Last Updated on April 19, 2018 by ellen
Are you looking for an age appropriate chore list? I believe in having children help with chores as soon as they’re old enough. It’s important that they learn responsibility and this is a great way to teach them that. Of course, it can be hard to know what chores each age group is actually old enough to help with. I don’t want to overwhelm my child or expect things of them that aren’t realistic.
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Age Appropriate Chore List
This age appropriate chore list will help give you an idea of what children can help with at what age. Each child matures at a different rate so it’s important that you consider how mature your child is before assigning them a chore. It’s also important to use eco-friendly cleaners when having our children help out. And, make sure that all cleaners are stored up and away from them. Never leave your child unattended with any sort of cleaning solution even if it is eco-friendly.
Ages 2 and 3
Children at this age enjoy putting things into containers and dumping things out of containers. The putting things in containers part of this equation is where you can encourage them to help with your supervision. Show them how to pick up their toys when they’re done playing. Encourage them to put their dirty clothes into their clothes basket when they get ready for bed.
Ages 4 and 5
At this age, your child can begin making the bed with your help and continue with the tasks they learned at 2 and 3. They can help match socks when you do laundry and fold smaller washcloths and towels. At this age, they can fill your pet’s food bowl and water dish. They can also let you know when the automatic dog feeder is running low on food. They can help you with dusting and set the table but still need to be supervised at this age.
Ages 6 and 7
When a child is 6 or 7, they can fold laundry with minimal supervision from you. They can also help put the dishes away, learn to vacuum and mop, keep their room clean, and help with meal preparation provided you do not allow them to use sharp knives. A few simple ideas are snapping green beans and tossing a garden salad. At this age, you can create a chores chart so they can be responsible for completing chores they’re assigned to.
Ages 8 through 10
At 8, 9 and 10, they can be responsible for setting the table, taking out the garbage and washing the car. They can also rake leaves in the yard and learn to identify basic weeds from flowers. You may want to teach your child to use the washing machine and the dryer at this age so they can be responsible for their own laundry. They should be expected to wash dishes, help with meal preparation and keep their bedroom clean.
After elementary school, your child can be responsible for most household chores unsupervised with the possible exception of cooking. You will need to determine if your child is mature enough to operate the stove or not. If you’re wondering about chores for teenagers, they can be expected to do just about anything you can.
What other age appropriate chores does your child have?
Ellen is a mom of a 25-year-old son and 30-year-old daughter. She is Grandma to one adorable toddler. In what little spare time she has, she loves to read, watch movies, and check out the latest toys and games.