Age-Based Chores That Kids Can Do

Struggling to come up with a list of chores that kids can do safely? These age-appropriate tasks teach children important skills and self-reliance while also giving parents some much-needed help around the house.

Here’s some good news: kids can do a LOT more than you think! After all, just 100 years ago, kids as young as nine were working 70-80 hours per week in factories. While we can all agree that’s not acceptable, we should also recognize that kids aren’t as helpless as we often think.

Why Assign Chores that Kids Can Do?

When it comes to assigning kids’ chores, you can avoid a lot of frustration and even tears if you’re patient about the learning process. So, once you decide to assign your kids chores, make it a routine part of their lives.

It takes at least four times for kids to go from learning an entirely new skill to mastering it — sometimes more. The payoff is that they’ll master the task and feel good about themselves, and you can feel confident they’re doing the job the right way.

1. Have them watch/help you do the chore and explain to them why you do it that way.
2. Have them do the chore while you watch and offer suggestions.
3. Have them do it independently, then provide feedback.
4. Have them do it independently, then ask them to review and correct their work themselves.

Providing plenty of positive reinforcement and praise along the way will keep your children motivated through the learning process. Meanwhile, they’re picking up other essential concepts, too.

Chores Teach Important Life Skills

Pitching in around the house teaches kids the basics of cleaning, organizing, and even cooking — all things they’ll need to do for themselves one day. After all, they don’t suddenly know how to do such things the day they turn 18 and move out of the house.

Seriously, you do not want your kid trying to learn how to run a dishwasher or broil a fish in the oven for the first time in their own apartment. That’s how home floods and fires start.

Chores Develop A Good Work Ethic

Kids who do chores also learn a work ethic that’s critical to future success. Putting chore time before playtime teaches kids to meet responsibilities before goofing off, an important concept that will help once they’re adults having to pay bills.

Besides, giving kids chores means that Mom and Dad have more free time to spend with them. See? Everyone benefits.

Age-Based Chore List for Children

If you’re just starting to teach your child chores, begin with ones from an earlier age group, then add more responsibilities as they become more confident and capable.

As kids grow older, they also grow more skilled and stronger. So, in addition to the chores listed under their age group, they should have mastered the tasks from earlier years.

Toddlers (1-2 years old)

Put dirty towels in the hamper.
Help make beds (put pillows on, smooth covers).
Pick up dirty clothes and put them in the hamper.
Pick up toys, books, and games.
Wipe smudges off surfaces they can reach.

3 to 5 years Old

Dust baseboards with a duster.
Dust cold air returns with a rag.
Dust mop the floor.
Dust picture frames with a cloth.
Dust tables with a rag.
Feed pets.
Empty the bathroom trash can.
Clean their room with help.
Strip bed linens.
Shake the dirt off the Welcome Mat.
Shake the dirt off the car’s floor mats.
Do basic food prep (rinse produce, tear lettuce).
Set the table.
Fold hand towels and washcloths.
Sort and roll/fold socks.
Stack magazines, books, and videos neatly.
Straighten and fluff sofa pillows.

6 and 7 Year Olds

Dust lampshades.
Straighten bookshelves.
Sort the recycling.
Vacuum edges of rooms with the crevice tool.
Wash pet food bowls.
Clean bathroom sinks with disinfecting wipes.
Use vacuum attachment under beds.
Polish front doorknob and kickplate.
Help carry in groceries.
Clean spills in the refrigerator.
Clear the table after meals.
Neatly stack food storage containers and their lids.
Run the sweeper on the kitchen floor after dinner.
Unload the dishwasher.
Wipe appliance fronts.
Wipe cupboard fronts.
Move clothes from washer to dryer.
Help hang freshly-dried clothing.
Sort laundry by colors.
Pull weeds.
Rake leaves.

Ages 8 and 9

Help hang freshly-dried clothing.
Collect trash from every wastebasket in the house.
Water house plants.
Clean tub/shower.
Scrub grout.
Clean their room on their own.
Put clean sheets on beds.
Get the trash out of the car.
Clean the microwave.
Help cook meals (mix ingredients, cut vegetables, etc.)
Help put away groceries.
Put junk mail through the shredder.
Take out the kitchen trash.
Sweep front walkway.
Pull weeds.
Rake leaves.

Ages 10 to 13

Clean the inside of the windows.
Sweep/vacuum dusty window screens.
Vacuum entire rooms.
Scrub toilets.
Polish bathroom mirrors.
Sweep garage.
Sweep the deck or patio.
Wash patio/deck furniture.
Make simple family meals.
Wash the car.

Ages 14 and Up

Wash windows inside and out.
Clean any room in the house.
Clean ceiling fans.
Clean fridge/freezer.
Clean oven.
Iron clothes.
Plan a grocery list.
Do the grocery shopping.
Mow the yard independently.
Babysit other peoples’ children.

Printable List of Age-Based Chores that Kids Can Do

Using the list: I keep a copy of the printable kids’ chore list on our refrigerator door. Some are his regular weekly chores, but I also assign more as needed.

• Any time my son complains that he’s bored? Time for a few chores.
• He left a huge mess for me to deal with? That’s okay — he can spend an equal amount of time doing a few chores.
• Does he want extra pocket money? No problem. Earn it with chores!
• Rough-housing resulted in breaking something? Okay, time for some chores.
• Is it cleaning day? Guess what?? You’ve got chores!

You get the idea.

Printing the list: Click the image below to get a .pdf for printing or right-click to save it to your computer.