have no fear. The substitute is here!
Supply Helper – Need someone to stock up some supplies in art area or add some water to the sensory table? How about someone who can carry supplies with you from the resource room back to your classroom. That would be your trusty supply helper.
Sweeper – I use two sweepers because kids are messy! And brooms are not always the easiest to use. Make sure to get the small hand-held ones so that they can use them easier.
Table Helper – At one of the schools I worked at, this person would set the tables for all of the class. In other classes, this friend is the classroom helper who washed the tables with soapy water.
Teacher Helper – Your right-hand helper for the day is the teacher helper. This is also a very esteemed classroom job. Anything you need a bit of help with, they are your go-to person.
Transition Helper – Do you need someone to help out during transitions? Maybe they are the ones who show the class what they are supposed to be doing: bubbles in the mouth, peace and quiet sign, or even choosing whether you use quiet mouse feet or stealthy fox feet while walking down the hall.
Weather Helper – The weather helper could look a lot of different ways. If you have someone look out the window, this could be their class job. Perhaps you have a weather bear or stuffed animal that needs to be dressed for the day. Or I’ve even seen the weather helper draw a picture of what the weather looks like.
Writing Center Helper – This is another one of those areas that looks like a crazy tornado blew through it. Having a child who knows where items go and put them back is another huge sanity saver. One of the best classroom job ideas ever!
Zoologist – Another name for a classroom pet helper. My own daughter learned so much from this job when she was in 3rd grade with their class guinea pigs. And it helped when she started asking for her own pet Guinea pig at home too.
If you have a favorite classroom job that I haven’t thought of, let me know! I want to hear what’s on your favorite classroom job list.
Get my Editable Classroom Jobs Cart
I made a Preschool and Pre-K Editable Classroom Job Helper Chart with 11 different backgrounds if you need a gorgeous class job chart to make your little learners into big helpers. Find it over in my store!
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Amazing class job list! I LOVE the idea of a Kindness Helper. Thank you!
Coat helper?! That is the most ingenious job I have EVER heard of and needed so badly! LOL I recently lost my TA so I am ALONE for now and it takes forever to get their jackets on to go outside!
Oh, I feel you! Putting on and zipping all those coats takes sooo long. I hope having a coat helper makes your days easier!
I’m interested with Classroom Jobs Helper Chart and that is great. I’ve a question about the classroom jobs helper, who is going to responsible in doing this job? Could we select from the parents?
I usually like to make the classroom job chart to make it just the way I want it. However, if you have a parent who knows you and your class well, that would be a good person to delegate it to. Wishing you the best!