Best Chores for Kids Based on Their Age

Do you wish your kids would help with your daily chore list and share the workload? That’s every parent’s dream, but only some turn that vision into reality.

That’s why it’s crucial to start early. The younger your children are, the easier you’ll engage them in your house chores list, helping them build healthy habits while freeing up your time as a parent.

The best part? You’ll spend more time together. You’ll bond and have fun, making chores some of your most beloved family activities. Let’s see why they’re beneficial and which are best for children according to age.

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Chores for kids provide many benefits, including the following:

• Teaching children responsibility — Cleaning up after themselves (or their siblings) and helping parents around the house makes kids responsible, self-reliant, and self-sufficient;
• Helping them become independent — Chores teach children practical life skills they’ll need throughout life, making their transition into adulthood seamless;
• Building self-esteem in kids — Contributing to the household and seeing the results gives children a sense of accomplishment, building their confidence and self-esteem;
• Teaching them teamwork — Doing chores as a family makes kids feel like part of the team, helping them become team players at school and work.

Here’s a comprehensive chores list to provide your kids with these benefits.

Waiting for your children to get older before introducing chores might backfire. They might see their to-do lists as a punishment and refuse to share the housework.

However, getting them to pitch in when they’re young is a piece of cake. They’ll do it without complaining or weaseling out of their responsibilities. They’ll see it as a fun and exciting family time, so engage them in chores early.

Here are several chore lists to delegate according to your children’s age.

Toddlers can do minor chores around the house, but supervision is crucial. The best part is that they’ll find the tasks thrilling because they like helping parents and siblings.

Moreover, they observe and copy their parents and older siblings, making every chore a breeze. They’ll quickly get the hang of it and master their tasks before preschool age.

Here’s a chore list for kids aged 2–3:

• Putting away their toys;
• Stacking magazines and books on tables;
• Helping wipe minor spills;
• Putting dirty clothes in the hamper;
• Refilling their pet’s food dish;
• Helping make their bed;
• Assisting in cleaning the floors with a cloth or a dry mop.

Some of these chores require your supervision, but your toddler will master them quickly and might soon do them without your assistance.

Preschoolers know their way around essential household chores and can do most of the tasks they did when they were younger without supervision. However, they can also follow complex instructions and contribute more around the house.

Moreover, they don’t need supervision for most new chores suitable for their age. They can be your excellent helpers for various daily tasks.

Here’s a list of household chores for preschoolers:

• Making their bed without assistance;
• Loading and emptying the dishwasher;
• Helping set and clear the table;
• Putting away groceries;
• Assisting with minor meal-preparation tasks;
• Dusting reachable surfaces;
• Watering plants;
• Helping in the garden;
• Feeding pets.

Of course, the chores for toddlers should still be on your preschoolers’ to-do list.

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Primary schoolers have more responsibilities since they focus on education, but that doesn’t mean they have no time for chores. They already have healthy habits at this stage, so helping around the house is second nature.

However, respecting their studying time and not bogging them down with chores is vital. Still, they can engage in more physically complex household activities and do most of them without your supervision.

Here’s a list of chores for primary schoolers:

• Folding and organizing their clothes;
• Tidying their bedroom and the living room;
• Helping wash and dry the dishes;
• Mopping and sweeping floors;
• Wiping kitchen counters;
• Helping prepare meals;
• Packing their lunch;
• Raking leaves;
• Putting away light groceries;
• Collecting the mail;
• Taking out the trash;
• Recycling.

Again, include the chores your children engaged in when they were younger.

Middle schoolers can do most of the chores above without supervision. They’ve learned to be responsible and independent regarding housework—they may not even need your assistance with the dishes, floor cleaning, and meal preparation.

Most importantly, you can hold them accountable. For instance, you can cross to-dos off their chores list at the end of the day, helping them become self-reliant.

Here’s a house chores list for kids aged 10–13:

• Doing laundry with supervision;
• Folding and putting away clothes;
• Helping clean the house, including vacuuming;
• Changing bed sheets;
• Making their breakfast and snacks without assistance;
• Washing the dishes;
• Caring for their pets, including walking and grooming them;
• Babysitting younger siblings;
• Helping wash the car;
• Mowing the lawn with supervision.

Combine these chores with those for younger kids to ensure your middle schoolers don’t stop the habit of completing minor tasks.

Teenagers are in a rebellious stage when everything is more fun than chores. Additionally, they juggle more academic tasks, including preparing for college.

However, they can do most chores at high school age and do them brilliantly – you don’t even need to supervise them. They’re already responsible, accountable, and self-reliant, so you can count on them to significantly share the workload.

Here’s a chore list for teens:

• Deep-cleaning the bathroom and the kitchen;
• Mowing the lawn without assistance;
• Washing windows;
• Cleaning shared spaces;
• Washing the dishes and clothes independently;
• Buying groceries;
• Making meals without supervision;
• Washing the family car;
• Ironing clothes;
• Sewing on buttons and tears;
• Replacing light bulbs;
• Walking the dog;
• Cleaning pet litter.

Of course, teenagers can do more housework and yard work, so delegate any other chore you deem suitable.

Whether your children are toddlers, preschoolers, or teenagers, these strategies will help you engage them in household chores:

• Establish a routine — Consistency helps build healthy habits. For instance, you can say your kids must tidy their room before dinner and assist with clearing the table and washing the dishes before bedtime.
• Create a household chores list — A chart that lets you check off completed to-dos will help hold your children accountable. They’ll also better organize their tasks.
• Delegate age-appropriate tasks — Use the lists above to assign chores according to your children’s age, ensuring youngsters do minor and older kids more complicated work.
• Make it fun — Household chores can be exciting when you turn them into a game. For instance, all family members can compete in completing specific tasks fast. You can also play music and dance while cleaning.
• Limit your children’s screen time — Unglue them from their screens by utilizing a parental app like Wondershare FamiSafe. You’ll help them build healthy digital habits while freeing their time for household chores. You can even incentivize them by allowing more screen time for finished tasks.
• Recognize their efforts — Acknowledging your children’s hard work is crucial to motivate them to contribute. Hugs, kisses, and praises like “Excellent job!” will go a long way. Rewards like extra time with friends or a later curfew can also be excellent incentives.

These tactics will undoubtedly engage your children in chores, but what about continual motivation? Are non-monetary rewards and verbal acknowledgments enough? Let’s find out.

Giving your kids pocket money for completing their household chore list is an excellent way to teach them about finances. They’ll learn money’s value and have the foundation for financial independence. After all, they’ll need money-management skills throughout life.

Toddlers may be too young to understand money, but they’ll know they’ve earned a valuable reward and will love putting it in a piggy bank.

You can also recommend chores for an extra allowance. Regardless, you’ll teach your kids money-saving skills and guide them toward financial stability.

Chores are vital for teaching children responsibility, independence, and many practical life skills, molding them into self-sufficient adults. Moreover, giving them an allowance for completed tasks teaches them about money management, a skill they’ll always need.

Therefore, create a chore list suitable for your children’s age and instill lifelong skills and values they’ll need once they leave the nest.