Age-appropriate chores for kids: a list by age, from toddlers to teens
Written by the KlusQuest team · Checked on
Age-appropriate chores start small: 2- and 3-year-olds can tidy toys and fill a pet's water bowl, 5- to 7-year-olds can make their bed and set the table, 8- to 10-year-olds can vacuum and put away groceries, and 11- and 12-year-olds can clean the bathroom and cook a simple meal with supervision.
The lists below come from the American Academy of Pediatrics and from Raising Children Network, an Australian government-funded parenting site. We quote them as published and add one thing: how to turn a list into a weekly routine your child can actually stick to.
Chores first, then screen time. You set the missions, approve with one tap, and the app says stop.
What chores can kids do at each age? (American Academy of Pediatrics)
| Age | Chores the AAP lists |
|---|---|
| 5 to 7 | Make their own bed, set and clear the table, weed and rake leaves, make and pack school lunches, dust, put toys away, neaten bookshelves, put dirty clothes in a hamper, fill the pet's food dish, empty wastebaskets, sweep floors, sort laundry, bring in the mail, water flowers, wash plastic dishes in the sink |
| 8 to 10 | All of the above, plus vacuum, help make dinner, make their own snacks, take a pet for a walk, put away their own laundry, put away groceries |
| 11 to 12 | All of the above, plus clean the kitchen, change bedsheets, unload the dishwasher, do and fold laundry, scrub toilets and clean the bathroom, wash the car, cook a simple meal with supervision, watch younger siblings with an adult present at home |
What about toddlers and teenagers?
| Age | Chores Raising Children Network suggests |
|---|---|
| 2 to 3 (toddlers) | Help tidy up toys after play, help put laundry in the washing machine, help fill a pet's water bowl |
| 4 to 5 (preschoolers) | Set the table for meals, help prepare meals with your supervision, sort clean clothes into piles ready to fold, help with the grocery shopping and put groceries away |
| 12 to 18 (teenagers) | The chores they did when younger, but on their own; plus doing the laundry, cleaning the bathroom and toilet, mowing lawns, stacking the dishwasher, basic grocery shopping, cooking a simple family meal once a week |
Why do the two lists differ?
They are not in conflict; they cut the ages differently. The AAP list is written for school-age children and stops at 12. Raising Children Network covers toddlers to teenagers in four broad groups, and makes a point worth keeping: 'Children over 6 years old can have a say in which chores they do.'
Treat the ages as a direction, not a test. A 7-year-old who already loads the dishwasher does not need to wait until 11; a 10-year-old who has never vacuumed can start with their own room.
How do you pick chores that actually get done?
- Start with three — Three regular chores a week is a list a child can remember. Ten is a list nobody reads after the first weekend.
- Mix 'for me' and 'for us' — Making your own bed is for you; setting the table is for everyone. Both kinds show that a household runs on shared work.
- Make it checkable — 'Clean your room' is vague. 'Toys in the boxes, dirty clothes in the hamper' is something a child can check for themselves.
- Let them choose — Children over 6 can pick from the list. A chore they chose needs fewer reminders than one they were handed.
From a list to a mission board
In KlusQuest each chore becomes a mission on your child's mission board, on their own iPhone or iPad. They see what is waiting today, tick a chore off, and add a photo as proof if you ask for one on that chore. You approve with one tap, or send it back with a tip. Once you approve, the screen time they earned is theirs.
The screen below shows chores from the same lists: setting the table (from age 4 to 5 on the Raising Children list, 5 to 7 on the AAP list), tidying up toys and helping with the laundry. Two chores are already approved and waiting for your child to collect the coins.
A printable weekly chore chart
| Chore | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. …………………………… | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 2. …………………………… | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 3. …………………………… | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Questions parents ask
At what age can a child start doing chores?
Raising Children Network lists chores from age 2 to 3, such as helping to tidy up toys after play and helping to fill a pet's water bowl.
What chores can a 7-year-old do?
The AAP list for ages 5 to 7 includes making their own bed, setting and clearing the table, putting toys away, sorting laundry, emptying wastebaskets and watering flowers.
What chores can a 10-year-old do?
The AAP list for ages 8 to 10 adds vacuuming, helping make dinner, making their own snacks, walking a pet and putting away their own laundry and the groceries.
Should kids be rewarded for chores?
That is a family decision. In KlusQuest an approved chore earns screen time in apps you choose, or a real-life promise such as a movie night together. A missed day is never punished: an undone chore simply expires.
Does the mission board work on Android?
No. KlusQuest is for iPhone and iPad only, on iOS 17.4 or later.
Related guides and tools
Sources
Spotted a mistake? Email support@klusquest.com and we will correct it.
Chores first, then screen time. You set the missions, approve with one tap, and the app says stop.