Chores by age

Age-appropriate chores for kids

Chore ideas for ages 2–3, 4–5, 6–8, 9–12, and 13+, with a free printable PDF.

Kids can help around the house much earlier than most parents expect. A 3-year-old can put toys in a bin, and by 9 or 10 most kids can run the dishwasher. The list below gives age-appropriate chores for toddlers through teens. Every kid is different, so treat these as ideas, not rules. Younger chores still count as they grow.

Chore list by age

Chores for ages 2–3

  • Put toys in a bin
  • Put clothes in the hamper
  • Wipe up small spills
  • Help feed the pet
  • Put books on the shelf
  • Dust with a sock on their hand

Chores for ages 4–5

  • Make the bed (their way!)
  • Set napkins and spoons
  • Match socks
  • Water plants
  • Clear their own plate
  • Help unload groceries

Chores for ages 6–8

  • Put away clean laundry
  • Sweep the floor
  • Empty small trash cans
  • Help pack lunch
  • Feed the pet on their own
  • Make their own snack

Chores for ages 9–12

  • Load and unload the dishwasher
  • Vacuum a room
  • Take out the trash and recycling
  • Fold and put away laundry
  • Help cook simple meals
  • Wash the car

Chores for teens (13+)

  • Do their own laundry
  • Clean the bathroom
  • Mow the lawn
  • Cook a family dinner
  • Do a grocery run with a list
  • Babysit a younger sibling

Download the chores by age PDF

The same list on one printable page, with a checkbox next to each chore.

Chores by Age printable listing chores for ages 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12 and 13 plus Download PDF

Tips for giving kids chores

  • Start with 2 or 3 chores. Add more as they get the hang of it.
  • Show them once, then let them do it their way. A bed made by a 5-year-old won't look like yours, and that's fine. Done beats perfect.
  • Grow the list with them. Keep the easy chores they already do, and add one new, harder chore at a time.
  • Make it visible. A chart or app they can check on their own means less reminding from you.

Once you've picked the chores, ChoreHub can keep track for you: each kid gets their own list, streaks, and badges, and allowance adds itself up. Free.

Ready to put it on the fridge? Get a free printable chore chart for ages 4–6, 7–10, or 11–14, or a blank one to fill in.