Handy Guide To Age-Appropriate Chores for Kids

While many parents may feel it is unnecessary to involve their overscheduled kids in housework, we may not be doing our children a favour by letting them off the hook. These duties are not only necessary to help balance out the workload for busy parents, but can have a positive impact throughout our children’s lives, teach them self-reliance and team contribution.

Providing children with age-appropriate chores gives them a sense of confidence, making them feel wanted and needed. It teaches them important life skills and a sense of responsibility. Another important lesson – it teaches them to deal with frustration and delays instant gratification, which all contributes to our children doing better in school and life.

Over and above, giving kids chores helps to ease the load of overworked and stressed parents – a win-win for everyone!

Age-Appropriate Chore Chart for Kids

Chores for Children Under 2-4

Children who are still very young will need some assistance – but it’s never too early to show them how to take responsibility for a few household chores.

Here are some simple chores for children that you can introduce to them.

Make it fun by rewarding them with stickers each time they complete a chore!

Put their toys away
Help clean up messes with a napkin or cloth
Help feed the cat or dog
Pile up books and magazines

Chores for Children Aged 5-8

At this age, you can begin introducing family chore chart ideas that require more independence.

Recommended activities include:

Folding and putting clothes away
Help bring in light groceries
Dusting surfaces
Watering plants
Putting clothes in the laundry basket
Helping make breakfast

Housework for Kids Aged 9-12

As well as all the previous chores for kids, children at this age can begin doing more complex tasks. Recommended activities include:

Helping making dinner
Tidying rooms
Cleaning surfaces
Vacuuming the floor
Mopping floors
Washing the dishes
Clearing the dinner table
Caring for pet hygiene (cleaning cages, emptying litter trays)
Emptying the washing machine and hanging clothes

Chores for Teenagers

At this age, teenagers will be capable of doing most household chores without supervision.

They can also help younger siblings with their tasks on the chore list for kids. Recommended activities include:

Walking the dog
Washing the dishes
Helping make the dinner
Mowing the lawn
Carrying and putting away groceries
Ironing clothes
Putting on the washing machine with the help of a delicate detergent
Emptying and loading the dishwasher
Organising and decluttering

Safety Warning

Always choose chores for children that are appropriate for their age and avoid anything that involves harsh chemicals or sharp objects – no matter the age!

When it comes to drawing up family chore chart ideas, it’s important to come up with age-appropriate chores. Involving the whole family with the household chores can be a wonderful way to bring the whole family together.

Get everyone on board by drawing up your chore list together and let children volunteer for the tasks they want to do.