Chores for Kids by Age: What Kids Can Really Handle

Here's a secret every tired parent should know: kids can do a lot more around the house than we let them. A 3-year-old can put toys away. A 7-year-old can unload the dishwasher. A 10-year-old can clean a toilet. A 16-year-old can cook dinner for the whole family, and should, at least once a week.

Chores aren't just about getting help, although that's a lovely bonus. They teach kids that a home doesn't clean itself, that everyone pitches in, and how to take care of themselves before they leave home.

I wrote a whole book about this (Mrs. Clean Jeans' Housekeeping With Kids), and I'll tell you what I learned: start early, start small, be specific, and let good enough be good enough.

Here's what kids can handle at every age, plus how to get them to actually do it.

Why Kids Need Chores

Kids who do chores learn responsibility, competence and the radical idea that dirty socks don't walk to the hamper on their own.

A frequently cited University of Minnesota study by Marty Rossmann found that kids who started doing chores at ages 3 and 4 were more likely to do well as young adults than kids who started as teenagers.

And there's a practical reason. Every chore a kid learns at home is one they won't have to learn the hard way in their first apartment, at 2 a.m., with a sink full of dishes and no idea how the dishwasher works.

Chores for Kids by Age: The Quick Chart

Every kid is different. Use the chart as a starting point, then go by what your child can do safely and well. Kids at each stage can also do every chore from the stages before.

Chores for Toddlers and Preschoolers (Ages 2 to 5)

Little kids love to help. That window doesn't stay open forever, so use it. Their "help" is slow and imperfect, and it's still worth it, because you're building the habit.

Ages 2 to 3:

• Put toys in a bin or basket
• Put books back on the shelf
  
• Put dirty clothes in the hamper
  
• Wipe up small spills (with your help)
  
• Throw trash in the trash can
  

Ages 4 to 5:

• Put toys, books and art supplies away
• Set napkins and spoons on the table
  
• Carry their own unbreakable plate to the counter
  
• Match socks from the clean laundry
  
• Help fold washcloths and put away their own clothes
  
• Put shoes and jackets in their spot
  
• Feed the pet, with you supervising
  
• Help make their bed (pull up the comforter, line up the stuffed animals)
  
• Pick up sticks and toys in the yard
  

The trick at this age is being very specific. "Clean your room" means nothing to a 4-year-old. "Put the blocks in this basket" is a job they can do.

Chores for Ages 6 to 8

Now kids can take on real, recurring jobs. Their own jobs, every day.

• Make their bed every morning
•  Keep their bedroom floor clear
  
• Sort laundry by color, and fold and put away their own clothes
  
• Set and clear the table
  
• Load and unload the dishwasher (the unbreakable dishes and silverware, minus the sharp knives)
  
• Wipe the kitchen table after meals
  
• Sweep with a small broom, and use a handheld vacuum
  
• Empty small trash cans into the big one
  
• Help put away groceries
  
• Water houseplants
  
• Feed the pet and refill the water bowl
  
• Make a simple snack, like a sandwich or a bowl of cereal
  
• Put away their backpack, lunchbox and school supplies
  

Short daily routines work much better than a big weekend cleanup. "Ten minutes after dinner" versus "the whole house before you can go anywhere." One is manageable. The other sounds suspiciously like Saturday.

Chores for Ages 9 to 12

This is the age of multi-step chores, the ones with a beginning, a middle and an end. Kids this age can learn to do a job completely, start to finish.

• Change their sheets and make the bed fully
• Do laundry: run the washer and dryer, then fold and put it away. Here's how to teach laundry to kids.
  
•  Load and unload the dishwasher, and hand-wash pots and pans
  
• Wipe down kitchen counters
  
• Sweep, vacuum and mop floors
  
• Clean the bathroom sink, mirror and toilet (after you've shown them how)
  
• Take out the trash and recycling, and put a new bag in the can
  
• Make simple meals (scrambled eggs, pasta, grilled cheese) and pack their own school lunch
  
• Help with grocery shopping
  
• Take care of a pet: feed, walk, clean up after, brush. See pet chores for kids.
  
• Rake leaves, weed and help with yard work
  
• Help wash the car
  
• Keep their bedroom organized
  

The key at this age: teach them to finish the whole job. Taking out the trash includes putting in a new bag. Doing the dishes includes wiping the counter. Folding the laundry includes putting it away. Half a chore creates a whole new chore for someone else.

Chores for Teens (Ages 13 to 15)

Young teenagers can do almost everything you do. They just don't want to. Do it anyway.

• Do all their own laundry, start to finish, including sheets and towels
• Clean the whole bathroom: tub, shower, toilet, sink, floor
  
• Clean the kitchen after dinner: dishes, counters, stovetop, sweeping
  
• Cook a simple family dinner once a week
  
• Make the grocery list and help with the shopping
  
• Take out all the trash and recycling on collection day
  
• Keep their room clean and organized
  
• Take full care of a pet
  
• Wash and vacuum the car
  
• Mow the lawn, with training and supervision (see the safety section below)
  
• Help with seasonal chores like raking, shoveling snow and cleaning out the garage
  
• Keep track of their own supplies and tell you when they're running low on shampoo before it's gone
  

Chores for Older Teens (Ages 16 to 18)

The goal now is simple: by the time they leave home, they can run one. Teens 16 to 18 should know how to:

• Do every kind of laundry, including reading care labels and treating stains
• Deep-clean a bathroom and a kitchen
  
• Plan and cook several complete meals
  
• Make a meal plan and grocery shop on a budget
  
• Store food safely, and clean out the refrigerator
  
• Organize a closet
  
• Handle basic home maintenance: change a light bulb, reset a tripped breaker, plunge a toilet, unclog a drain, change the furnace filter
  
• Do yard work and car care, including checking the tire pressure
  
• Keep track of their own toiletries, school supplies and appointments
  
• Help younger siblings with homework, bedtime or getting ready in the morning
  

If your 17-year-old can do everything on this list, congratulations. You've raised a roommate everyone will want.

How Many Chores Should Kids Have?

Start with three:

1.     One personal chore, like making their bed

2.     One family chore, like clearing the table

3.     One weekly chore, like emptying the bedroom trash on Saturday

When those become automatic, which takes a few weeks, add one more. Building slowly is how chores become habits instead of battles.

Daily Chores vs. Weekly Chores

• Daily chores take 5 to 15 minutes: making the bed, clearing the table, feeding the pet, putting away backpacks, a quick tidy before bed. See daily chores for kids by age.
• Weekly chores take longer: changing the sheets, vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, laundry and yard work. See weekly chores for kids by age.
  

A 15-minute family cleanup every evening keeps the house under control without anyone losing a Saturday. (It's the same idea as The Daily Home Reset, just with more helpers.)

How to Get Kids to Actually Do Chores

Make Every Chore Specific

"Clean your room" is not a chore. It's a project description. It can mean approximately 47 different things, and your child will pick the easiest one. Break it down:

"Clean your room" means:

• Dirty clothes in the hamper
• Clean clothes in drawers or the closet
  
• Toys in their bins
  
• Books on the shelf
  
• Trash in the trash can
  
• Bed made
  
• Floor clear
  

"Clean the bathroom" means:

• Spray and wipe the sink and counter
• Wipe the mirror
  
• Clean the toilet, inside and out
  
• Hang up the towels
  
• Empty the trash
  
• Replace the toilet paper if the roll is empty
  

Write the list down and tape it inside the closet door or on the bathroom cabinet.

Teach It, Then Let Go

Nobody is born knowing how to fold a fitted sheet. (Most adults still don't.) Teach every chore in four steps:

1. Do it together. Show them, and explain as you go.
2. Let them do it while you watch and help.
3. Let them do it alone, and check afterward.
4. Let it be theirs.
   

Then accept imperfect results. A 10-year-old's towels won't look like the display at a department store. Don't redo the chore in front of them, or they'll learn that their work doesn't count. Good enough really can be good enough.

Use a Chore Chart

A chore chart takes the nagging out of it. Kids check the chart, not you. Use pictures for pre-readers, checkboxes for older kids, and a family whiteboard or app for teens. Put it where everybody walks past it every day, like the fridge or the back door.

Make It a Habit, Not an Event

Attach chores to things that already happen every day: make the bed before breakfast, clear the plate after dinner, tidy the room before screen time. When a chore always happens at the same time, nobody has to argue about it.

Make It Fun (or at Least Less Painful)

• Set a timer and race it. "Can you get all the toys in the bin before the timer goes off?"
• Put on music. A 15-minute cleanup is about four songs.
  
• Clean together. A family cleanup feels like teamwork, not punishment.
  
• Rotate the chores every week or month so nobody's stuck with the toilet forever.
  
• Praise the effort, not just the result.
  

Chore Safety Matters

A chore isn't age-appropriate if your child can't do it safely. Keep these rules in mind:

• Cleaning products: keep them locked up or up high when young children are around, and never let kids mix products. Bleach and ammonia make a toxic gas. Young kids should use water, a damp cloth or a mild soap-and-water spray you've made for them.
• Laundry detergent pods: keep them locked up and out of reach. They look like candy and are especially dangerous for young children. Have kids under 6 use liquid or powder detergent that you measure out.
  
• Lawn mowers: the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids be at least 12 to use a walk-behind power mower and at least 16 to drive a riding mower, and that no child ever rides on a mower as a passenger.
  
• Knives and hot appliances: teach knife skills and stove safety step by step, with you right there, before kids cook on their own.
  
• Broken glass and sharp trash: that's a grown-up job until kids are old enough to handle it carefully.
  
• Ladders, heavy lifting and power tools: adults and older teens only, with training.
  
• Unfamiliar or stressed animals: young kids should care for pets with an adult nearby.
  

If a child swallows a cleaning product or gets one in their eyes, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away.

Should Kids Get Paid for Chores?

Parents disagree on this one, and there's no single right answer. Here are the three most common approaches:

Many families land on the middle option: everyone does the basics because they live here, and extra jobs earn extra money. A common rule of thumb for allowance is about $1 per week for each year of age, so $8 a week for an 8-year-old.

The Real Reason Kids Need Chores

Chores aren't about a perfect house. They're about raising people who know how to take care of themselves, their home and the people they live with. The goal isn't perfection. It's independence.

One day, your grown child will cook a real dinner, do a load of laundry without turning everything pink, and replace the toilet-paper roll without being asked. And you'll know it was worth every crooked towel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chores can a 3-year-old do?

Put toys in a bin, put books on a shelf, put dirty clothes in the hamper, throw away trash, and wipe up small spills with help.

What chores should a 10-year-old do?

Change their sheets, do their own laundry, load and unload the dishwasher, vacuum, clean the bathroom sink and toilet, take out the trash and recycling, make simple meals, and help care for a pet.

What chores should a teenager do?

All their own laundry, cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, cooking a family dinner once a week, grocery shopping, car care, yard work, and keeping their own room clean.

How many chores should a child have?

Start with three: one personal chore, one family chore and one weekly chore. Add another once those are routine.

Should kids be paid for chores?

It's a family decision. Many parents keep everyday chores unpaid and pay for extra jobs like washing the car or cleaning the garage. A common allowance guideline is about $1 per week for each year of age.

At what age should kids start doing chores?

As early as age 2, with simple jobs like putting toys in a bin. Kids who start early are more likely to see chores as a normal part of family life.

Keep Going

The chore chart's on the fridge and nobody's arguing (yet). Dig into each kind of chore with these detailed guides:

•      Daily Chores for Kids by Age: The quick everyday jobs that keep the house running.

•      Weekly Chores for Kids by Age: Sheets, bathrooms, vacuuming and the bigger weekly jobs.

•      Seasonal Chores for Kids by Age: Raking, shoveling, spring cleaning and the garage.

•      Bedroom Chores for Kids by Age: How to get kids to keep their own rooms clean.

•      Doing Laundry With Kids: Sorting, washing, folding and putting it all away.

•      Pet Chores for Kids: Feeding, walking, brushing and cleanup, by age.

•      Yard Work With Kids: Outdoor jobs kids can do, and the ones they can't yet.

•      Family Life Guide: Chores, routines and kids' rooms that keep the whole house running.

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