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РусскийChores for 6 year olds: a chore list for the first school year
Six is when many children start school full time, and their days suddenly have a shape: mornings, homework, bedtime. It's the perfect moment to make a few chores part of that shape.
What a 6-year-old can handle
At six, most children can follow a short routine, dress themselves, and remember a chore from one day to the next with a reminder. Many begin to read simple words, which means a written checklist starts to work. They also start comparing themselves with older kids, and "big kid jobs" become a source of pride.
The American Academy of Pediatrics list for ages 5 to 7 is a good map: 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.
Daily chores for a 6-year-old
Split them between two moments of the day, so the list never feels long:
Morning
- Make their bed
- Get dressed with clothes laid out the night before
- Put pajamas under the pillow or in the hamper
- Bring their breakfast bowl to the sink
After school and evening
- Empty their lunch box and school bag
- Set the table (plates, cutlery, napkins)
- Clear their plate after dinner
- Tidy their room for five minutes before bath
- Pack their school bag for tomorrow
Weekly chores for a 6-year-old
- Put their clean clothes away in drawers
- Empty the small wastebaskets into the big bin
- Sweep the kitchen floor with a small broom
- Water the plants
- Bring in the mail
- Wash plastic cups and plates in the sink
- Sort the laundry into lights and darks
Tips that work at six
- Attach chores to routines. "Bag packed before the story" works better than "pack your bag at some point".
- Use a checklist they can read. Short words, one line per chore, plus a picture if reading is still new.
- Offer a choice. "Do you want to set the table or feed the cat tonight?" A child who chose is a child who cooperates.
- Notice the effort. "You remembered your bag all by yourself" builds the habit faster than a reminder.
- Keep the reward close. At six, a week is a long time. A sticker the same day, and a small reward after three or four good days, keeps the chart alive.
Mornings are the hard part
If mornings are a fight, start there: lay out clothes the night before, keep the morning list to three items and put it where your child can see it. Our morning routine checklist was written with ADHD in mind, but the structure works for any child who struggles to get out the door.
Ready for more? See chores for 7 year olds, or go back to chores for 5 year olds if your child needs simpler jobs first.
Questions parents ask
How long should chores take a 6-year-old?
About 10 to 15 minutes a day in total, split between the morning and the evening routine.
My 6-year-old refuses to do chores. What should I do?
Shrink the chore until it's easy to start ("just the books"), do the first minute together, and make the next fun thing come after the chore, not before it.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, Chores and Responsibility (updated February 2024).
Turn the chart into a game.
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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.