A helping hand

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Expecting children to help around the house is about much more than the tasks involved; it’s about the self respect that comes from being competent and useful. By Francesca Newby.

Children can start helping out around the home from quite a young age. In fact, parents of older children have been known to suggest it’s actually a case of the earlier the better. Adopting routines from a young age helps make them second nature. As an added bonus, very young children are usually still in the ‘eager to please’ stage which should, hopefully, minimise conflict.

We’ve broken common household chores down into age-appropriate lists to help you phase in your child’s contribution to the running of the household. A chart is good way of keeping track of what is actually being done, and encouraging your child to take responsibility for their own tasks. For pre-readers a picture in the job column will help them remember what needs doing without prompting. We’ve designed some basic job charts that can be printed out for use at home. You can alter them to reflect your chosen roster of chores.

Two to three years old

Two is probably the youngest age for introducing a regular chore routine. Prior to that, it’s more a case of helping mum and dad out around the house. After the second birthday there are a number of simple jobs that pre-schoolers can perform, though it’s likely you’ll need to do a quick check to make sure each job is actually done properly. At this stage, it’s about establishing a basic routine and mastering simple skills.

Appropriate jobs for two to three year olds:

• Putting their toys back in the basket
• Putting books back on the shelf
• Making their bed (with help)
• Putting dirty clothes in the basket
• Wiping the table

To download our chart, click here.

Four to five years old

Most children this age are already attending some form of pre-school or kindergarten where they’re expected to take increased responsibility for their own belongings. Most centres also expect children to assist with tidying up general mess as well as clearing up after themselves. You can boost their developing competence and sense of confidence by increasing the complexity of chores performed at home. The best method is to continue with their original list and add a few ‘big kid’ jobs to the rota.

Appropriate jobs for four to five year olds:

• Putting their toys back in the basket
• Putting books back on the shelf
• Making their bed (with help)
• Putting dirty clothes in the basket
• Wiping the table
• Setting the table (place plates and cutlery on table for them first)
• Feeding pets (dry food only)
• Helping unpack shopping and put it away

To download our chart, click here.

Six to eight year olds

Once children start ‘big’ school they will be expected to begin taking care of their own possessions and responsibility for their immediate environment. This is when the benefit of a regular chore routine at home really begins to pay off. Some of the jobs that are chores for younger children, such a making your own bed and putting your dirty laundry in the basket, should now be considered to be standard personal maintenance. At this age, children can begin to take on jobs that really contribute to the household.

Appropriate jobs for six to eight year olds:

• Setting the table
• Cleaning up spills
• Clearing the table
• Putting folded clothes away
• Feeding pets
• Helping with basic food preparation
• Emptying bathroom and bedroom rubbish bins
• Hanging up towels and wiping sink in bathroom
• Drying dishes

To download our chart, click here.

Nine to 12 years old

You might find children in this age group begin to resist doing their chores. On top of the constant reminders required by younger children, you might start to run into some attitude. It’s important to keep a routine going through these years, especially as you begin trying to develop a homework routine alongside their chore list. This is a great age to consider introducing pocket money. Linking it to jobs performed definitely helps avoid some of the conflict.

Appropriate jobs for nine to 12 year olds:

• Setting the table
• Cleaning up spills
• Clearing the table
• Putting folded clothes away
• Feeding pets
• Helping with basic food preparation
• Emptying bathroom and bedroom rubbish bins
• Hanging up towels and wiping sink in bathroom
• Drying dishes
• Washing dishes
• Stacking the dishwasher
• Making breakfast – toast and cereal
• Putting clothes in the dryer
• Sweeping the floor
• Sweeping decks
• Running a bath

To download our chart, click here.

13 years and up

Assuming you’ve managed to keep kids on track in terms of a chore routine, this is one of the best ages for parents. Once kids are in their teens they’re capable of performing many adult tasks and should really be pulling their weight around the house. It’s important to make some allowances for increased homework loads, especially around exam times, but the reality of life is that jobs need to be done even in the fact of competing demands. Learning that at home is a gentler process than learning it out in the wider world. One good way to handle it is to reduce daily chores during busy study periods in return for more occasional, yet larger jobs, such as washing windows or the car.

• Setting the table
• Cleaning up spills
• Clearing the table
• Putting folded clothes away
• Feeding pets
• Helping with basic food preparation
• Emptying bathroom and bedroom rubbish bins
• Hanging up towels and wiping sink in bathroom
• Drying dishes
• Washing dishes
• Stacking the dishwasher
• Making breakfast – toast and cereal
• Putting clothes in the dryer
• Sweeping the floor
• Sweeping decks
• Running a bath
• Doing the laundry
• Ironing
• Cooking simple meals
• Walking the dog
• Cleaning windows
• Washing the car

To download our chart, click here.