BACK IN THE SWING!
Now that the school year is in full swing, our days are busier than ever.
Between school itself, homework, after-school activities, and instrument practice, little time is left for anything else – and certainly not chores!
But we all need the kids to make home a priority as well. The whole family benefits when the children can clean up after themselves and help with general upkeep.
And… it builds self-worth, confidence, and important self-care skills they will need as they grow and eventually leave the comfort of their parents’ homes.
Below is a list of chores by age. We like this list as a guideline for assigning chores so that your kid can get the most confidence for their age level. Please feel free to see our 20 Chores for Kids list for a different approach to assigning and tracking chores!
2-4-year-olds:
help dust, put napkins on the table, put away toys in their correct spot, put laundry in the hamper, put clothes in drawers (with help), help feed, and walk the pet.
4-7year olds :
“Help” is an important word at this age. Many of the chores will be done as a helper, and slowly kids can graduate to doing them independently!
set the table, put away toys and other clutter, help feed pets, walk pets, water plants, make the bed (with help), dust, laundry in the hamper, rinse dishes and place in dishwasher, water garden, wipe up spills, and messes, put folded clothes away and hang clothes, help a parent with gardening, clear table, take out the trash, help put away groceries, help wash the car, bring in newspaper and mail
8-10-year-olds
set the table, put away toys and other clutter, help feed pets, walk pets, water plants, make the bed (with help), dust, laundry in the hamper, rinse dishes and place in dishwasher, water garden, wipe up spills, and messes, put folded clothes away and hang clothes, help a parent with gardening, clear table, take out the trash, help put away groceries, help wash the car, bring in newspaper and mail, sweep floors, vacuum, rake leaves, help with cooking
11-year-olds and older
set the table, put away toys and other clutter, help feed pets, walk pets, water plants, make the bed, clean room, dust, laundry in the hamper, rinse dishes and place in dishwasher, empty dishwasher and put away dishes, water garden, wipe up spills and messes, wash clothes, fold laundry & put folded clothes away/ hang clothes, help with gardening, clear table, take out the trash, put away groceries, help wash the car, bring in newspaper and mail, sweep floors, vacuum, rake leaves, help with cooking, clean bathrooms, clean kitchen
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We want to know what YOU do to organize chores for your kids! Please leave us a comment or give us feedback below (and don’t forget to click LIKE and SHARE!)
Bio: J.J. Morgan is a Freelance Writer and Editor of SmexyMom. She is also Parchment’s owner, a custom stationery boutique and online shop in Los Angeles catering to celebrity clientele.