By the time children are ready to start school, they can also help around the house. Keep chores appropriate to a child's age to ensure success. Also make sure tasks are clearly defined in a list or chart form, so that child knows what he needs to do. This will make chores a natural part of a child's development and a habit that will grow as he does. You can also define a system of rewards by tracking what children accomplish. For children up to 10, you can ask for basic help around the house. Once children are 11 and older, chores become more diverse and can include some errands.
Two to Four Year Olds
Children who are just starting preschool should complete tasks that are appropriate to their physical development (height and motor skills) as well as their attention span. Chores that are appropriate for this age include picking up toys; dusting; helping set the table (start with napkins and spoons, moving to breakables and sharp, pointed objects in the later stages); feeding the dog, cat or fish and putting their own laundry in the hamper.
Five to Seven Year Olds
Kindergarten to second graders have finer motor skills and longer attention spans. Be sure to ask for chores to get completed after a child has had a break and a snack if chores are done in the afternoon. Otherwise, children will be too tired and overstimulated to do a good job. Chores appropriate to this age include cleaning up toys and books; laying the table; making their own bed; putting away groceries on low shelves; clearing the table and wiping counters and tables at night.
Eight to Ten Year Olds
Children at this age are able to bear more responsibility and can handle some heavier lifting. For this age, consider asking your children to clean their room; put away laundry; tidy play areas; be primarily responsible for pets (feeding, grooming, watering and bathing, with supervision); load and unload the dishwasher; set and clear the table and help with basic yard work, such as raking leaves or pulling weeds.
11 and Up
Children at this age are able to take on more responsibility outside the home. They can run short errands to the market by walking or using their bike. You can also ask them to sort, launder, dry and fold their own laundry as well as keep their rooms clean. Other chores might include vacuuming; cleaning sinks and floors; watching siblings for a short time; taking out the garbage and doing the dishes.
