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Kids Chores Seasonally by Age

Kids Chores Seasonally By Age: A Simple Guide to Age-Appropriate Home Chores.

How much can you reasonably expect a child to help out with at home given her age?

Within each category below, I've listed appropriate chores for each age group. Remember, the age recommendations are just that, recommendations.

Your tidy 11-year-old who has been cleaning his room since age 2 can probably tackle some of the chores listed for teenagers if safety isn't an issue.

Conversely, if you've been the maid for your 13-year-old since she was born, you might have to start her off with some of the simpler chores recommended for younger children.

Once a child reaches a certain skill or age level, he can generally do the chores for his age group and those for the age groups below.

Ages 2 and under:

• Pick up outside toys.

• Collect snails in a pail.
  

Ages 3 to 5:

Previous chores, plus:

• Put away outside toys and games (and all their pieces) in the proper boxes or bins.

• Help with planting.

• Water outside plants.

• Debug plants.

• Sponge-clean the outdoor play table.

Ages 6 to 9:

Previous chores, plus:

• Take indoor plants outside for a gentle washing.

• Rake leaves.

• Sweep the patio and porches.

• Do easy yard work such as weeding.

• Help clean the pool strainer baskets.
  

Ages 10 to 13:

Previous chores, plus:

• Clean the patio and patio furniture.

• Plant vegetables, annual and bulbs.

• Harvest vegetables.

• Mulch plants.

• Take compostable material to the compost pile.

• Polish silver.

• Shovel snow.
  

Ages 14 to 17:

Previous chores, plus:

• Mow the lawn.

• Wash exterior windows.

• Maintain the compost pile.

• Turn mattresses.

• Clean out the fireplace and clean the tools.
  

More Stories

Bathroom Chores by Age

Bedroom Chores by Age

Garage Chores by Age

Kitchen Chores by Age

Laundry Chores by Age

Living Room Chores by Age

Daily Chores for Kids

Weekly Chores

Monthly Chores

Yearly Chores by Age

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About the Author

Tara Aronson is a native Californian. Having grown up in San Diego, she studied journalism and Spanish to pursue a career in newspaper writing. Tara, whose three children - Chris, Lyndsay, and Payne - are the light of her life, now lives and writes in Los Angeles. She also regularly appears on television news programs throughout the U.S.