There are many benefits of kids doing chores. What are age-appropriate chores that their kids can do? The tasks change and vary with age groups. You can start as young as 2. You might be thinking, what can a 2-year-old do? They are capable of more than you think. Plus, starting them off in life teaching them life skills will help them learn responsibility.
Age-appropriate chores can work wonders for maintaining a clean home. I found that when kids do chores, it builds their confidence. I recommend creating chore lists and rewarding them. It makes the process easier the older you get, so you can give them an allowance for doing chores. Whatever works for you and your family dynamic.
I created a list to help get you started on age-appropriate chores. I break it down by age groups so you can get started. It is never too early or late to begin assigning tasks to your kids. So, don’t worry if you didn’t start when they were toddlers. Chores can become a part of their life at any time. I suggest sitting down with your kids and talking to them about the benefits of doing chores.
Age-Appropriate Chores
Ages 2-3 (Toddlers)
As I said before, you will be amazed at what your little ones are capable of. That is why I said to start them early. Toddlers copy everything you do and are attached to you like glue most of the time. They are in the phase of wanting to do everything with you, so why not put that to good use. It also gives you more time together and teaches them life skills simultaneously.
Of course, they will need supervision and guidance while doing their chores. Still, it will be a start, so when they become preschoolers, they will be able to do tasks independently because they will begin to develop the confidence to do them by themselves.
- Help with making the beds.
- Putting clothes in the hamper.
- Pile up Books and magazines on tables or shelves.
- Put their toys away.
- Fill up the pet’s food bowl.
- Dusting. The best way to do this is to put a dust mitten or sock on their hand and let them help reachable dust surfaces.
There are tons of options to get your little one their own cleaning supplies go can check it out over on amazon.
My Top Picks!
Ages 4-5 (Preschoolers)
Your little ones will still be in the little helper phase at this age. The reason is that they are still learning by copying adults around them. You can add a few more tasks to the list at this point, and they can start to do things independently. They can do things by themselves now because they have developed hand-eye coordination and can better understand and follow instructions.
The below are age-appropriate chores that are in addition to the ones above. They are just now able to do some independently.
- Help to set the table with supervision.
- Making their beds by themselves.
- Vacuuming with a hand-held vacuum.
- Cleaning up their toys by themselves.
- Helping to Unload the dishwasher with supervision.
- Match socks together.
- Sort laundry into whites and colors before washing.
- Clear the table.
- Water flowers.
- Wash plastic dishes with supervision.
- Help bring in light groceries and put them away.
- Dust with a cloth.
Ages 6-9 (Elementary School)
Once your kids are in elementary school, they will take on a lot more responsibility without you needing to supervise. In this age group, the rubber meets the pavement, and they can begin to grasp essential life skills by doing chores. It is also the age group where they learn more independence which can be the point where they start rebelling against doing chores.
The rebellion phase does not happen with every child, and every kid is different. That is what makes them unique. If your kids start to rebel, be patient yet firm with them and let them know what is expected of them. Now is an excellent time to begin implementing a reward program or allowance for helping around the house.
The below are age-appropriate chores that are in addition to the ones above.
- Clean their rooms.
- Sweep the floors.
- Mop the floors.
- Put away the groceries.
- Empty and load the dishwasher with supervision.
- Vacuum.
- Clean the table after dinner.
- Make their breakfast and snacks.
- Take the dog for a walk with supervision.
- Empty the trash.
- Rake the yard.
Ages 10-13 (Middle Schoolers)
Ohhh, the pre-teen years, the years of torture before the real nightmare begins. Pre-teens can be tricky years, depending on the kid. This is the age where I started to give my dad a run for his sanity. Even though I made him crazy I still had responsibilities to take care of at home. It is amazing what kids will do in order to get what they want.
The key to getting middle schoolers to do chores around the house is to use things they want as a reward. You can still make it a fun family activity, but this is the time where allowance kicks in. I remember cleaning the house with my dad dancing around while we cleaned. He made it fun to do just to see him dance or what he says was dancing was entertainment enough to get us to clean.
The below are age-appropriate chores that are in addition to the ones above.
- Watch younger siblings while parents are at home.
- Take the trash out on garbage night.
- Wash the dishes or load the dishwasher without assistants.
- Wash, dry, and fold the laundry.
- Prepare easy meals without supervision.
- Wash the family car.
Ages 14+ (High Schoolers)
They are much older and can take on more responsibility so adding more tasks for them to complete around the house change a little. When they are teenagers the last thing they want to do is clean and do chores. However, the chores need to happen because in just a few short years they will have to fend themselves. When they move out or go off to college they should be able to take care of themselves and wherever they live without needing your help.
The below are age-appropriate chores that are in addition to the ones above.
- Clean the bathrooms.
- Mow the lawn.
- Care for pets independently.
- Help parents with simple home and auto repairs.
- Clean out fridge
- Iron clothes.
- Babysit younger siblings independently (Date Night)
- Make more complex meals like dinner.
- Help deep clean the kitchen.
If you are looking for a printable chore list you can find a ton on the internet, but here are 2 options that I made and love to use.
Chore List for Little Ones or Chore List for Older Kids
Final Thoughts:
I know it can be difficult to implement chores because as parents it is our job to take care of our children. But trust me when I tell you by doing everything for them is only going to hurt them in the long run. My dad insisted on chores and because of that, I learned to take care of the family I have now. They might not like it at the time, but they will thank you for it later.
I hope this list of age-appropriate chores gets you started. If you are wondering what is so great about kids doing chores be sure to check out 5 Ways Chores Benefit Kids.
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