Chores aren’t just about keeping your home tidy and organized — they can also help build a sense of responsibility and develop essential life skills. That’s why it’s so important for every member of your family to share in the household chores, from toddlers to teens. It can be tough to figure out what tasks are appropriate and realistic for your child’s age and stage, however.
If you’re not sure where to start, your best bet when assigning chores effectively is to match tasks with your child’s developmental abilities. Tasks that fall into one of these category buckets is also a good guideline to follow:
- Chores they’ve mastered: Pick a few tasks that you know they can easily complete, and even demonstrate for younger siblings.
- Chores they’re working on: These are chores they can do, but may still need a little practice or help to accomplish effectively.
- Chores you help them with: These tasks may still be beyond their abilities, but they can help or shadow you so they can begin to familiarize themselves with the process.
As your child grows, by setting age-appropriate expectations you can foster independence while ensuring that chores remain a positive and achievable part of their routine.
Here are some curated chore ideas for every age and stage. (Your personal list builds on and includes the age group preceding it.)
Chores for toddlers and preschoolers (Age 2-4)
- Pick up toys/books after playtime
- Put out food/water for pets (with help from you or an older sibling)
- Help sort laundry by color and/or match sock pairs
- Choose and lay out their outfit for the following day
- Water houseplants with a spray bottle
Chores for school-agers (Age 5-8)
- Help empty the dishwasher
- Sort recycling into their appropriate bins
- Strip their beds for laundry day (and make their bed each morning!)
- Be a sous-chef (peel/cut fruits and vegetables, measure and mix recipes, etc.)
- Bring in the mail/package deliveries
- Sort/count coins from family coin jar
Chores for tweens (Age 9-12)
- Sweep/vacuum the floors, carpets and couch cushions
- Sort, wash and fold their own laundry (and put it away!)
- Pack school snacks and fill water bottle
- Help put away/organize groceries after shopping
- Unload lunchbox after school (put dirty containers/water bottle in sink, toss trash, and ice pack back in freezer)
Chores for teens (Age 13+)
- Wash dishes after dinner/run the dishwasher
- Take the weekly grocery list and search store apps for coupons; scan in all receipts into free cash-earning apps like ibotta and Fetch
- Walk the dog/clean the litter box/bird cage/fish tank
- Rake leaves and shovel snow from walkways/driveway
- Bathroom maintenance (clean hair from shower drain, wipe down bathroom sink, hang bath mats to dry)
Keeping your household running smoothly is best accomplished as a team effort — and once everyone levels up in their responsibilities, it’s an all-around win!
More on how to successfully establish a family chores routine:
