What's a Reasonable Chore List for a 6 Year Old?

Updated on May 27, 2015
J.S. asks from Los Angeles, CA
13 answers

My almost 6 year old currently is just expected to pick up his own toys. Is there anything I should add to this list that is reasonable for his age? TIA!

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

By 6 my kids did the following
Every day
Make bed (pull up comforter and pillow on top)
Set table for dinner
Clear table after dinner (their dishes, silverware & things like dressings etc)
Pick up their own toys/mess before bed
Putting videos back into cases both movies and games and remotes into chargers

Other chores once a week or as needed
Recycle bin to street and back next day
Sort & Fold laundry (small stuff when I'm doing laundry)
Help put groceries away
Dust - I gave them an old tube sock on their hands to run over chair legs and banisters

By 8 they were sweeping and vacuuming and loading the dishwasher and by 10 mowing the grass and doing weedwacker.

If you start this now they will be self sufficient and not clueless for college lol

4 moms found this helpful

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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

We don't have a chore chart or anything like that. My 4 and 6 year old kids are in charge of feeding and watering the cat (we tell them when he needs it-not daily). They vacuum when I'm vacuuming, dust when I'm dusting. They pick up their toys daily. Sometimes they help out away clean dishes, if they can reach. My 6 year old helps me clean and dust their room (organize toys, put away laundry) and she's in charge of using the stainless wipes to clean the outside of the dishwasher, oven, and microwave.
I think learning to be responsible for personal messes and helping with larger cleaning teaches a young child better than regular chores.

4 moms found this helpful
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M.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

My chore list is longer than yours, but shorter than others. It is:
Take plate and cup to sink after dinner
Pick up toys
Put clothes in hamper
Put clothes in washer when hamper is full (I have directions above the washer, and he knows how to run it)
Help unload dishwasher (put away all the low stuff, I do the high stuff)
Match socks from the laundry

The one thing that surprises some people is the laundry. l I find he's totally capable of getting it into the washer and running the washer (I buy the detergent packs so he doesn't have to handle large bottles of liquid detergent). He can run the dryer, but he has some trouble reaching the clothes in the bottom of the washer to move them to the dryer because it's a top loader, so help with that step. My son is 8 now, but he's been doing this since he was 6. My just turned 5 year old does all of the above, including loading the washer, but he doesn't know how to start the washer yet.

3 moms found this helpful
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O.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

Can gather trash from bedroom/bathroom cans and put in larger/kitchen can.
Dust
Feed dog/cat/fish.
Can put clothes into his/her drawers

3 moms found this helpful
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B.B.

answers from San Antonio on

My son and daughter have followed the following chore list since they were 3 and 5 years old. We sat down as a family and created our own FlyLady style chart based upon things they do to help out. The tasks usually take less than 15 minutes total each day. They are now 5 and 7. Obviously we modified for my daughter when she was 3 years old, but they each do the following every week (along with me or my husband). It keeps the house from getting out of control. They also are both responsible for putting away their laundry, emptying the dishwasher, setting the table, and clearing their dinner plates.

SUNDAY: Clean Bedrooms/Playroom
MONDAY: Clean Fish Tank, Entry Way/Cubbies
TUESDAY: Kitchen (wipe down cabinets and counters)
WEDNESDAY: Clean Bedrooms/Playroom
THURSDAY: Bathrooms (I spray the cleaner and they wipe down their vanities (they share a Jack and Jill bathroom) and mirrors)
FRIDAY: Living Room (vacume, dust, pick up)
SATURDAY: Laundry and General Pick Up Around House

3 moms found this helpful

⊱.⊰.

answers from unknown city on

My just turned 7y/o has daily responsibilities, not necessarily chores:

Feeds the cats/dog
Gets them fresh water
Jammies to the laundry room and in hamper, same with dirty clothes at night
P/U living room of toys he got out that evening
Help set table for dinner
Clear table after dinner
Retrieve the chicken eggs

Other responsibilities as needed/weekly/when asked:
unload groceries from the car
help unload dishwasher
dust
help fold towels and socks
puts away his own laundry
picks up his room
brings his sheets/blankets down to laundry room to be washed
helps make his bed after sheets are laundered

3 moms found this helpful
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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

Ignore the rest of the article if you want but here's one list: http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/age-appropr...

My DD picks up her clothes, is supposed to put away her own laundry, feeds and waters the cats, helps her dad in the garden, is in charge of making sure all her stuff is in her backpack (I double check)... I've had her help me sort clothes, vacuum (she dust busters her own chair if she's made a mess at dinner) and she's definitely old enough to help bring in lighter groceries and change the toilet paper roll. She mostly bathes herself (needs help with hair) and while we follow up on teeth, she can do that, too. She can help with setting the table, though it's not a routine chore for her. She clears her own plate. She's also capable of cleaning up her room to a reasonable level and helping bring the empty trash cans and recycling bins up to the house.

IMO, think about what you need doing and what he CAN do. Picking up his own toys is a good start. I see chores as 1. helping the household and 2. learning life skills.

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L.M.

answers from Chicago on

My son is 6 and he does his own laundry. He turns it right side out and I spray any stains. He puts it in the wash (I do the soap) he transfers to dryer then puts away.

Emptying small trash cans around the house into the kitchen can, then emptying that one.

Putting TP from the plastic into the closet/cabinet in the bathrooms

Cleaning his room.

Picking up toys.

Swiffer dusting the tables and swiffer vacing the kitchen floor.

1 mom found this helpful

R.A.

answers from Boston on

I had my son at that age help take out the trash/ recycling, put clothes in hamper, and help put clothes away after cleaning them. Small things, but it teaches responsibility.

1 mom found this helpful
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H.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

my chore list at that age was:

bring in diner dishes
put away the clean silverware
make bed (when asked, not daily)
put clean folded laundry in drawers
take out bathroom trash and add new liners
tidy room and toy room (with help)

(FYI, I think tidying is a very nebulous chore. You may be surprised at how much better they do at more cut and dry chores)

1 mom found this helpful

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

My kids do the following:

Their own laundry (they each have a hamper) - they have to get it in the washer, dryer, and to the couch for us to fold...except the 11 year old, she folds her own.

Vacuum the living room/mop the rest of the first floor - occasionally

Wipe table and counters daily

Clean toilets and wipe counters/mirrors in bathroom

The above three they rotate - and they like them!

They all help unload the dishwasher, they load their own dishes, help with groceries/cooking, pick up their things, keep room tidy.

They do other things also that they enjoy: mowing the yard (riding lawn mower), cleaning the spindles on the stairs, baseboards, wiping all handles with Clorox wipes, etc. They enjoy a clean house and like that it takes 30 minutes total if we all help.

My kids are newly 8, 10, and almost 12 - this routine has been in place probably 3 years now. And if they ever need help with any of if, they get it.

1 mom found this helpful

S.K.

answers from Denver on

I think picking up after himself is the most important "chore" If everyone picked up after themselves cleaning wouldn't take near as long or the nagging wouldn't be quite as often. However, if you want him to help out more around the house have him gather the trash bags from all the bathrooms and replace the liners. Have him help unload the dishes. Vacuuming and sweeping, although they never do the job that great. Clean off the table and or set the table for dinner. My kids at that age just usually helped with the little stuff as I was on the way to do the big stuff and the little stuff was in the way.

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N.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Helping chores. When he's interested have him help with anything. Letting him know he's taking care of his home and being part of the family teaches him that this is "his" house too and he needs to participate.

1 mom found this helpful
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