List of Chores for Kids by Age

• Kids of all ages can help with household chores. Muriel de Seze/Digital Vision/Getty Images

  Any busy household will run more efficiently if every family member helps out with the chores. Even toddlers can be of some use round the house and including them in tasks at a young age enforces good behavior habits for later years. Remember that kids need incentives, either in the form of praise or in hard cash. It's also a good idea to involve kids in chore planning so that they have a choice in the tasks that need to be accomplished.

Ages 2 to 5

• Preschool kids love to help out, although their help may not always be of great use. Preschoolers tend to be messy and therefore it is a good idea to encourage them at this age to tidy up their own toys. Sticker charts are useful incentives for keeping bedrooms and playrooms tidy. Dusting, especially in low, hard to reach places, is a great job for preschoolers. Towards the ages of four and five, kids should be able to help with simple tasks such as setting the table for dinner and clearing away plates.

Ages 5 to 10

• Kids over the age of five can be more useful around the house. If you have pets, they can clean out cages, change water and generally help to take care of the animals. Putting away laundry is also a good chore for kids, although they might need some supervision at times. Children at this age can easily do basic daily tasks such as table setting, dishwasher emptying and floor mopping. Using pocket money charts as an incentive can help them to learn about the link between effort and financial reward.

Ages 10 to 15

• Most children aged ten to 15 should be able to carry out the majority of simple domestic chores and it is a good idea to give them an area of responsibility, for example emptying bins, sorting out recycling or emptying the dishwasher. They may also be interested in learning how to prepare basic meals. Scrambled eggs, pizza, or simple pasta recipes are useful starter dishes. Linking pocket money to chores accomplished is an ideal incentive for pre-teens and young teenagers.

Ages 15 plus

• At 15 years old and over kids should be able to accomplish most chores, although many teenagers are disinclined to do anything much around the house. Obviously, any teenagers with exam pressures may find it difficult to find the time but gardening and outside chores such as sweeping leaves or weeding may be a useful way to encourage them to get outside in the fresh air. This is also a good time to teach them how to use the washing machine.