Chores for an 11-year-old and a 16-year-old together
Sharing chores between an 11-year-old and a 16-year-old: 44 jobs both can do alone, 15 the older one can lead, and what only the older child starts.
Jobs both can do alone (the 11-year-old's level)
- Put toys away
- Hang up their coat and put shoes away
- Make the bed
- Tidy their bedroom
- Pack their school bag the night before
- Clear out the school backpack
- Wash fruit and vegetables
- Set the table
- Clear the table after meals
- Wipe the table and counters
- Put groceries away
- Unload the dishwasher
- Make their own breakfast
- Sweep the kitchen floor
- Load the dishwasher
- Pack their own lunch
- Take out the kitchen trash
- Wash dishes by hand
- Clean the microwave
- Put dirty clothes in the hamper
- Match socks from the laundry
- Put clean clothes away
- Sort laundry by color
- Fold laundry
- Change the bed sheets
- Dust furniture
- Empty the small trash cans
- Wipe the bathroom sink and mirror
- Vacuum a room
- Take the bins out on collection day
- Clean windows and glass doors
- Water the plants
- Refill the pet's water bowl
- Feed the pet
- Clean the litter box
- Bring in the mail
- Pull weeds
- Rake leaves
- Wash the car
- Brush their teeth morning and night
- Get dressed by themselves
- Lay out clothes the night before
- Pack their own bag for a trip
- Wake up with their own alarm
Jobs the 16-year-old can lead and the 11-year-old can join
- Sort outgrown clothes and toys (older alone from 12, younger starts from 8)
- Clean the kitchen after dinner (older alone from 13, younger starts from 10)
- Cook a family dinner (older alone from 14, younger starts from 11)
- Clean out the fridge (older alone from 14, younger starts from 11)
- Do a load of laundry (older alone from 12, younger starts from 9)
- Mop the floor (older alone from 12, younger starts from 9)
- Clean the toilet (older alone from 12, younger starts from 10)
- Clean the bathtub and shower (older alone from 13, younger starts from 11)
- Walk the dog (older alone from 12, younger starts from 8)
- Clean the pet cage or tank (older alone from 12, younger starts from 9)
- Shovel snow (older alone from 12, younger starts from 9)
- Keep track of their own homework (older alone from 12, younger starts from 9)
- Shop from a grocery list (older alone from 14, younger starts from 10)
- Manage their own weekly budget (older alone from 15, younger starts from 10)
- Change a light bulb (older alone from 13, younger starts from 10)
Jobs only the 16-year-old starts
- Plan the week's meals (starts with help around 12)
- Do their own laundry start to finish (starts with help around 12)
- Iron clothes (starts with help around 12)
- Mow the lawn (starts with help around 12)
- Look after a younger sibling for a while (starts with help around 12)
- Do basic home repairs (starts with help around 13)
- Book their own appointments (starts with help around 15)
- Pay a bill or a subscription (starts with help around 16)
Suggested load for each
| At 11 | At 16 | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily jobs | 3 or 4 | a fair share of the household |
| Weekly jobs | 2 | whole areas they own, like their laundry and one family dinner |
| Time | 20 to 30 minutes a day | what an adult housemate would do |
Jobs both can do alone: 15 more are alone-level for the 16-year-old but still need a helper for the 11-year-old.
TaskFamily rotates shared jobs fairly between brothers and sisters, and gives each child jobs that fit their own age on their own screen.
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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.