Chores for kids by age
A rough guide, not a rulebook. Children vary more than any chart admits, and a job a child can do is not the same as a job they can start on their own. Use the ages as a starting point, then size the job to the child in front of you.
Updated .
Adult check first. Heat, sharp knives, cleaning chemicals, heavy lifting and anything electrical stay with a grown-up at every age on this page.
Chores for ages 3 to 4
Short, physical and alongside you. The real job is learning that jobs exist.
- Put toys into one box. One box, no sorting.
- Put dirty clothes in the laundry basket.
- Put shoes on the rack by the door.
- Tip a pre-measured scoop into the pet bowl.
- Wipe a small spill with a cloth.
- Put books back on a low shelf.
Making it happen: Do it with them. Two minutes is a full job at this age, and the praise is the payment.
Chores for ages 5 to 6
Can follow one clear instruction to the end, if the end is visible.
- Pull the duvet up and put the pillow at the top.
- Put the cutlery out for tea.
- Carry their own plate to the side after eating.
- Pair clean socks.
- Water the plants with a small can.
- Put clean clothes in the right drawer.
- Tidy one zone, such as the floor by the bed, against a five minute timer.
Making it happen: One job, one place, a finish you can both see. “Tidy your room” is still far too big.
Chores for ages 7 to 8
Ready for a small daily job of their own, and for a short list in order.
- Set and clear the table.
- Put their clean washing away.
- Feed and water a pet.
- Empty the small bins into the main bin.
- Sort the recycling.
- Tidy the bedroom floor from a written list of steps.
- Pack the school bag the night before.
- Unload the cutlery from the dishwasher, sharp knives excepted.
Making it happen: Attach the job to a moment that already happens, like plates to the side straight after tea.
Chores for ages 9 to 10
Can own a whole job, start to finish, if it stays the same job.
- Load or empty the dishwasher.
- Hoover one room.
- Take the bins out on bin day.
- Fold and put away their own washing.
- Make a simple packed lunch or snack.
- Wipe the bathroom sink and taps.
- Change their own pillowcase.
Making it happen: Show them once, alongside, then step back. Swap jobs every few weeks before they go stale.
Chores for ages 11 to 12
Capable of real household jobs, with an adult nearby for heat and chemicals.
- Cook a simple meal with an adult in the kitchen.
- Run a wash and hang it out.
- Change their own bed.
- Clean the bathroom sink, loo and mirror, with an adult choosing the products.
- Hoover and mop a floor.
- Write the list for the weekly food shop.
Making it happen: Hand over the whole job, including deciding when, and agree what done looks like first.
Can do is not the same as will start
Every list above assumes a child who has started. Starting is the hard part, and it gets harder as the job gets bigger. Keep each job to two to ten minutes, name the first physical action, and put a visible timer where they can see it. The free tidy up timer does that part, and chores by room breaks twelve rooms into steps.
Paying for chores is a separate decision with its own trade-offs. How much pocket money for chores covers what the research says, and how to get kids to do chores covers the asking.
Questions parents ask
What chores should a 7 year old do?
Around seven, most children can set and clear the table, put their clean washing away, feed a pet, sort the recycling and tidy their bedroom floor from a short list of steps. Keep each job to two to ten minutes, and do it alongside them the first few times.
What chores can a 5 year old do?
A five year old can pull up their duvet, put the cutlery out, carry their plate to the side, pair socks and tidy one small zone against a five minute timer. One clear instruction at a time works far better than a list.
What chores should a 10 year old do?
Most ten year olds can load or empty the dishwasher, hoover a room, take the bins out, fold and put away their own washing and make a simple packed lunch. They can own a whole job if it stays the same job for a few weeks.
How long should chores take for kids?
Two to ten minutes per job suits most primary-age children. Longer than that and a job becomes a project, which is where children drift off. Break a big job into several short ones with a visible finish, and stop when the time is up.
Should I pay my child for chores?
Many families keep everyday jobs unpaid as part of belonging to the family and pay pocket money for extras. Research on rewards suggests keeping them small and alongside the work rather than the whole point, with praise straight away.
Boomph sizes the job to the age
Photograph the actual mess. Boomph turns it into one small mission at a time, sized to your child’s age, with a clock they can see. Free for 14 days, no card.
Download Boomph