🧹 Chores by age
Chores by age, from 2 to 18
Pick your child's age to see the jobs most children that age can do on their own, the ones to start together, and what comes next. Every chore has its own page on how to teach it.
Every chore, with the age to start
"With help" is when most children can start alongside you; "alone" is when most can do it on their own to a decent standard. Yours may be earlier or later, and that is fine.
Tidying up
| Chore | With help | Alone | How often | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put toys away | 2+ | 4+ | Daily | 5 min |
| Hang up their coat and put shoes away | 3+ | 4+ | Daily | 2 min |
| Make the bed | 4+ | 6+ | Daily | 3 min |
| Tidy their bedroom | 5+ | 8+ | Weekly | 15 min |
| Pack their school bag the night before | 6+ | 8+ | Daily | 5 min |
| Clear out the school backpack | 7+ | 9+ | Weekly | 10 min |
| Sort outgrown clothes and toys | 8+ | 12+ | Seasonal | 30 min |
Kitchen & meals
| Chore | With help | Alone | How often | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wash fruit and vegetables | 3+ | 5+ | Daily | 5 min |
| Set the table | 4+ | 7+ | Daily | 5 min |
| Clear the table after meals | 4+ | 6+ | Daily | 5 min |
| Wipe the table and counters | 4+ | 6+ | Daily | 3 min |
| Put groceries away | 4+ | 8+ | Weekly | 10 min |
| Unload the dishwasher | 5+ | 8+ | Daily | 10 min |
| Make their own breakfast | 6+ | 9+ | Daily | 10 min |
| Sweep the kitchen floor | 6+ | 9+ | Weekly | 10 min |
| Load the dishwasher | 6+ | 10+ | Daily | 10 min |
| Pack their own lunch | 7+ | 10+ | Daily | 10 min |
| Take out the kitchen trash | 7+ | 9+ | Daily | 5 min |
| Wash dishes by hand | 8+ | 11+ | Daily | 20 min |
| Clean the microwave | 9+ | 11+ | Weekly | 10 min |
| Clean the kitchen after dinner | 10+ | 13+ | Daily | 20 min |
| Cook a family dinner | 11+ | 14+ | Weekly | 60 min |
| Clean out the fridge | 11+ | 14+ | Monthly | 30 min |
| Plan the week's meals | 12+ | 16+ | Weekly | 30 min |
Laundry
| Chore | With help | Alone | How often | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put dirty clothes in the hamper | 2+ | 3+ | Daily | 1 min |
| Match socks from the laundry | 3+ | 5+ | Weekly | 10 min |
| Put clean clothes away | 4+ | 7+ | Weekly | 10 min |
| Sort laundry by color | 5+ | 8+ | Weekly | 10 min |
| Fold laundry | 5+ | 9+ | Weekly | 15 min |
| Change the bed sheets | 8+ | 11+ | Weekly | 15 min |
| Do a load of laundry | 9+ | 12+ | Weekly | 20 min |
| Do their own laundry start to finish | 12+ | 14+ | Weekly | 60 min |
| Iron clothes | 12+ | 15+ | As needed | 15 min |
Cleaning
| Chore | With help | Alone | How often | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dust furniture | 4+ | 7+ | Weekly | 10 min |
| Empty the small trash cans | 5+ | 7+ | Weekly | 5 min |
| Wipe the bathroom sink and mirror | 7+ | 10+ | Weekly | 10 min |
| Vacuum a room | 7+ | 10+ | Weekly | 15 min |
| Take the bins out on collection day | 8+ | 10+ | Weekly | 10 min |
| Clean windows and glass doors | 8+ | 11+ | Monthly | 15 min |
| Mop the floor | 9+ | 12+ | Weekly | 20 min |
| Clean the toilet | 10+ | 12+ | Weekly | 10 min |
| Clean the bathtub and shower | 11+ | 13+ | Weekly | 15 min |
Pets & plants
| Chore | With help | Alone | How often | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water the plants | 3+ | 5+ | Weekly | 5 min |
| Refill the pet's water bowl | 3+ | 5+ | Daily | 2 min |
| Feed the pet | 3+ | 6+ | Daily | 5 min |
| Walk the dog | 8+ | 12+ | Daily | 30 min |
| Clean the litter box | 9+ | 11+ | Daily | 5 min |
| Clean the pet cage or tank | 9+ | 12+ | Weekly | 30 min |
Outdoors
| Chore | With help | Alone | How often | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bring in the mail | 5+ | 7+ | Daily | 2 min |
| Pull weeds | 5+ | 8+ | Weekly | 20 min |
| Rake leaves | 6+ | 10+ | Seasonal | 30 min |
| Wash the car | 6+ | 11+ | Monthly | 30 min |
| Shovel snow | 9+ | 12+ | Seasonal | 30 min |
| Mow the lawn | 12+ | 14+ | Weekly | 45 min |
Looking after themselves
| Chore | With help | Alone | How often | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brush their teeth morning and night | 2+ | 7+ | Daily | 4 min |
| Get dressed by themselves | 3+ | 5+ | Daily | 5 min |
| Lay out clothes the night before | 5+ | 7+ | Daily | 5 min |
| Pack their own bag for a trip | 7+ | 11+ | As needed | 20 min |
| Keep track of their own homework | 9+ | 12+ | Daily | 10 min |
| Wake up with their own alarm | 9+ | 11+ | Daily | 1 min |
Life skills
| Chore | With help | Alone | How often | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shop from a grocery list | 10+ | 14+ | Weekly | 45 min |
| Manage their own weekly budget | 10+ | 15+ | Weekly | 15 min |
| Change a light bulb | 10+ | 13+ | As needed | 5 min |
| Look after a younger sibling for a while | 12+ | 14+ | As needed | 60 min |
| Do basic home repairs | 13+ | 16+ | As needed | 30 min |
| Book their own appointments | 15+ | 17+ | As needed | 15 min |
| Pay a bill or a subscription | 16+ | 18+ | Monthly | 15 min |
TaskFamily turns any of these into a chore chart your kids check themselves: repeating jobs, fair rotation between siblings, a photo when you want proof, and points they spend in a reward shop you set up.
Free for one household. Premium is $5.99 a month or $49 a year for the whole family, never per child.
Want the short version? Read the age-appropriate chores guide or set up a points and reward system.