As-needed chores for 13-year-olds
As-needed chores at 13: 5 jobs, jobs done when the moment comes up, that a 13-year-old can do (2 alone) or start learning, about 130 minutes in all.
As-needed chores at 13
| Job | Stage | Time | How often | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack their own bag for a trip | On their own | 20 min | As needed | 15 |
| Change a light bulb | On their own | 5 min | As needed | 5 |
| Iron clothes | With you | 15 min | As needed | 10 |
| Look after a younger sibling for a while | With you | 60 min | As needed | 20 |
| Do basic home repairs | With you | 30 min | As needed | 15 |
On their own means most children this age manage it alone; With you means they start it with a grown-up alongside. Points are on a 5-for-a-small-job scale.
Start together at 13
- Iron clothes (alone from about 15)
- Look after a younger sibling for a while (alone from about 14)
- Do basic home repairs (alone from about 16)
Most 13-year-olds can do alone
- Pack their own bag for a trip
- Change a light bulb
How much time it adds up to
- Every job on this page
- 130 minutes
- Only the ones they do alone
- 25 minutes
- Suggested load at this age
- 30 to 45 minutes a day
⚠️ Safety notes for these jobs: Iron clothes: Irons get hot enough to burn. Teach them to stand the iron upright, keep the cord out of the way and switch it off straight after. Change a light bulb: Switch off first and let the old bulb cool. Use a sturdy step stool, never a chair on wheels, and leave ladders and ceiling fittings to a grown-up. Look after a younger sibling for a while: Start with short stretches while you are nearby. Make sure they know how to reach you, your address and what to do in an emergency. Local rules on leaving children in a teen's care vary. Do basic home repairs: Nothing involving mains wiring, gas or roofs. Show them where the water shut-off and the breaker box are.
A day of jobs at 13
- Daily jobs
- 3 to 5
- Weekly jobs
- 2 or 3, including one they own start to finish
- Time
- 30 to 45 minutes a day
What these jobs teach
- care with heat
- looking presentable
- patience
- working from a list
- thinking ahead
- independence
- basic home maintenance
- safety with electricity
In TaskFamily these become jobs on your 13-year-old's own screen, with points, repeat days and the Trust Ladder to move each job from "check every time" to spot checks.
Free for one household. Premium is $5.99 a month or $49 a year for the whole family, never per child.
Keep reading
Ages and times are typical, not rules: children develop at different speeds, and you know yours best. The chore library is TaskFamily's own. The guide text is drafted with AI from these numbers and checked automatically before it is published.