If there’s one thing that I’ve struggled with as a parent, it’s setting reasonable chores for my boys.
I’m not a fan of cleaning so it’s taken me years just to be able to set a reasonable schedule for myself, never mind monitoring anybody else!
But, at the same time, I know my boys are old enough to be helping out. I’m just not sure how to get started.
Luckily, I’ve found some info to help me, and any other parent that’s wondered what chores are appropriate for their kids. Check it out and see what cleaning jobs your children can tackle!
Ages 2-3
- Assist in making their bed
- Pick up toys when playtime is over
- Bring dirty clothes to laundry hamper
- Neatly pile books and/or magazines
Ages 4-5
- Fill pet’s water/food bowls (with supervision)
- Water plants
- Clear the dinner table
- Use hand-held vacuum for small messes, such as picking up crumbs
Ages 6-7
- Keep the bathroom tidy
- Sort laundry (try starting with just matching clean socks!)
- Empty dishwasher + put dishes away
- Choose outfit and get ready for each day independently
Ages 8-9
- Put away groceries
- Bring in mail from mailbox
- Assist in meal preparation (peeling potatoes, preparing salad, etc)
- Clean their room independently
Ages 10-11
- Responsible for exercising pets once each day
- Wash dishes
- Vacuum carpeted areas
- Learn to use washer and dryer
Ages 12 and up
- Wash family car (with supervision)
- Empty indoor trashcans, bring trash outside each week
- Babysit younger siblings
- Learn to use washer and dryer
Now that I have the cleaning tips I need, it’s time for me to set some regular chores for my boys and get them involved in the process of keeping the house clean.
Use these guidelines to set some chores for your kids as well, and enjoy having a little help keeping your house clean!
I grew up having specific chores I did weekly. We didn’t have all the options for cleaning supplies that are available now. When my own daughters were younger, I did worry about what they used when they did their chores. I love the options these days, especially as I also have five Treeing Walker Coonhounds and three cats (all rescues) and I worry about what I use around them. There are just too many caustic chemicals in some cleaners. I also worry about the environment. I’ve recycled for my entire adult life (long before we had curbside pickup) and do what I can to make this world a better place for my daughters and eventually any children they have. I really love Seventh Generation products.
My 4 year old son is a pretty darn good little helper already! Lucky I got a good one!
This is a great guideline! I began having our son pick up his toys after he was done with them them once he could walk steady without falling. Some family members thought I was being to tough on him, but he learned to take care of his toys and I didn’t trip over them and break them. When he got a little older, he had a chore chart for daily chores. I was fortunate that he did very well with it and was very responsible about doing his chores.
I had to do my chores when I was a kid and I wish we had a list to follow. I really like your age appropriate list, it’s perfect.
Great tips to get the children cleaning.
Great reference to use for getting the kids to help out!
good age for vacuuming they think its fun at that age lol
Love the age of the chore charts
i think getting kids involved in cleaning makes them think more about the mess they make : >
This is a great chart. I think it’s really important to get kids to help out.