What Chores Do Kids Like to Do Best?
Chores aren’t meant to punish kids or make their lives miserable. Rather, they’re crucial in helping little ones become responsible and independent adults.
Chores reinforce the concept that contributing to a household is required, no matter the age. However, it’s always a bit easier if your kids get to do the things they enjoy most!
Different Chores for Different Kids
To really create a habit or even get kids enthusiastic about doing their chores, you’ll need to figure what they like to do. Some children enjoy organizing or more tedious tasks, while others prefer more physical or “fun” chores. You probably already have an idea by now of the kinds of personalities your children have, but if there’s any doubt, you can always ask what they’d prefer to do and go from there.
It shouldn’t solely be based on personality and preferences, though. You also want to take age into consideration. After all, there are plenty of 4-year-olds out there who love the idea of mowing the lawn, but it’s probably not a smart idea. With that being said, let’s cover what age-appropriate chores are.
Age-Appropriate Chores
Assigning your child age-appropriate chores means that everyone is set up for success. They won’t be overwhelmed by a task too difficult for them, yet they are still challenged enough that it is a task. For example, assigning a 15-year-old the chore of unloading the dishwasher or setting the table is probably a bit too easy.
Assigning chores that are in alignment with your children’s ages and abilities can make choosing chores a much simpler process. After all, you don’t want to assign something too frustrating or dangerous.
Here are just a few of the most popular tasks for each age range, so you know where to start and how to progress:
Chores for Toddlers
Chores for toddlers aren’t really about the task themselves. Rather, it’s about getting them used to contributing to the household they live in and helping you out with simple things. Here are a few ideas:
Making the bed with your help
Putting away their toys
Tidying up while you prepare meals
Wiping down low surfaces
Chores for Kids Ages 4 to 7
By now, your child has probably already gotten used to helping out and is ready to try more challenging chores. Try to allow for a “training period” of doing the chore together until your child is able to complete by themselves.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Making bed by themselves
Using handheld vacuum to clean furniture
Setting the table
Watering plants
Helping with planting flowers or pulling small weeds
Chores for Kids Ages 8 to 11
At this age, most children really like feeling competent and responsible, regardless of the chore. Here are some chore ideas:
Vacuum, mop, sweep
Take out trash
Clean their bathroom/room
Prepare breakfast/lunch for themselves
Chores for Kids Ages 12+
At this age, your kids are starting to become more independent, and the chores you give them should reflect that. Here are some chore ideas for older kids:
Clean up after/feed and water pets
Babysit younger siblings
Help prepare dinner
Wash/dry clothes
Types of Chores
Now, let’s look into the different kinds of chores your child can do, depending on their interests and the occasion.
Special Occasion Chores
There are sometimes chores that aren’t required on a regular basis, or in a particular way. These are usually not particularly urgent but are perfect for little ones who want to help.
Design place cards
Make centerpiece
Arrange flowers in vases
Organize cheese/meat/cracker boards
Set table
Fun Chores
These are for those kids who enjoy getting dirty, physical activities, or simply need something that really engages their brains. If your child likes being active, is always running around or needs constant stimulation, they’ll love these.
Weed the garden
Mow the lawn
Pair up socks
Use tools to peel veggies, slice eggs, pit cherries, etc. (better for older children)
Put away silverware and small dishes
Anything to do with water, such as washing vegetables or fruit, serving water, etc.
Rewarding Chores
While younger kids may just like helping out, older children are more likely to appreciate that feeling of accomplishment or satisfaction after finishing a task. For example, isn’t it a great feeling once you’ve folded a massive load of laundry or raked all those leaves into a big, fluffy pile?
Vacuum the carpet/rugs
Make a meal
Fold clean clothes
Feed, brush, and water pets
Rake leaves
Mow the Lawn
Do the dishes
Wash the car
More Monotonous/Dull Chores
Some people just enjoy less exciting tasks, and that’s perfectly okay! After all, someone has to do them!
Load or unload the dishwasher
Put away dishes
Wipe up counters, stovetop, and tables
Put toys away
Clean the bathroom
Sort recycling
Take out trash
How to Assign Chores
Try to switch up chore assignments every once in a while to keep things interesting and your kids motivated. It kind of loses its significance if the chore is done every day for months. Progressing to new or more difficult tasks can add a bit of excitement that will keep chores from being so dull.
Take your child’s schedule into consideration when assigning chores. If they’re in school, try waiting a while after they come home to do their chores for the day. Give them a bit of time to relax before heading into more responsibilities.
Once you’ve assigned them, you can do so in a convenient app like Family Daily. You can sync it up to everyone’s devices, so there’s never a question of who has to do what. You can also use it with Google Calendar, creating convenient reminders so you can all plan accordingly.
No more need to deal with messy or inconsistent chalk or marker charts that you’d hang on the wall instead. Plus, you even get a convenient calendar setup within the app that color blocks out each task, to minimize confusion and make chore tracking easy.
