Daily Chores for Kids by Age (the 15-Minute Habit)

Let's be honest. The daily grind is challenging enough, and I'm just talking about the kids, carpools and errands. Adding "get the kids to help around the house" to the list sounds like one more job for you.

It isn't, once it's a habit. Daily chores are the small, quick jobs that keep a house from sliding into chaos: making the bed, clearing a plate, feeding the dog, hanging up a towel. Ten or fifteen minutes a day, spread across the family, and the house stays under control without anyone losing a Saturday.

Here's what kids can do every day, by age, and how to build it into the routine you already have. (For the big-picture guide to chores at every age, see Chores for Kids by Age.)

How Much Time Should Daily Chores Take?

That's it. Daily chores should be quick. The bigger jobs, like changing sheets, cleaning the bathroom and vacuuming, are weekly chores.

The age ranges are a starting point, not a rulebook. A careful 11-year-old can take on some teen chores. A distractible 14-year-old can stick with the 9-to-12 list a little longer. Go by what your child can do safely and well.

Daily Chores for Toddlers (Ages 2 to 3)

Toddlers love to help, so put that enthusiasm to work while it lasts.

• Bring you a diaper (and the wipes, for extra credit)
• Put toys in bins or low drawers
  
• Put dirty clothes in a low hamper
  
• Help pull clean clothes out of the dryer
  
• Pick up stray books and put them in a basket
  
• Put a napkin at each place when you set the table
  
• Hang a towel on a low hook
  

The key: give them one specific job at a time. "Put the cars in the red bin" works. "Clean up" doesn't.

Daily Chores for Preschoolers (Ages 4 to 5)

Everything above (except the diaper!), plus:

• Pull up the comforter on their bed
• Put toys and games away, with all the pieces in the box
  
• Carry their dirty dishes to the counter
  
• Help unload the dishwasher (silverware sorting is perfect for this age)
  
• Carry clean clothes to their room
  
• Fill the pet's water dish
  
• Bring their backpack in from the car and hang it on its hook
  

Daily Chores for Ages 6 to 8

Everything above, plus:

• Make their bed every morning
• Hang up their towel after a bath or shower
  
• Sort dirty clothes from the ones that can be worn again, and put each where it goes
  
• Feed the pet, and exercise it (a walk, a game of fetch)
  
• Help make breakfast: pour cereal, butter toast, slice a banana
  
• Set and clear the table
  
• Rinse fruits and vegetables for dinner
  
• Empty small trash cans and recycling into the big bins
  
• Collect the trash from the car
  

Daily Chores for Ages 9 to 12

Everything above, plus:

• Unload the dishwasher on their own
• Hand-wash a few pots or dishes after dinner
  
• Pour drinks at meals
  
• Pack their own school lunch
  
• Wipe down the kitchen counters after dinner
  
• Wipe the bathroom sink and counter after they brush their teeth
  
• Clean the pet's bowls
  
• Take out the trash and recycling, and put a new bag in the can
  
• Take the kitchen scraps out to the compost
  

Daily Chores for Teens (Ages 13 to 18)

Everything above, plus:

• Make a simple meal or one part of dinner (a salad, the pasta, the side dish)
• Load the dishwasher and run it
  
• Clean the kitchen after dinner: dishes, counters, stovetop, a quick sweep
  
• Clean the coffee maker
  
• Keep their room picked up, every day
  
• Help a younger sibling get ready in the morning or at bedtime
  
• Take full care of the pet
  

Build Daily Chores Into Your Routine

The secret to daily chores is tying them to things that already happen every day. When the chore always happens at the same time, nobody has to argue about it.

Try a 10-Minute Family Tidy

Every night after dinner, set a timer for 10 minutes and put on music. Everybody picks up, everybody puts away. Ten minutes is about three songs. When the timer goes off, you're done. It's the family version of The Daily Home Reset, and it's amazing what five people can do in 10 minutes.

How to Make Daily Chores Stick

• Start with three. One morning chore, one after-dinner chore and one bedtime chore. Add more once those are automatic.
• Get everyone on board. Talk about chores at a family meeting, so everyone helps decide who does what.
  
• Use a chore chart. Pictures for pre-readers, checkboxes for older kids, a whiteboard by the back door. Kids check the chart, not you.
  
• Chores before screens. It's the simplest motivator there is.
  
• Do it together at first. Show them, then watch, then let them do it alone.
  
• Let good enough be good enough. A lumpy bed made by a 6-year-old is a made bed.
  
• Notice it. "You fed the dog without being asked" goes a long way.
  

It's hard at first. Kids push back, it takes longer than doing it yourself, and the comforter is crooked. Keep going. In a few weeks, it's just what happens in your house.

Frequently Asked Questions

What daily chores should a 5-year-old do?

Pull up the comforter on their bed, put toys and games away with all the pieces, carry their dishes to the counter, help unload the dishwasher, fill the pet's water dish, and bring their backpack in from the car.

What daily chores should a 10-year-old do?

Make their bed, unload the dishwasher, pack their own lunch, wipe the kitchen counters after dinner, take out the trash and recycling, and feed and care for the pet.

How long should kids spend on chores each day?

About 5 minutes for toddlers, 10 to 15 minutes for kids 6 to 8, 15 to 20 minutes for kids 9 to 12, and 20 to 30 minutes for teens.

What's the difference between daily and weekly chores?

Daily chores are quick jobs that happen every day, like making the bed and clearing the table. Weekly chores take longer, like changing the sheets, cleaning the bathroom and vacuuming.

How do you get kids to do daily chores without nagging?

Tie each chore to something that already happens every day, use a chore chart so kids check the chart instead of asking you, and make chores happen before screen time.

Keep Going

The daily routine is running. Take on the rest of the house together with these related guides:

•      Chores for Kids by Age: The complete guide, with a chore chart for every age.

•      Weekly Chores for Kids by Age: Sheets, bathrooms, vacuuming and the bigger weekly jobs.

•      Seasonal Chores for Kids by Age: Raking, shoveling, spring cleaning and the garage.

•      Bedroom Chores for Kids by Age: How to get kids to keep their own rooms clean.

•      Doing Laundry With Kids: Sorting, washing, folding and putting it all away.

•      Pet Chores for Kids: Feeding, walking, brushing and cleanup, by age.

•      Family Meeting Rules of Order: Get everyone on board, and keep them there.

•      The Daily Home Reset: The 15-minute daily cleaning system for the whole house.