KithfulAge-appropriate chores
Age-appropriate chores for kids (ages 2 to teens)
Kids can help from about age 2. Start with jobs about their own things, add jobs that help the family as they grow, and expect “done” to look like their age, not yours. Here’s a list by age to start from.
Who it’s for: parents deciding which chores to give which kid, and how to keep it going.
Who it isn’t for: it’s a starting point, not a rule. Every kid is different; adjust for yours.
Chores by age
Each age can also do everything in the ages before it.
| Age | Chores to try |
|---|---|
| Ages 2–3 | Put toys away · put clothes in the hamper · wipe up spills · dust low shelves |
| Ages 4–5 | Make the bed · set the table · clear their plate · match socks · feed the pets |
| Ages 6–8 | Sweep the floor · put away groceries · fold laundry · make their lunch · rake leaves |
| Ages 9–12 | Load or unload the dishwasher · take the bins out and back in · wash the dishes · walk the dog · cook a simple meal |
| Teens | Do a load of laundry start to finish · cook a full meal · watch a younger sibling |
How to make chores stick
- Show it, do it together, then hand it over. The first few times are teaching, not help.
- Start small. One or two daily jobs beats a chart of ten that falls apart in a week.
- Make it the same time every day, tied to something that already happens: after breakfast, before screens.
- Let “good enough for their age” be good enough. A lumpy bed made by a 5-year-old is a made bed.
- Make it visible. Kids who can see their list, and see it get done, need fewer reminders.
- Decide on rewards up front, if you use them: allowance, screen time, or simply that it’s part of living in the family. Being consistent matters more than which one you pick.
Doing it in Kithful
Pick from the same list, by age
Plan → To-dos → Common household jobs (the same list behind our home maintenance schedule) has a “For the kids” section tagged by age. Pick a kid, tick their jobs, and tap the days each one happens; they become that kid’s chores.
Kids check off their own, even before they can read
In Kid Mode each kid finds their own cartoon character, sees today’s chores and taps “I did it!”. Your phone gets a notification, and you approve with one tap. More on Kithful’s chore chart.
Allowance or screen time
Each chore can earn money or minutes of screen time. Balances add up as you approve, and you mark rewards as paid when they cash in.
Taking turns
A job like the dishes can rotate between kids each time it comes up, or week by week, and the app keeps track of whose turn it is.
What it doesn’t do — honestly
It doesn’t move real money. Balances are a record; you pay out yourself.
Kids don’t get their own accounts. Kid Mode runs on a parent’s phone or a shared tablet, which you can lock to Kid Mode with a PIN.
It’s a web app for now, added to the home screen from the browser; there’s no App Store or Google Play version yet.
What it costs
| Plan | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Every feature, for the whole family. 30 photo/PDF scans a month; typing and pasting a text are unlimited. | $0, forever |
| Plus | Everything in Free, with unlimited scans. One price covers the household. | $39.99/year or $4.99/month |
Chores, Kid Mode and rewards are all on the free plan.
Questions
What chores can a 3-year-old do?
Put toys away, put clothes in the hamper, wipe up spills and dust low shelves. Keep it short and do it alongside them at first.
What chores should a 5-year-old do?
Make the bed, set the table, clear their own plate, match socks and feed the pets, plus the jobs from the younger ages.
What chores can an 8-year-old do?
Sweep the floor, put away groceries, fold laundry, make their own lunch and rake leaves.
What chores should a 10- to 12-year-old do?
Load or unload the dishwasher, take the bins out and back in, wash the dishes, walk the dog and cook a simple meal.
What chores should a teenager do?
Do a load of laundry start to finish, cook a full meal and watch a younger sibling, on top of the everyday jobs.
Should kids get paid for chores?
Families do it different ways: some pay an allowance for chores, some use screen time, and some treat chores as part of family life with no reward. Picking one and sticking to it matters more than which one.
Try Kithful
Every feature is free, for the whole family. New households get 14 days of unlimited scans — no card. We’re letting families in a few at a time; leave your email and we’ll send your invite.
Get early accessLast updated 2026-10-02. Kithful isn’t affiliated with the apps named here; their names belong to their owners.