Children as young as three can be guided to help parents with household chores. For younger kids, the idea is to develop the habit of helping at home. As they grow older, they can be given tasks that actually lighten their parents’ workload. Here are some suggested chores for kids according to their ages.
Chores for Three- to Four-Year Olds
At these ages, children enjoy copying what their parents do. They love pushing a toy stroller or mini supermarket cart around, cooking with a plastic toy cooking set or may attempt to try to make their own beds. Encourage attempts to help but don’t expect perfection. The children will still need lots of help from adults to perform simple tasks. For example, help them to develop tidy habits by giving them child-friendly and child-level storage. Remember, giving a three- or four-year-old simple chores paves the way for later household helpfulness. Simple chores include:
- Putting away toys.
- Feeding a pet.
- Setting the table (with utensils provided).
- Taking his bowl, plate and cup to the kitchen after meals.
Chores for Preschoolers
Preschoolers are ready to take on some real but small jobs at home. Start with personal chores such as brushing teeth, getting dressed and putting dirty clothes in the laundry basket. They too need help from their parents to be organized. Help them figure out where to put what by sticking pictures on the outside of storage boxes or drawers. Other suitable chores for preschoolers include:
- Making the bed.
- Dusting and wiping.
- Simple food preparation that doesn’t involve the use of sharp or hot objects (washing fruits, mixing a salad, taking out food from the pantry to the kitchen table, etc).
Chores for School Children
These kids are older, stronger and understand basic instructions. So they can be entrusted with heavier tasks such as:
- Raking leaves and watering plants.
- Tidying and cleaning up their rooms.
- Putting away groceries.
- Folding clothes and matching socks.
- Walking the dog.
Chores for Junior High School Children and Beyond
By now, kids who’ve helped since before preschool will have mastered many household tasks. They can contribute to household chores with minimal or no adult supervision at all. They can do the following tasks:
- Packing their own school lunchboxes.
- Helping with meal preparations.
- Doing laundry.
- Changing bedsheets.
- Mopping the floor and cleaning windows.
- Running errands and shopping.
- Looking after younger siblings.
Parents should encourage children to help with household tasks from young. However, be sure the chores are suitable for their ages and skills. Chores for three- to four-year-olds and preschoolers should be light, simple and with help from adults. Chores for school or junior high school children can be heavier with little or no parental supervision.
Those who find this article useful may also like to read Kids and Household Chores, Teaching Young Children Household Chores and Getting Older Children to Do Housechores.
References:
Cooper, Carol; Halsey, Claire; Laurent, Su; and Sullivan, Karen. Your Child Year by Year. London: Dorling Kindersley, 2008.
Baglivi Tinglof, Christina. The Organized Parent. New York: Contemporary Books, 2002.
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