Human beings tend to find a sense of purpose and satisfaction in being capable and helpful. Children thrive when they are contributing members of the family. God created us to live in community with one another, helping and serving each other. That’s why doing so provides a sense of purpose, satisfaction, and belonging.
Below are examples of daily chore lists for kids, organized by age group. These are routines we follow at our house, and I hope they inspire you to create your own unique lists of helpful chores and responsibilities for your child.
Remember, the younger a child is, the less you can expect them to succeed at their tasks as you might hope, and the more you must work with the child to complete the task effectively.
Children should be encouraged in all activities to do their very best and to be praised when they try. Over time, they will improve their skills and gain proficiency. They cannot start where they will end. They must go through this learning process, which will be full of mistakes, spills, messes, and a general sense that you, as the parent, are not entirely in control. This is natural, normal, and necessary if they are to learn! It is an essential process if they are to serve with a joyful heart down the road, to become competent individuals with basic life skills, and to learn self-discipline.
Your burden as a parent becomes lighter when family members share some of the responsibilities of running a household. It makes everyone’s lives easier and happier in the long run! However, just as you don’t expect a child to start out having already mastered how to do chores and basic life skills, so you also can’t expect the ease and happiness that come from helpful children right from the very beginning. At first, it isn’t helpful! It can be difficult and may add some time to your own list of “to-dos” around the house, but that is the way this learning process works, and patient perseverance is required to see the benefits.
After the chore lists, you will see additional skills that children can practice during these formative years. Don’t expect all of them every day, or all at once, of course. Remember, these are ideas to get you started on creating your own unique list for your children!
Children 1-3 (Toddlers) Daily Chore List:
Make bed (basically pull the sheet somewhat over the bed!)
Pick up the room (as best they can)
Take out small trash bags from around the house
Bring a hairbrush to a parent so they can brush your hair
Listen to the Bible
Memorize short verses from the Bible
Bring dirty clothes to laundry room (a few items at a time)
Skills:
Practice cutting veggies with a real knife (using no-cut gloves and under close supervision)
With parent guiding their hands, teach how to use a peeler (using no-cut gloves)
Help wash veggies/fruit before use
Stir items on the stovetop
Shake seasoning over food
Add items to pots
Have children help you clean bathrooms—begin with a small spray bottle of just water and paper towels. Over time, teach them how to clean all they can safely reach in a bathroom properly.
Teach children how to straighten books in bookshelves
Have little ones help you fold laundry (they can fold small hand/kitchen towels and washcloths—not perfectly, but they can do it!) and then show them how to put all items away.
Get a small vacuum (either a small shop vac or a handheld vacuum) and show them how to use it. Give them small, short tasks that are actually helpful. Kids are not stupid, and they know when it is a time-wasting task and when it is needed (do you see dog hair on the stairs? Did you just spill Cheerios all over the floor? Perfect time to practice using the small vacuum!)
Teach them to dust items low to the ground, like side tables, coffee tables, the lowest bookshelves, and using a step-stool, even windowsills.
Children 4-6: Daily Chore List
Make bed
Pick up the room
Take out small trash bags from around the house and replace bags properly
Brush their own hair
Read the Bible
Memorize longer sections from the Bible
Feed and water animals
Change animal bedding/clean litter box
Learn to brush their teeth with supervision
Skills:
Take sheets off the bed and pillowcases to wash, and help the parent to put them back on
Dust all items they can reach with stepstools
Bring dirty laundry to the laundry room
Help fold and put away laundry
Cook more in the kitchen, including baking with a parent
Organize small areas like toy bins
Clean sections of the bathrooms
Pick up larger sections of the house
Sweep outside
Pull weeds
Set the table with utensils and easy-to-manage items
Carry plates and cups over to the sink after eating
Handwash some dishes
Children 7-12: Daily Chore List
Make bed
Pick up room
Take out trash
Brush hair
Read the Bible (include a younger sibling, if needed)
Memorize chapters from the Bible
Feed and water animals
Change animal bedding/clean litter box/scoop dog poop
Brush teeth
Skills:
Organize larger areas like pantries and closets
Clean and organize the garage
Go through their own toys and items periodically to both organize and learn to throw things out or donate items themselves
Dust
Vacuum
Clean bathrooms
Mop small floor areas like bathrooms
Prepare lunches
Help cook dinners
Learn to bake proficiently
Set the table
Clear the table
Wipe down countertops and tablecloths
Wash dishes and run the dishwasher
Laundry
Clean out the car and vacuum it
Teenagers:
By the time your child is a teenager, they should have all the major skills in place to run a home and feel competent alone in the kitchen. They should also be used to working daily to maintain that home. By this point, they should have a built-in routine for self-care and the care of others. These years offer a great time to start working on more specialized skills, such as home repair, auto repair, gardening, hunting, needlework, etc.
