Garage Chores for Kids by Age

The garage is the hardest-working room in the house that nobody thinks of as a room. It's a parking spot, a recycling center, a sports equipment locker, a toy chest, a pantry overflow and the place where everything you can't decide about goes to wait.

And since most of us come and go through the garage, it fills up fast. One backpack, one scooter and one bag of recycling at a time.

The good news: kids can help keep it under control. Here's a guide to garage chores for kids by age, from toddlers tossing balls in a bin to teens leading the spring cleanout. Kids can do the chores for their age group and every group below it. (For chores in every room of the house, see Chores for Kids by Age.)

Garage Kids Chores by Age 2 and Under:

Garage Chores for Kids Ages 2 to 3

•      Put toys and balls in their bins

•      Pick up wrappers and small trash

•      Put their shoes on the shoe rack by the door

Keep a low, open bin for outdoor toys right by the door. If a toddler can toss it in, a toddler will put it away. Mostly.

Garage Chores for Kids Ages 4 to 5

•      Put away toys and games, with all their pieces, in the right boxes or bins

•      Help sort papers for recycling

•      Sweep the garage floor with a kid-size push broom

•      Hang their helmet and jacket on their own low hook

•      Line up the sidewalk chalk, bubbles and balls on their shelf

Garage Chores for Kids Ages 6 to 8

•      Sweep the floor

•      Wipe up water spills (an adult handles oil, paint and anything from the car)

•      Empty the garage wastebaskets

•      Sort the recycling: paper, cans, bottles

•      Shake out and sweep the doormats

•      Put bikes, scooters, helmets and sports gear back where they go

•      Flatten cardboard boxes for recycling (no box cutters)

Garage Chores for Kids Ages 9 to 12

•      Take the trash and recycling bins to the curb on pickup day, and bring them back the same day

•      Wipe and disinfect light switches and doorknobs

•      Wash the window screens and mini blinds

•      Wash the windows and wipe the light fixtures

•      Help with the yearly garage cleanout

•      Organize the sports gear: balls in bins, rackets and bats on hooks, cleats in a tub

•      Restock the pantry overflow shelf and tell you when something's running low

Bringing the bins back counts as part of the job. A trash can sitting at the curb until Thursday doesn't count as done.

Garage Chores for Teens Ages 13 to 17

•      Lead the spring garage cleanout (with you making the keep-or-toss calls)

•      Sweep and hose out the garage floor

•      Wipe down the shelves and storage bins

•      Organize the tools on the pegboard

•      Help clean oil stains off the floor (here's how: Garage Cleaning With Kids)

•      Brush away cobwebs from corners and the ceiling

•      Test the garage door's auto-reverse with you once a month

And what about the car parked in the middle of all this? See Car Chores for Kids by Age for vacuuming, washing and the spring undercarriage rinse.

Make the Garage Easy for Kids to Keep Clean

Kids can't put things away when there's nowhere to put them.

•      A drop zone by the house door: one hook and one bin for each person. Backpacks, jackets and shoes land there, not on the steps.

•      Low, open bins for outdoor toys. Label them with pictures for little ones.

•      A ball corral, like a tall laundry basket or a bungee-cord rack.

•      Wall hooks for bikes, scooters and helmets, at kid height.

•      A clearly labeled recycling station, so sorting is a no-brainer.

•      Everything dangerous goes up high, above kids' reach and locked. More on that below.

Add more garage chores as your home requires.

Garage Safety for Kids

The garage has more ways to get hurt than any other room in the house. Before kids start helping, set these rules:

•      Lock up the chemicals. Antifreeze, pesticides, weed killers, paint thinner, pool chemicals and gasoline go in a locked cabinet, up high. Antifreeze tastes sweet, which makes it especially dangerous for kids and pets. If a child swallows anything from the garage, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

•      Garage doors are not toys. Keep the remote out of reach, mount the wall button at least 5 feet up, and teach kids never to run under a closing door.

•      Test the auto-reverse every month. Lay a 2×4 flat on the floor where the door closes. If the door doesn't reverse when it touches the board, call a repair company.

•      Never run the car in a closed garage, even for a minute. Carbon monoxide builds up fast.

•      Sharp tools hang high. Saws, pruners, axes and box cutters go up on the pegboard, out of reach.

•      Take the doors off an old fridge or freezer before it sits in the garage waiting to be hauled away. Kids can get trapped inside.

•      Adults handle oil, paint, ladders and anything heavy on a high shelf.

(More on keeping kids safe: Safe at Home.)

Frequently Asked Questions

What garage chores can kids do?

Toddlers can put toys in bins. Preschoolers can sweep with a kid-size broom and sort recycling. Kids 6 to 8 can sweep, empty the trash and put away sports gear. Preteens can take the bins to the curb, and teens can lead the spring garage cleanout.

At what age can kids take out the trash?

Kids 6 to 8 can empty wastebaskets into the big bin. By 9 to 12, they can take the trash and recycling bins to the curb on pickup day, and bring them back.

Is the garage safe for kids?

It is once you've locked up the chemicals, hung the sharp tools up high, kept the door remote out of reach and tested the door's auto-reverse.

How often should you clean the garage?

Sweep it every week or two, and do a full cleanout at least once a year. Spring is a good time. Here's how: Garage Cleaning With Kids.

Keep Going

The garage is swept and the bikes are on their hooks. Here's where to go next:

•      Garage Cleaning With Kids: The once-a-year cleanout, step by step, oil stains included.

•      Garage Cleaning and Organizing: Everything for your garage in one place.

•      Car Chores for Kids by Age: Vacuuming, washing and keeping the family car clean.

•      Yard Work With Kids: Outdoor chores by age, plus mower safety.

•      Chores for Kids by Age: Jobs for every room in the house, from toddlers to teens.

•      Seasonal Chores for Kids by Age: Spring cleaning, fall prep and everything in between.

•      Weekly Chores for Kids by Age: Trash day, vacuuming and a sibling rotation.

•      Safe at Home: Childproofing and safety for every room.

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