Ways to play

GETTING STARTED

1. Choose your cards. Use all six categories or select only the ones that work for your household.
2. Let everyone draw. Fan out the cards and have each child choose one card at a time until the selected cards are gone.
3. Use Name Cards if you’d like. They’re optional, but they can be especially helpful for organizing daily or weekly responsibilities.
4. Customize your cards. Use wet- or dry-erase markers to write on the cards and a damp cloth to wipe them clean. Do not use permanent markers.

Every household is different, so there’s no single “right” way to use OCD Decks. I can only share what worked for my family.

When I first created the idea for OCD more than a decade ago, I had a large blended family—three older kids and three children under the age of six.

I used the Name Cards to help pair the older kids with one of the younger children for the week. Each older child received their own Name Card and randomly chose the name of a younger child to help. I kept each set of cards together on small hooks on a whiteboard calendar in our kitchen so everyone could easily see their responsibilities.

I have one child at home now, so I use OCD Decks a little differently. I don’t typically use the Name Cards. Instead, when chores need to be done, I choose the cards that fit the day and we draw them together. We each pick a card until they’re gone, then tackle our chores.

That’s one of my favorite things about OCD Decks—there’s no single way to use them. You can make the system work for your household, whether you have one child or a house full of them.

Living with other people can make dividing household responsibilities tricky. OCD can help roommates divide chores fairly and keep expectations clear. 

Use the cards to divide recurring chores, rotate less-popular tasks, or simply take the guesswork out of deciding who does what. The goal is to keep expectations clear and communication open. Choose the cards and method that work best for your household.

⭐ Add a little competition: The first person to finish and return all of their Chore Cards gets to draw a Reward Card.

⭐ Set weekly goals: Complete something consistently—like making the bed every day for a week—to earn a Reward Card.

⭐ Include younger helpers: Customize a blank Laundry Lotto Card with age-appropriate jobs such as matching and folding socks.

⭐ Use colors to stay organized: On Name Cards, use different dry-erase marker colors to track recurring tasks or routines. For example, mark a task in red when it needs to be done and blue or black when it’s completed.

⭐ Let Consequence Cards take some pressure off: Parents can choose appropriate consequences ahead of time, then allow a child to draw a card when needed. It keeps expectations clear while encouraging accountability.

⭐ Follow through: When using Reward Cards, set clear expectations about what needs to be completed and when. Rewards don’t have to cost money—get creative and make them meaningful to your family.

Have your own way of using OCD Decks? We’d love to hear it! Share your ideas with us, and check back for more ways to make OCD work for your household

Everyday chores made simple. Draw a card, complete the task to the best of your ability, and ask for help when you need it. You can also customize blank Pick A Chore Cards to fit your household.

Take some of the work out of laundry day! Laundry Lotto Cards can include tasks like collecting, washing, drying, folding, or putting away clothes. Customize the cards based on each child’s age and ability—even younger helpers can match or fold socks

For those jobs that don’t quite fit into the regular chore categories. Parents can use these cards whenever an extra task needs to be done and customize blank Parent’s Pick Cards to fit their household

Sometimes you just get lucky! Mix Lucky Cards in with the chore cards to add an unexpected break or bonus. Parents decide when and how they’re used, and blank Lucky Cards can be customized with your own ideas.

Take some of the stress out of deciding on consequences in the moment. Parents can fill in age-appropriate Consequence Cards ahead of time and allow a child to draw one when needed.

Whether it’s for an unfinished responsibility or a household rule that wasn’t followed, Consequence Cards can help keep expectations clear while encouraging accountability. Customize them to fit your family’s rules, values, and parenting style.

Don’t forget to celebrate a job well done! Surprise Cards give parents a fun way to recognize effort, responsibility, and completed goals. Use them on their own or combine them with Lucky Cards—and customize blank cards with rewards your family will enjoy.

Name Cards are completely optional and can be used in lots of different ways. Assign chores, track weekly responsibilities, set goals, or create routines for things like making the bed, brushing teeth, keeping a room clean, or completing homework.

Use dry-erase markers to add due dates, track completed tasks, or create a system that works for your household.Name Cards are completely optional and can be used in lots of different ways. Assign chores, track weekly responsibilities, set goals, or create routines for things like making the bed, brushing teeth, keeping a room clean, or completing homework.

Use dry-erase markers to add due dates, track completed tasks, or create a system that works for your household.