Finding age appropriate chores for your kids no matter their age can be challenging but chores are a must for children.
When your children do chores it helps teach them the importance of hard work and how to keep their house clean when they get older, or we hope! I also find that the quicker they learn how to do chores the faster they start cleaning up after themselves when they are done playing or eating.
Age Appropriate Chores
Chores for Toddlers
Yes, toddlers can help do chores. You may find they are the most willing to help out around the house.
Toddlers love attention and pleasing their parents. With that being said, they are very willing to help around the house to make you happy.
It is best to do chores alongside your kids to help teach them the correct way to do things and show them how to make cleaning fun!
Here is a list of chores that your toddler can start helping out with:
- Dust
- Make their bed, with help
- Pick up Toys and put away
- Help clean up spills
- FIll pet’s water bowl
- Put out toilet paper, with help
- Put away clothes, with help
- Wipe windows with cloth
- Put dirty clothes in the hamper
- Clean up bath toys
- Putting away groceries
Preschooler Chores
Between ages 4 and 5 is when chores can start being done more independently.
You will find that they still want to help you while doing chores. I suggest that you start during this age encouraging your preschooler to complete the chore themselves. You may have to give them just one chore to complete at a time due to multi-step directions can still be challenging for them.
Making a chore chart can also be helpful when it comes to their ability to complete their chores. A preschooler’s chore chart may include the following:
- All the chores listed above
- Help carry in groceries
- Match socks and sort clean laundry
- Clean the bathroom sink with a wipe
- Clean floor with Swiffer or small vacuum
- Water plants or garden
- Set the table for dinner
- Fold washcloths and small clothing items
- Empty small trash cans around the home
- Help pack their lunch box
You will be surprised how capable your younger children are when it comes to chores.
Making chores fun will help them tackle their chore list. It is ok to do chores with them until they have mastered them but then let them be independent.
Also, do not quickly judge or expect high-quality work. They are still learning and are proud of what work they have done.
Chores for Elementary Age
At around age 7 and 8, you will find that your kids can now tackle some simple hygiene on their own. These are great things to add to their chore chart or chore list.
It may sound silly to add brush your teeth, brush your hair, get dressed to their chore list but it helps them be independent and gain your trust through responsibility. Here are some chores elementary age kids can do:
- All the chores listed above
- Make their snack for school
- Pack their bookbag
- Hang towel after bath
- Get dressed
- Brush hair
- Brush teeth
- Clean bedroom daily
- Bring mail in each day
- Set the table
- Put away laundry that has been folded
- Pick up the family room
- Unload the dishwasher
Kids ages 8 through 10 are certainly capable of doing chores around the house and can easily do any of the chores listed above.
Chores for Teenagers
All teenagers need chores to help them learn responsibility. Through various chores, it helps prepare them for the real world and a job and also how to take care of the home.
Sometimes it is easier to do it ourselves because of the complaining, but I promise that encouraging them to do chores is well worth it in the long run.
One way to encourage teens to do chores is to do them together to bond. Try to find chores your teenagers can do with you. As you find chores that you can do together you will find more opportunities to have conversations with them about their day, friends, and other interests.
Chores to do with teenagers
Some chores you and your teenager can do together are:
- Grocery shop
- Cook dinner for the family
- Wash the cars
- Change light bulbs
- Clean out the refrigerator
- Clean out the pantry
- Run family errands
As these chores are getting done you are also finding time to bond during an important time in their life. Just make sure that while out doing chores they leave their phone at home that way it is not a distraction from the task at hand and the conversations that can be had!
Chores for Teenagers to do on their own
Teenagers can also independently do chores around the house. Chores for teenagers include:
- Take care of the recycling
- Pull trash bins to the street
- Mow the lawn
- Walk the pet
- Feed pet daily
- Wash their laundry, fold it, and put it away
- Supervise a younger sibling
- Clean bedroom
- Clean bathroom
Children are capable of doing much more than you as the parent thinks.
Yes, it is much easier to do the chore yourself and it will probably be done faster and to your standard. However, this does not teach your children the responsibility that they can learn while doing chores.
When you give your kids chores it allows you time to do things that you need to do on your to-do list.
Start now making your chore chart and include all your children. Even the youngest family members can help with household chores as young as two years of age which will be beneficial in the long run as they will be ready and know exactly how to do their chores by the time they reach their teenage years.
Share in the comments ways your children help out around the house!