Guide
Chores for kids by age: what they can do on their own
Children can do more than we give them, as long as each job is small, clear and theirs. This is the list the schedule maker uses to decide what a child can do alone.
Ages three to five
- Put the toys away.
- Tidy their floor and surfaces.
- Line up shoes and hang up coats.
- Help set and clear the table.
Ages six to eight
- Make the bed.
- Load and unload the dishwasher, with help on the top rack.
- Sweep the kitchen floor or the entry.
- Change hand and bath towels.
- Fold and put away laundry.
- Water the houseplants.
Ages nine to twelve
- Wipe counters and the table.
- Vacuum a bedroom or the living room.
- Take out the trash and recycling.
- Wipe the bathroom sink and mirror.
- Empty the dryer lint filter.
- Wipe cabinet fronts and light switches.
Teens
- Clean a toilet, a shower or a tub.
- Mop floors.
- Change the bed sheets.
- Wash and dry a load of laundry.
- Clear old food from the fridge.
Make it a chart they can tick
A chart works when it shows only their jobs, with a box for each day the job is theirs and a grey box when it is someone else’s turn. Keep it at their eye level and let them tick it themselves.
Keep the time small
Give a child a short, fixed amount of time each day rather than a long list. A few small jobs that are always theirs teach more than one big job they dread.
Questions
Should children be paid for chores?
That is a household decision. The schedule only shows who does what; it works the same either way.
What if a child cannot do a job well yet?
Do it together a few times, then hand it over. The first goal is that it gets done, not that it is perfect.
Can a teen have the same jobs as an adult?
Mostly, yes. A few jobs, such as cleaning the oven or testing smoke alarms, stay with adults in this schedule.
Related
Published 2026-10-30. General information about sharing household cleaning; no advice on products, chemicals, safety or health.