Kitchen Chores For Kids By Age

Child's hands washing plate in kitchen sink.Kids age 6 and up can rinse dishes and load the dishwasher.

Kitchen chores for kids by age. At what age can a child set and clear the table? When can a kid take out the garbage? Kitchen patrol isn't anyone's favorite chore, but it beats cleaning the bathroom hands-down. 

You could always give your kids the option of scrubbing the toilet if they're not in the mood to rinse dishes and put them in the dishwasher.

Once a child reaches a particular skill or age level, he can generally do the kitchen chores for kids by age and those for the age groups below.

Kitchen Chores for Kids by Age 2 and Under:

  • Close cabinet doors and drawers.
  • Turn on the dishwasher.
  • Help set the table.

Kitchen Chores for Kids by Age 3 to 5:

Previous chores, plus:

  • Place dirty dishes on the counter.
  • Sponge down the play table.
  • Help unload the dishwasher.

kitchen Chores For Kids by Age 6 to 9:

Previous chores, plus:

  • Help make breakfast.
  • Do simple cooking tasks such as rinsing vegetables.
  • Set and clear the table.
  • Put dishes into the dishwasher.
  • Wipe up spills on countertops and on the kitchen table.
  • Wipe the table, chairs, high chair, counters, and cooktop or range.
  • Wipe down interior of the microwave.
  • Sweep or vacuum the floor and damp mop any spills.
  • Bring groceries in from the car.
  • Help put away groceries.
  • Empty and wipe wastebaskets clean, using disinfecting wipes.

Kitchen Chores for Kids by Age 10 to 13:

Young girl drying dinner plate.Unloading the dishwasher is a suitable chore for kids age 2 and up.

Previous chores, plus:

  • Pour beverages for meals.
  • Help hand-wash dishes.
  • Unload the dishwasher.
  • Disinfect countertops.
  • Surface clean the fridge. (This would include a lesson on reading package expiration dates and removing expired food from the interior.)

Age 14 to 17:

Previous chores, plus:

  • Prepare meals.
  • Clean and disinfect the sink.
  • Organize the pantry.
  • Scrub or strip and wax floors.


You Might Like These:

  • Each week, or at least once a month, clean your car's dashboard and doors. But plan to do your car cleaning with kids! They did help muck it up, after all.

    Car Cleaning With Kids

    Each week, or at least once a month, clean your car's dashboard and doors. But plan to do your car cleaning with kids! They did help muck it up, after all.

  • Yearly kids chores by age. Which yearly kids chores can you reasonably expect kids to help with? Here's a simple guide to age appropriate annual chores.

    Yearly Kids Chores by Age

    Yearly kids chores by age. Which yearly kids chores can you reasonably expect kids to help with? Here's a simple guide to age appropriate annual chores.

  • A simple guide to age appropriate daily kids chores by age that you can reasonably expect your child to help out with.

    Daily Kids Chores by Age

    A simple guide to age appropriate daily kids chores by age that you can reasonably expect your child to help out with.

  • At what age can a child set and clear the table? This quick guide for chores by age will help make kitchen cleaning with kids a snap.

    Kitchen Cleaning With Kids

    At what age can a child set and clear the table? This quick guide for chores by age will help make kitchen cleaning with kids a snap.

  • Assigning kids chores by age. Getting kids to help with cleaning isn't easy, especially in the beginning. This guide to kids chores can help.

    Assigning Kids Chores by Age

    Assigning kids chores by age. Getting kids to help with cleaning isn't easy, especially in the beginning. This guide to kids chores can help.

  • Pet chores for kids. At what age can a child help clean the litter box? Wash the dog? These pet chores by age can help you decide which chores are appropriate for your kids.

    Pet Chores for Kids by Age

    Pet chores for kids. At what age can a child help clean the litter box? Wash the dog? These pet chores by age can help you decide which chores are appropriate for your kids.

  • YTeaching kids household chores. You want household chores to be shared by everyone in the family. But are you sabotaging those beginner efforts instead of encouraging them?

    Teaching Kids Household Chores: 10 Rules for Teaching Kids

    YTeaching kids household chores. You want household chores to be shared by everyone in the family. But are you sabotaging those beginner efforts instead of encouraging them?

  • Garage cleaning with kids is the ideal time to ooh and ahh over all your old treasures and reevaluate whether to keep them.

    Garage Cleaning With Kids

    Garage cleaning with kids is the ideal time to ooh and ahh over all your old treasures and reevaluate whether to keep them.



Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.