Kitchen chores for 9-year-olds
Kitchen & meals jobs at 9: 9 most children do alone and 4 to start with you, with the time, how often and points for each.
Kitchen chores at 9
| 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 | With you | 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 | With you | 10 min | Daily | 10 |
| Take out the kitchen trash | On their own | 5 min | Daily | 5 |
| Wash dishes by hand | With you | 20 min | Daily | 15 |
| Clean the microwave | With you | 10 min | Weekly | 10 |
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 9
- Load the dishwasher (alone from about 10)
- Pack their own lunch (alone from about 10)
- Wash dishes by hand (alone from about 11)
- Clean the microwave (alone from about 11)
Most 9-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
- Take out the kitchen trash
Coming next in this area
- Clean the kitchen after dinner (starts with help around 10)
- Cook a family dinner (starts with help around 11)
- Clean out the fridge (starts with help around 11)
⚠️ 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.
A day of jobs at 9
- Daily jobs
- 3 or 4
- Weekly jobs
- 1 or 2
- Time
- 15 to 20 minutes a day
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 9-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
- Chores for 9-year-olds
- Tidying chores for 9-year-olds
- Laundry chores for 9-year-olds
- Cleaning chores for 9-year-olds
- Kitchen chores for 7-year-olds
- Kitchen chores for 8-year-olds
- Kitchen chores for 10-year-olds
- Kitchen chores for 11-year-olds
- How to teach kids to wash fruit and vegetables
- How to teach kids to set the table
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.