Kitchen chores for 16-year-olds
Kitchen & meals jobs at 16: 17 most children do alone and 0 to start with you, with the time, how often and points for each.
Kitchen chores at 16
| Job | Stage | Time | How often | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wash fruit and vegetables | On their own | 5 min | Daily | 5 |
| Clear the table after meals | On their own | 5 min | Daily | 5 |
| Put groceries away | On their own | 10 min | Weekly | 10 |
| Set the table | On their own | 5 min | Daily | 5 |
| Wipe the table and counters | On their own | 3 min | Daily | 5 |
| Unload the dishwasher | On their own | 10 min | Daily | 10 |
| Load the dishwasher | On their own | 10 min | Daily | 10 |
| Make their own breakfast | On their own | 10 min | Daily | 10 |
| Sweep the kitchen floor | On their own | 10 min | Weekly | 10 |
| Pack their own lunch | On their own | 10 min | Daily | 10 |
| Take out the kitchen trash | On their own | 5 min | Daily | 5 |
| Wash dishes by hand | On their own | 20 min | Daily | 15 |
| Clean the microwave | On their own | 10 min | Weekly | 10 |
| Clean the kitchen after dinner | On their own | 20 min | Daily | 15 |
| Clean out the fridge | On their own | 30 min | Monthly | 15 |
| Cook a family dinner | On their own | 60 min | Weekly | 20 |
| Plan the week's meals | On their own | 30 min | Weekly | 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.
Most 16-year-olds can do alone
- 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
- Cook a family dinner
- Clean out the fridge
- Plan the week's meals
⚠️ Safety notes for these jobs: Unload the dishwasher: Sharp knives and heavy or breakable dishes stay with a grown-up at first. Little ones can start with cutlery (no knives) and plastic items. Make their own breakfast: Start with cold breakfasts (cereal, yogurt, fruit). Toasters and kettles come later, once they have been shown how and you have watched them a few times. Load the dishwasher: Knives go in point down or are left for a grown-up. Show them which items must never go in the dishwasher. Wash dishes by hand: Warm, not hot, water. Knives and glassware stay with a grown-up until they are confident. Clean the microwave: Let any steaming bowl cool before it comes out, and unplug or switch off before wiping inside. Cook a family dinner: Teach knife skills, pan handles turned inward and what to do with a pan fire before they cook alone. A grown-up stays nearby for the first several meals.
A day of jobs at 16
- Daily jobs
- a fair share of the household
- Weekly jobs
- whole areas they own, like their laundry and one family dinner
- Time
- what an adult housemate would do
What these jobs teach
- kitchen hygiene
- curiosity about food
- helping with meals
- counting and matching
- helping the family
- table manners
- everyone helps after a meal
- carrying things carefully
In TaskFamily these become jobs on your 16-year-old's own screen, with points, repeat days and the Trust Ladder to move each job from "check every time" to spot checks.
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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.