Chores for kids by age
Most 4 and 5 year olds can manage short, simple jobs like putting toys away, making their bed and helping to set the table. By 6 or 7 many can look after their own room and help with meals, and by 8 to 10 a lot of kids can take on jobs for the whole family, like the dishes or the rubbish. Every child is different, so treat the lists below as ideas, not rules, and go by what your child can do on their own.
Here are chore ideas for each age, and how to hand over a new job so it sticks.
What chores can a 4 or 5 year old do?
At this age, a good chore is short, has an obvious finish and doesn't matter much if it isn't perfect. Ideas to try:
- Put toys back in their box or basket
- Put books back on the shelf
- Pull the covers up on their bed and put the pillow back
- Put dirty clothes in the washing basket
- Carry their own plate and cup to the kitchen
- Put the spoons and napkins on the table
- Help feed a pet, with you there
- Water a few plants
Two or three of these is plenty to start with. Keep them in the same order each day so your child knows what comes next.
What chores can a 6 or 7 year old do?
Children this age can often do a job from start to finish without you standing next to them, once they've been shown how. Ideas to try:
- Make their bed properly
- Tidy their room: toys, books and clothes all away
- Put clean clothes away in drawers
- Set and clear the table
- Help unpack the shopping
- Feed a pet and give it fresh water
- Match socks from the washing
- Sweep a small area, like the kitchen floor
What chores can an 8 to 10 year old do?
Older primary kids can start doing jobs that help the whole family, not just themselves. Ideas to try:
- Wash or dry the dishes, or load and empty the dishwasher
- Take out the rubbish and recycling
- Walk the dog, if it's safe where you live
- Clean up after a pet
- Help make a simple meal or their own lunch
- Hang out or fold washing
- Vacuum a room
- Wipe the bathroom sink
Kids of any age can keep doing the jobs from the earlier lists. A new job is something to add, not a reason to drop the old ones.
How do you hand over a new chore?
- Do it together first. Show your child each step, then do it side by side a few times, so they know what done looks like.
- Name it clearly. "Set the table" is a job. "Help in the kitchen" isn't. A clear name is easier to remember and to tick off.
- Let them do it their way. A bed that's a bit lumpy is still a made bed. Redoing it for them tells them it wasn't good enough.
- Add one job at a time. Wait until the current jobs are easy before adding another.
How do you make chores stick?
- Make it a routine. Chores at the same time each day, like after school or before dinner, need fewer reminders than chores whenever you remember.
- Keep the list short. Five or six jobs at a time is plenty. A list that's too long never gets finished.
- Let them see their progress. Ticking off each job, and seeing what's left, keeps them going.
- Reward the whole list. A reward for finishing all the jobs keeps the focus on getting them done. See reward ideas that aren't toys.
- Swap jobs around. Changing a job every few weeks keeps it from getting boring, and siblings can take turns with the ones nobody likes.
Should siblings have the same chores?
Not necessarily. An older child can take on bigger jobs while a younger one does the simple ones, as long as everyone has a list they can finish. Some families give each child their own list and swap a few jobs every week.
What if my child does a chore badly?
Thank them for doing it, and show them the tricky part again next time rather than fixing it straight away. Getting it done every day matters more than getting it perfect.
How does it work in Little Streaks?
Little Streaks comes with three ready-made chore routines: Chores, Tidy Room and Pet Care. Each one has up to six tasks with an icon for every task, so even children who can't read yet know what to do. You can change the tasks to suit your child's age, and swap in new jobs as they're ready for them.
Your child holds a task to tick it off and gets a celebration each time. Finishing the routine earns a star, and stars add up to rewards you choose. With Little Streaks Family, each child can have their own chore routines and stars.
Little Streaks is a routines and rewards app for kids, for iPhone and iPad. Free to start, with up to two routines.
