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What can a 5-year-old really do? When is a child ready to vacuum, cook or do their own laundry? Here is a chore list by age, built on the American Academy of Pediatrics lists, with a printable chart for the fridge.
Why chores are worth the effort
Asking a child to help often takes longer than doing it yourself. It pays off later. Chores teach children that a home runs because everyone contributes, and they build practical skills a child will need on their own.
There is also research behind it. In a 2022 study of 207 children aged 5 to 13, Australian researchers found that children who regularly did self-care chores (making themselves a snack) and family-care chores (setting the table for everyone) scored better on working memory and self-control, after accounting for age. Pet-care chores showed no such link. It is an association, not proof that chores cause the difference, but it points the same way as pediatric advice: age-appropriate chores are good for kids.
The chore list by age
Ages are a guide, not a rule. A careful 6-year-old may manage what a distracted 8-year-old can't. Each stage includes the chores of the stages before it. The 5 to 12 lists follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP); the toddler and teen lists are our own additions, in the same spirit.
Ages 2 to 3: helping alongside you
- Put toys back in a basket or bin
- Put dirty clothes in the hamper
- Put books back on a low shelf
- Wipe up a small spill with a cloth
- Help pour the pet's food (you measure)
- Carry their cup or plastic plate to the counter
At this age the chore is the game. Do it together, name what you're doing and celebrate the result.
Ages 4 to 5: first chores of their own
- Pull up the covers on their bed
- Set napkins and spoons on the table
- Clear their own plate after meals
- Water plants with a small can
- Match clean socks
- Dust low shelves and furniture
- Put shoes and coat away when they come in
Ages 6 to 7: real jobs, with reminders
The AAP list for 5 to 7 includes making their bed, setting and clearing the table, putting toys away, putting dirty clothes in the hamper, emptying wastebaskets, sweeping, sorting laundry, bringing in the mail, watering flowers and washing plastic dishes in the sink. In practice:
- Make their bed every morning
- Set and clear the table
- Pack their school bag the night before
- Put clean clothes away
- Empty small wastebaskets
- Sweep a small area, like the kitchen floor
- Rake leaves or pull weeds with you
Ages 8 to 9: chores they can own
The AAP adds vacuuming, helping make dinner, making their own snacks, walking a pet, putting away their own laundry and putting away groceries.
- Vacuum a room
- Load the dishwasher
- Make their own snack or breakfast
- Walk the dog
- Put groceries away
- Fold and put away their own laundry
- Help make dinner: washing, peeling, stirring
Ages 10 to 11: bigger chores, less supervision
- Unload the dishwasher
- Take out the trash and recycling
- Clean the bathroom sink and mirror
- Change their own bedsheets
- Make a simple breakfast for the family
- Start a load of laundry
Ages 12 to 13: almost everything
The AAP list for 11 to 12 adds cleaning the kitchen, changing bedsheets, unloading the dishwasher, doing and folding laundry, cleaning the bathroom, washing the car, cooking a simple meal with supervision and watching younger siblings with an adult at home.
- Do their own laundry, start to finish
- Clean the kitchen after a meal
- Clean the bathroom, toilet included
- Wash the car
- Cook a simple meal with an adult nearby
- Help with younger siblings while you're home
Ages 14 and up
Teens can do nearly every chore an adult does. The AAP suggests vacuuming shared spaces, washing the car, yard work, clearing snow, grocery shopping once they drive, cleaning the kitchen after meals, pet care and helping with younger siblings. We cover it in detail in our chore chart for teens.
Chores for your child's age
Each page has a chore list for that age, a ready-to-print weekly chart and tips that fit the stage.
How to choose the right chores
- Mix the three kinds. Self-care (their bed, their bag), family-care (the table, the dishes) and, if you have one, the pet. Family-care chores are the ones that teach that everyone contributes.
- Start with two or three. A short list done every day beats a long list done once.
- Teach before you expect. Do it in front of them, then together, then they do it while you watch, then alone. Four steps, often over a week or two.
- Define "done". "Clean your room" means nothing to a 6-year-old. "Toys in the bin, clothes in the hamper, books on the shelf" does.
- Make it visible. A chore chart on the fridge or an app turns an invisible expectation into something they can check off.
- Accept "good enough". A bed made by a 6-year-old looks like a bed made by a 6-year-old. Redoing it behind them teaches that their effort doesn't count.
How much time should chores take?
There is no official number. As a rule of thumb that works for many families:
| Age | Per day | Typical load |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 5 | 5 to 10 minutes | 2 or 3 tiny chores, done with you |
| 6 to 8 | 10 to 15 minutes | 3 daily chores, 1 weekly |
| 9 to 12 | 15 to 30 minutes | 3 or 4 daily chores, 1 or 2 weekly |
| 13 and up | 20 to 45 minutes | Daily chores plus a zone of the house |
Lighten the load during exams or a busy sports season, but don't drop it to zero: the habit is the point.
Should kids be paid for chores?
Families do it differently, and both approaches can work. Many separate contribution chores, which everyone does because they live in the home and are never paid, from extra jobs, like washing the car, which can earn money or points. Paying for everything risks a child asking "how much?" before clearing their plate. Paying for nothing misses a chance to teach that work earns money. Our reward chart guide has 30 rewards that aren't money at all.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, Chores and Responsibility, adapted from Caring for Your School-Age Child: Ages 5 to 12 (updated February 2024).
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, Household Chores for Adolescents.
- Tepper D.L., Howell T.J., Bennett P.C., Executive functions and household chores: Does engagement in chores predict children's cognition?, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 2022.
Turn the chart into a game.
KUDOZ is a family app that does all of this for you: quests, XP, coins and a reward shop your kids actually want to open. Available on iPhone, coming soon to Android.
This guide shares general parenting information. It is not medical advice and does not replace a diagnosis or a care plan from a qualified professional.