Think of some famous musician, sports player, or artist. How did they acquire the skills they have? Chances are for most of them it took work, lots and lots of dedicated work, learned sequentially and methodically, to achieve the level they are at now. The same lesson applies to us and to our children. Any task our children need to master are made up of separate steps.

When teaching a new skill to my children, I follow these steps:

1. They watch me.
2. They work with me.
3. I watch them – offering correction or helpful suggestions
4. They do it on their own without supervision.

These steps may take just a day or two or spread out to several weeks or even months depending on the skill needing to be learned. We can start our children at a young age to teach them to be self-reliant, productive, reliable, and responsible.

All children are unique. They develop physically and mentally at different rates from other children. As your child’s coordination, ability and understanding increase, so can their level of responsibility in the home. Below is a general guideline of chores and life skills that children in a certain age-range should be able to accomplish. It is not all encompassing – there is many things not listed. If you notice I kept the age range very broad, especially in the 6-12 year category. You are the best judge of your child’s capabilities so keep that in mind when reading through the list.

Ages 2-3

Begin to dress self
Help make bed – at least pull up covers
Pick Up Toys
Hang clothing on hooks
Carry laundry to and from laundry area
Help fold towels
Empty light trash cans
Dust
Carry plate to sink after meals
Put silverware in dishwasher
Help feed animals
Help wipe up spills
Dry unbreakable dishes
Sweep
Bring in newspaper
Mop a small area
Pour from a small pitcher
Pull weeds
Fetch diapers
Help pick up living room

Ages 4-5

Dress self
Make own bed
Clear dishes from table
Set table
Retrieve the mail
Dust
Water plants
Help in the kitchen – stirring, ripping lettuce, drying dishes
Help carry and put away groceries
Wash toys when needed
Help rake yard
Help wash car and clean interior
Sweep patio
Wash floors, low walls with sponge
Put away own clothes – put dirty clothes in hamper
Sort clean clothes by family member
Sort dirty clothes by color
Hang towel after bath
Help load the dishwasher

Ages 6-12

Make bed
Take care of pets – clean cages and feed them
Cook simple foods – use simple recipes
Make school lunches
Help with yard work
Help wash car
Wash, hang, and fold laundry
Vacuum, sweep and mop
Straighten up house
Wash, dry, and put away dishes
Clean bathroom completely
Rake leaves, shovel snow
Weed and water garden
Use washer and dryer
Take out trash
Strip and change beds
Iron
Polish shoes
Write Thank You notes
Wake Up with alarm clock
Answer telephone – dial and call, take messages
Simple First Aid
Money Basics – earning, donating, saving, spending
Help younger siblings eat, get dressed
Be responsible for own schedule

Ages 13 and Up

Any of the above, plus:
Change light bulbs
Replace vacuum cleaner bag
Wash inside and outside windows
Clean out refrigerator
Clean stove and oven
Prepare a meal
Make grocery lists
Shop for groceries
Cook meals
Do all laundry functions
Iron clothes
Do clothes mending, repairs
Mow lawn
Trim yard
Wash and polish car
Maintain a bicycle – air tires, oil squeaks
Help paint and caulk
Help with car maintenance – change tires, check oil, pump gas (check age limit for state)
Write checks or use credit/debit cards

Here is a printable pdf file for those who would like to print this off for reference.


Age Appropriate Chores/Skills

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