Chores for Kids by Age: Free Printable List (2 to 12+)

Pick your child's age to see the chores they can usually do on their own, the ones they're ready to learn now, and what's coming next. Then print the one-page list for the fridge.

How to teach a new chore

Children rarely get a chore right the first time. A simple four-step ladder works for most jobs:

Show them. Do the chore while they watch, and say each step out loud.
Do it together. They do part of it with you.
Watch them. They do it while you stay close. Help only if they ask.
Let them do it alone. Check at the end, not the middle.

Most children spend a while on steps 2 and 3. That's why this guide splits each age into "ready to learn now" and "can usually do alone": a chore usually moves from one to the other over a year or two of practice.

Tips that make chores stick

Add one new chore at a time. Wait until it's routine before adding another.
Tie chores to a time of day. "Plate in the sink after dinner" is easier to remember than "help more".
Be specific about done. "Toys in the box, books on the shelf" beats "tidy your room".
Praise the effort, accept imperfect. Redoing their work teaches them it doesn't count.
Use fewer reminders. A chart on the fridge does the reminding, so you don't have to.
Keep it fair between siblings. Older children can take on more, but it should feel fair. The chore chart maker splits shared jobs by age and rotates them weekly.

Paid or unpaid?

Families do this differently. A common approach is to keep everyday chores unpaid, because everyone who lives in the house helps, and pay only for extra jobs. If you're working on one habit rather than a list of chores, a reward chart with a small reward on the way often works better than money.

About these ages

There's no official age for each chore. We compared lists from pediatric organisations and parenting sources (linked below). They often differ by a year or two, so the ages here show when many children can start with help. Your child may be earlier or later, and that's fine. Children with additional needs may follow a different order: go by what your child can do, not the number.

Questions parents ask

What chores can a 3-year-old do?

Simple one-step jobs: putting toys away, clothes in the hamper, clearing their own plate and helping feed a pet. Do it with them at first and keep it short.

What chores can a 5-year-old do?

Most 5-year-olds can put toys away and clear their plate on their own, and are ready to learn making their bed, setting the table, matching socks, watering plants, dusting, wiping the table and tidying their room with help.

What chores can an 8-year-old do?

On top of the younger jobs, many 8-year-olds can start loading the dishwasher, vacuuming one room, taking out the trash and cleaning the bathroom sink, while still practising unloading the dishwasher and folding laundry, which often start around 7.

What chores can a 10 to 12-year-old do?

Washing dishes, mopping, changing bed sheets and, by 11 or 12, cleaning a bathroom, doing their own laundry and cooking a simple meal with an adult at home.

How many chores should a child have?

Start with one or two daily jobs and add one new chore at a time. The chore chart maker uses rough times (5, 15 or 30 minutes) so older children take a bigger share without anyone being overloaded.

Why do different lists give different ages?

There's no official age for each chore, and children differ. Lists from pediatric groups and parenting sites often disagree by a year or two. The ages here are when many children can start with help, not when they must manage alone.

Sources we compared

Last reviewed: 2026-10-29 by Ali Haider

Chores for Kids by Age

What can my child do?

Can usually do alone

Ready to learn now

Coming up next

Printable chores by age list