chores for kids per age!

Sometimes, getting kids to help out around the house can be a little tricky. Believe it or not, chores are incredibly beneficial for children. However, there is a lot to consider before assigning chores to your kids. 

Today we are sharing a great tool; the best kids chores list per age. You might wonder what kind of chores to give them, how to divide the tasks fairly, and how to motivate your kids to get the chores done.  

Gradually increasing the expectations, you place on your kids helps them mature, gives them confidence, and teaches them valuable life skills they’ll need when they are no longer living under your roof. 

What you should know about age-appropriate chores!

Firstly, chores teach children important skills they will use throughout their lives 

For example, if children help cook dinner every night, they will learn lifelong cooking skills. Even doing simple things like stirring can set a good foundation for more learning in the future. 

Secondly, chores teach children responsibility  

When children are held accountable for completing specific tasks, they learn leadership skills and become self-reliant. Responsibility is an important skill to learn as children grow older. 

Thirdly, when children do chores, they are often doing tasks that help their parents  

Over time, this will help them be more aware of other peoples’ needs, rather than their own. This will also help your child develop their maturity level.  

Believe it or not but doing household chores when children are as young as three and four plays a role in a child’s future success.  

Should kids have chores? The answer is- yes! Chores are hugely beneficial for kids! 

However, it’s important not to stress children out with too many chores. There should be a healthy balance of playtime and things like homework and chores. Otherwise, kids can get stressed out. 

How to get kids to do chores?

We’ve all heard the excuses like, “I’ll do it later! I don’t want to! Can’t my sister do it? Or But, I did it yesterday” I know I hear them too.  

When given the appropriate circumstances, children are very savvy when it comes to excuses. 

You’ve probably heard of these excuses before. You are probably wondering how to get kids to do chores. Here are some helpful tips! 

• Take away the distractions. Turn off the electronics and put away the toys. You can promise your child they can enjoy those things after their chores. My dad used to tell us that chores got done early in the morning so we could have the rest of the day to play. It still feels natural to me, as an adult, to tackle chores in the morning. 
  

Also, ask your children what they plan to do when they are done with their chores. Then, you can encourage them to finish their chores so they can have fun after. 

• Set a time limit for chores. For example, you might say, “Please pick up your toys in the next fifteen minutes.” This can motivate your children to get their chores done when you tell them to.  

Of course, if your child cannot tell time yet, you will likely want to use other ways to motivate him/her. Or grab a kitchen times gadget or use your phone. The timer in our phones works wonders.  

• Reward good behavior. If your child can tell time, consider rewarding them for getting chores done on time.  

For example, you may say something like, “If you can pick up your toys in the next fifteen minutes, you can stay up for fifteen extra minutes before bedtime.” My kids absolutely loved this one! 

• Set a good example. If you are leaving your things lying around, your child will probably do the same. If you want your child to clean up their toys, for example, make sure you’re not leaving your things lying around too. Otherwise, your child will be less likely to listen to what you tell them to do. 

Additionally, remember that children are eager to help. If you have a positive attitude and set a good example, then your child will be more likely to help out around the house without too much of a struggle. Be sure to show your child exactly how to do the chore first, easing them into the routine of doing them. 

Complete chore chart / list age

Here’s a list of tasks- chores by age at which you can safely introduce them: 

How to mAKE chores fun for kids

If you are not paying your child to do chores, is there a way to make doing chores fun? The answer is- yes! By trying a point system for chores. 

Start by making a list of chores for your kids and assigning a point value for each task. Small chores like making the bed may be worth one or two points, while a chore like vacuuming may be worth five points.  

As a suggestion, have a minimum number of points your child must collect each day or week. This way, your child can learn to budget his/her time. 

Moreover, you could allow your child to exchange the points for rewards. For example, ten points could be worth a piece of candy or a sticker. Your child can choose to save up his/her points for larger rewards.  

Maybe 100 points is a trip to the ice cream shop, while 500 (or 1,000) can be a trip to an amusement park. Whenever you are able to visit due to the pandemic. A point system for chores can be fun! 

Another suggestion is to make a game of doing chores. For example, you could play basketball by throwing dirty clothes into the laundry hamper or by putting toys into a toy bin. 

Another way is to sing kids’ songs about cleaning up. Think, Mary Poppins.  

In the end, if you have a positive attitude about a chore, your child is more likely to have a positive attitude about it too! 

Keep in mind that kids mature at their own pace and not all kids will be capable of advanced chores at the same age.

Likewise, some children may be ready for more difficult chores at a younger age. You are in the best position to supervise and evaluate your child’s needs and abilities.  

You can advance children through more challenging chores as they master the basic ones.

It can be easy to let kids continue to perform the same chores because they’re good at them but introducing new chores at regular intervals will actually benefit them in the long wrong.

Institute a training period with new chores while teaching them the ins and outs of new tasks.

We hope you find these household chores tips and chore chart ideas for kids- per age helpful.

I have implemented them with my kids from an early age, and now as teenagers, they automatically work on tidying up around them without much telling. Here are a few ways teenagers can help around the house. 

The great thing about this chore chart (or chore list) is you can completely customize them with the chores/responsibilities that work best for you and your family. 

We hope you enjoy yourself today and keep checking back for ongoing tips, guides and great shopping!