Age-Appropriate Chores for Toddlers to Teens

Chores are a good way to build character in our kids. It’s great for them to start young with age-appropriate tasks so they grow to become self-reliant, independent, and responsible at home.

Leading child development organizations such as Zero To Three, American Society for the Positive Care of Children, and Child Mind Institute consistently recommend chores in fostering life skills.

And as parents, we’d like to hope these character-building skills carry on to their teenage and adult years.

How Chores Foster Emotional and Social Intelligence

Sweeping the floor or setting the table may seem small. But these everyday moments are powerful opportunities for building emotional regulation, empathy, cooperation, and resilience

When a task doesn’t go as planned, children face frustration head-on. This helps build frustration tolerance, better emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills.

By participating in the upkeep of a home, they gain more than practical skills:

- They experience frustration tolerance when things don’t go smoothly.

- Communication and cooperation grow, especially with activities that require teamwork.

- Patience, empathy, and independence are cultivated as children take responsibility and learn to manage delayed gratification.

Chores You Can Assign According to Their Age

According to a University of Minnesota study tracking children into adulthood, those who started doing chores as early as age 3 were more likely to have strong relationships, succeed academically, and be self-sufficient later in life.

Meanwhile, research by Marty Rossmann, an emeritus associate professor of family education, shows that involving children in household tasks when they’re much older or in their teens is correlated to poorer outcomes.

So here’s a few lists of chores to start:

Toddlers — 2 - 3 Year Olds

Collect toys from the floor and place them in the toy bin.

Simply ask to throw trash away.

Wipe spills on their food tray with a cloth.

Wash their hands with help

Copycat chores or chores they can mimic from mom and dad

Pre-Schoolers — 4 - 5 Year Olds

Make beds

Water flowers

Help choose snacks and pack their bags for school.

Help sort the dirty laundry according to color

Help with the fridge inventory before going grocery shopping.

Help put snacks in the cabinet after grocery shopping.

Elementary — 6 - 9 Year Olds

Help put groceries away

Sweep floors or vacuum

Set the table and clear the table

Cook rice and easy meals like pancakes or prepare snacks

Load and unload the dishwasher

Teens — 10 - 13+ Year Olds

Wash dishes

Run a laundry cycle and fold their own clothes

Clean windows and their own bathroom

Cook their own meals

Mow the lawn, supervised

Run errands

Helping to bring their siblings into chores with teamwork in mind.

The Path to Adulthood Does Start at Home

We didn’t know it when we were kids ourselves...but chores made us responsible adults. And because we’ve lived to build our own homes and nurture our new families, we can also teach the same skills we learned in our childhood. 

It could be as simple as the best ways to fold clothes for an organized closet or knowing how to keep a house clean even during school nights.

What are the key principles to character building through helping around the house?

1. Start them young.

Progressive parenting embraces inviting children to participate in family life from an early age. Young children often enjoy helping and feel proud of their contributions.

2. Match their chores to development.

As children mature, chores can become more complex. Rather than assigning chores strictly by age, assignments can be tailored to a child’s unique developmental stage, interests, and abilities.

3. Build skills over time.

Chores help children develop responsibility, self-esteem, and real-life skills necessary for adulthood. Encourage your kids to reflect on their experiences and try new tasks naturally to develop adaptability, initiative, and resilience.

4. Create a space for monitoring and support.

Supervision and encouragement are important, particularly for new or more challenging tasks. It’s mentoring and listening. Provide guidance rather than control, offer encouragement, praise effort, and help children navigate setbacks or frustration

Organizations and Additional Resources on Parenting

If you’re first-time parents or parenting solo, there are organizations and resources available to help you through this journey.

- Zero To Three is an authority on early childhood development. They develop training programs, advocacy, and resources for parents and professionals focusing on the first three years of life.

- American SPCC offers educational resources, parent coaching, tools for positive discipline, and guidance for nurturing children's well-being and life skills.

- Child Mind Institute is a non-profit focused on children’s mental health, learning disorders, and offering resources and clinical guidance for parents and caregivers.

- NPEN Network offers evidence-based parent education and life skills training programs, recommended by the National Parenting Education Network.

These are but some of the many organizations using an evidence-based approach that can help educate new parents on their journey. More often than not, they also provide free or publicly available resources that you can access online.

Raising Good People Starts At Home

Character isn’t shaped overnight. It grows with every opportunity kids have to help, learn, and take responsibility around the house. Age-appropriate chores do far more than instill practical skills.

As parents, your support and encouragement make all the difference. When we involve our children in keeping our home a safe and clean place to live, we nurture positivity, collaboration, and lay the foundation for emotional, social, and character strengths.

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