Chores for children of different ages
Toddlers (2-3 years)
- Help to tidy up toys after playtime.
- Help to put laundry in the washing machine.
- Help to fill a pet’s water bowl.
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Preschoolers (4-5 years)
- Set the table for meals.
- Help to prepare meals, under supervision.
- Help to put clean clothes into piles for each family member, ready to fold.
- Help to do the grocery shopping and put away groceries.
School-age children and pre-teens (6-11 years)
- Water the garden and indoor plants.
- Feed pets.
- Help to hang out clothes and fold washing.
- Take out rubbish.
- Help to choose meals and do the shopping.
- Help to prepare and serve meals, under supervision.
- Vacuum or sweep floors.
- Clean the bathroom sink, wipe down kitchen benches, or mop floors.
- Empty the dishwasher.
Teenagers (12-18 years)
Teenagers can do the chores they did when they were younger, but they can be responsible for doing them on their own.
Teenagers can also take on more difficult chores. For example, teenagers could do the washing, clean the bathroom and toilet, mow lawns, stack the dishwasher, do basic grocery shopping, or cook a simple family meal once a week.
When choosing chores for teenagers, think of the skills you’d like them to learn.
You can keep children motivated by letting them change jobs from time to time. This is also a way of rotating chores fairly among family members.
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