Chores for a 3-year-old and an 8-year-old together
Sharing chores between a 3-year-old and an 8-year-old: 1 jobs both can do alone, 9 the older one can lead, and what only the older child starts.
Jobs both can do alone (the 3-year-old's level)
- Put dirty clothes in the hamper
Jobs the 8-year-old can lead and the 3-year-old can join
- Put toys away (older alone from 4, younger starts from 2)
- Hang up their coat and put shoes away (older alone from 4, younger starts from 3)
- Wash fruit and vegetables (older alone from 5, younger starts from 3)
- Match socks from the laundry (older alone from 5, younger starts from 3)
- Water the plants (older alone from 5, younger starts from 3)
- Refill the pet's water bowl (older alone from 5, younger starts from 3)
- Feed the pet (older alone from 6, younger starts from 3)
- Brush their teeth morning and night (older alone from 7, younger starts from 2)
- Get dressed by themselves (older alone from 5, younger starts from 3)
Jobs only the 8-year-old starts
- Make the bed (starts with help around 4)
- Tidy their bedroom (starts with help around 5)
- Pack their school bag the night before (starts with help around 6)
- Clear out the school backpack (starts with help around 7)
- Sort outgrown clothes and toys (starts with help around 8)
- Set the table (starts with help around 4)
- Clear the table after meals (starts with help around 4)
- Wipe the table and counters (starts with help around 4)
- Put groceries away (starts with help around 4)
- Unload the dishwasher (starts with help around 5)
- Make their own breakfast (starts with help around 6)
- Sweep the kitchen floor (starts with help around 6)
- Load the dishwasher (starts with help around 6)
- Pack their own lunch (starts with help around 7)
- Take out the kitchen trash (starts with help around 7)
- Wash dishes by hand (starts with help around 8)
- Put clean clothes away (starts with help around 4)
- Sort laundry by color (starts with help around 5)
- Fold laundry (starts with help around 5)
- Change the bed sheets (starts with help around 8)
- Dust furniture (starts with help around 4)
- Empty the small trash cans (starts with help around 5)
- Wipe the bathroom sink and mirror (starts with help around 7)
- Vacuum a room (starts with help around 7)
- Take the bins out on collection day (starts with help around 8)
- Clean windows and glass doors (starts with help around 8)
- Walk the dog (starts with help around 8)
- Bring in the mail (starts with help around 5)
- Pull weeds (starts with help around 5)
- Rake leaves (starts with help around 6)
- Wash the car (starts with help around 6)
- Lay out clothes the night before (starts with help around 5)
- Pack their own bag for a trip (starts with help around 7)
Suggested load for each
| At 3 | At 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily jobs | 1 or 2, done together | 3 or 4 |
| Weekly jobs | none yet | 1 or 2 |
| Time | about 5 minutes a day | 15 to 20 minutes a day |
Jobs both can do alone: 9 more are alone-level for the 8-year-old but still need a helper for the 3-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.