Chores for a 13-year-old and a 16-year-old together
Sharing chores between a 13-year-old and a 16-year-old: 55 jobs both can do alone, 10 the older one can lead, and what only the older child starts.
Jobs both can do alone (the 13-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
- Sort outgrown clothes and toys
- 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
- Clean the kitchen after dinner
- 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
- Do a load of laundry
- 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
- Mop the floor
- Clean the toilet
- Clean the bathtub and shower
- Water the plants
- Refill the pet's water bowl
- Feed the pet
- Walk the dog
- Clean the litter box
- Clean the pet cage or tank
- Bring in the mail
- Pull weeds
- Rake leaves
- Wash the car
- Shovel snow
- Brush their teeth morning and night
- Get dressed by themselves
- Lay out clothes the night before
- Pack their own bag for a trip
- Keep track of their own homework
- Wake up with their own alarm
- Change a light bulb
Jobs the 16-year-old can lead and the 13-year-old can join
- Cook a family dinner (older alone from 14, younger starts from 11)
- Clean out the fridge (older alone from 14, younger starts from 11)
- Plan the week's meals (older alone from 16, younger starts from 12)
- Do their own laundry start to finish (older alone from 14, younger starts from 12)
- Iron clothes (older alone from 15, younger starts from 12)
- Mow the lawn (older alone from 14, younger starts from 12)
- 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)
- Look after a younger sibling for a while (older alone from 14, younger starts from 12)
- Do basic home repairs (older alone from 16, younger starts from 13)
Jobs only the 16-year-old starts
- 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 13 | At 16 | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily jobs | 3 to 5 | a fair share of the household |
| Weekly jobs | 2 or 3, including one they own start to finish | whole areas they own, like their laundry and one family dinner |
| Time | 30 to 45 minutes a day | what an adult housemate would do |
Jobs both can do alone: 10 more are alone-level for the 16-year-old but still need a helper for the 13-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.