I choose to teach my kids responsibility and life skills through chores. This is part of my parenting style. This is a list of 16 age appropriate chores for 6 and 7 year olds my daughter does, or is capable of doing (mostly) on her own.
Yes, I have my children do chores. And I certainly started gearing their little brains to understand that their help around the house is expected and valued.
From the time my daughter was just a toddler, I started allowing her to “help” me with little chores. She loved putting laundry in the dryer or pulling it out of the dryer and putting it in the basket once it was dried. She eventually graduated to “folding” (crumpling up) her own laundry and “making her bed.” Even my son is now doing some of the same toddler chores his big sister used to do at his age.
I grew up doing chores at home. And, when spending time at my grandparents’ house, I did some there too. I, of course, hated it as a child. As I grew up and moved out on my own, I realized my family had done what they could to prepare me for adulthood … the real world.
So, the thought never crossed my mind that giving kids chores was frowned upon these days until social media let it be known that I wasn’t supposed to have kids to make them do my chores.
Well, I’m not in that camp. You see, I realized the lessons I learned from my chores and there are things I want my kids to get out of life. I want them to be prepared for going to work and doing adult things when they leave the house (because that’s my ultimate goal … raise my kids to leave the house!). And, according to Very Well Family, “…giving your child chores may be one of the most important things you’ll ever do.“
If you’re in the camp for giving your children chores, then you’re going to love this list of age appropriate chores for 6 and 7 year olds.
Chores my 6 year old does
Make Bed
Set table
Put dishes by the sink
Clean her bathroom tub, toilet, and sink
Clean room and put away books
Feed the dog
Extra chores when she wants to earn more money or when she earns a consequence for bad behavior
Some of these chores I’ve included as consequence jar ideas, but there are times my daughter will ask what more she can do to earn an extra coin or two. These chores aren’t part of her regular routine, but help me greatly when the situation calls for it. Some are just listed here because they make completely acceptable chores for 6 and 7 year olds.
Help with dinner
Clean windows
Fold and put away laundry
Vacuum
Vacuum the couch
Mop
Dust and clean coffee table
More chores she’s capable of
Empty mini-trash cans
Water Plants
Help make lunch(es)
Chores For 6 and 7 Year Olds
| Area | Chores | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | Make their bed (with some help) | Tuck in sheets and blankets, fluff pillows. |
| Bedroom | Put away clothes (with guidance) | Sort by type (shirts, pants, socks) and fold or hang up with supervision. |
| Bedroom | Pick up toys and books | Put them away in designated bins or shelves. |
| Kitchen | Clear the table after meals | Stack plates, gather utensils, and wipe spills (with supervision). |
| Kitchen | Set the table for dinner (with supervision) | Place plates, utensils, and glasses in appropriate spots. |
| Kitchen | Help unload the dishwasher (with supervision) | Sort silverware and place dishes in cupboards. |
| Bathroom | Hang up their towel after bath time | Use a hook or towel rack. |
| Bathroom | Put away toiletries | Toothpaste back in its holder, shampoo in the shower, etc. |
| Bathroom | Empty the small trash bin | Dispose of waste in the larger bin and rinse if needed. |
| Living Room | Dust shelves and surfaces (with supervision) | Use a feather duster or damp cloth on safe surfaces. |
| Living Room | Fold blankets and pillows | Fold neatly and stack or place on furniture. |
| Living Room | Organize books and magazines | Put them back on shelves or create a reading corner. |
| Bonus | Feed pets (with supervision) | Fill food and water bowls and follow safety guidelines. |
| Bonus | Water plants | Give houseplants a small drink of water. |
| Bonus | Help fold simple laundry items | Match socks and fold small clothes like t-shirts. |
Remember:
- These are just suggestions, tailor chores to your child’s abilities and interests.
- Start with small tasks and gradually increase difficulty as they master them.
- Provide positive reinforcement and praise their efforts.
- Make chores fun by working together or setting timers.
- Most importantly, be patient and understanding as they learn new skills.
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41 comments
We are big believers in the kids doing chores. 3 out of 4 are ok with it. Kid 3 just refuses! He will just not and it is so frustrating!
Oh Laura,
I don’t have that issue yet, but I’m sure it’s on the horizon. My daughter’s much more willing to do chores and right now my toddler son still likes “helping” mommy, mostly to show me his independence. I’m sure one of them will be ruining it in the future LOL Then I’ll be looking for advice on that myself
Yes all children should start out young and continue through life
Great post!
My daughter has chores for each of my four grandchildren. They all have their own lists of chores to do and of course they hate it. My thirteen year old granddaughter has become such a wonderful cook. I see her going through my recipe files all the time. By the time they move out on their own, they will all know what it takes to clean, cook, take care of pets and do their own laundry. I’m very proud of all of them.
I grew up with chores … and didn’t like them. Even had them at Grandma’s house over summer break. I’m not a great housekeeper, but at least I’m self-sufficient 😀 That’s all I can ask. you should be very proud of your daughter and grandbabies! They’re doing great 😀
These are great chore ideas for that age! My 7 year old is loving her chores right now. The only thing she doesn’t like to do is pick up the playroom. I’m trying to help motivate her to make it more fun.
We give ours money so they can buy things they want. That keeps my almost 7 year old daughter pretty motivated. It does, however, create the issue that we now have an even more dreadful collection of stuffed animals 😐 LOL
Kids need chores to do then they know what it takes to do them.
Yep, they’ll hate it for now, but they’ll remember it when they’re grown. And at least they won’t be trying to learn how to handle things while learning to be an adult 😀
I am totally with you here. All children need to have chores. They need responsibility and learn how to handle life. Thank you so much for sharing this
Thanks Linda! I don’t disagree, obviously 😀
This is great. My daughter is 2.5 and I’ve already been thinking of ways to get her more involved and helping out.
Sarah, I have a wonderful list of toddler chores you should check out. They’re simple and she’s likely to enjoy being mommy’s helper. Both my kids started as toddlers 😀
When I was growing up, we always had chores to do. We didn’t have to do a lot, but even if it was just dusting the living room, we always had something we were expected to do. My girls did chores when they were younger, but figuring out what was appropriate for their ages wasn’t always easy. I wish I had this article to reference.
my 4 year old is actively involved in the tasks of my home. i just got custody of a15 year old who was never made to do a thing and it’s awful.
I believe children learn and grow as family members when they do chores. I”m disappointed that some in social media don’t appreciate and respect the time and energy needed to help a child develop as a responsible person and citizen! It’s the little things, compounded with age and more little things that help develop a fully functioning and satisfied person. You covered all my favorite chores for 6 and 7 year olds AND gave me additional ideas! Thank you. Children can always make Birthday Cards, Thank Yous, etc for the special people (including teachers, lunch room workers, pastors, etc.) These chores help children develop a “can do” attitude and pride in a job well done.
I think it is great that your kids do chores! Nothing like reading about a college student not knowing how to do their laundry. You see all these TV shows where kid 7 or 8 years old that are great cooks. There is a picture on facebook that says if your kids can use all the tech – phones, computer, etc they can run a dishwasher, washer, dryer etc etc
NICE! I’ll need to consider allowing my daughter to run the washer and dryer LOL.
Great ideas for chore. My 5 year old son does chores as well. Beautiful post.
Love the chore charts!!
I tell my girls that they should take pride in their house by doing chores.
That’s a really good way to look at chores, too!
very informative
These are great chores for 6 and 7 year olds, thanks for sharing! Luckily (so far) my kids enjoy helping me and doing their chores for the most part.
I figure, eventually they won’t be so willing to help. It’s great they currently enjoy it though … that’s awesome!
I think that children need to have chores. It teaches them responsibility. That you for sharing.
This is great. I think it’s important for kids to learn chores and responsibilities!
I totally agree 😀
Love this! Sometimes it’s hard trying to figure out chores for this age. Good options!
It definitely can be! For me it’s always been about trial and error … give the kids a task and see how they handle it. More often than not it’s been a learning process for me to be patient and understand they can’t yet do things like an adult.
(16 Age-Appropriate Chores for 6 and 7 Year Olds) I agree with children having chores to do at an early age. They need to know how important it is to help out around the house because of every ones busy days during the week especially. It really helps them to learn responsibility.
These are great! I think kids should have chores. Adults have many chores and they should learn how to do chores as soon as they can.
I had chores when I was young and did not get paid. When one of us would ask, even for doing extra chores; my dad’s thinking was that we are family and should all help. We don’t pay for our meals or room and board so why should he pay us to do things that we should already be doing! Like sleeping in a clean room and eating off clean dishes! We should be lucky that we have a roof over our heads and food in our bellies. I gave my kids and grandkids chores, but I did give them some money depending on the chore.
Kids should learn responsibilities when they are young. That no one owes them anything! It also feels better when you earn something than just getting a handout! Your list of chores is a good list! Thank you for sharing!
I am a believer that kids should do chores. My 9 year old does her own laundry and has since she was 8. I may have to remind her from time to time that she needs clean clothes but she does all aspects of running the washer and dryer herself. She also unloads the washer every morning and has been asking to reload it. I’m very picky about how the dishwasher is loaded so I only let her reload the dishwasher occassionally. My 16 year old is responsible for her own laundry , cleaning the bathrooms and the trash and recyclables.
I like the comfort in the knowledge that once they’ve moved out on their own, they can survive 😉 Eventually I’ll probably have the kids do some cooking, just like I did as a kid. That way they can feed themselves when they move away too lol.
I love all these positive responses about chores!!
Starting early with children is so important! I did this with my oldest two but with my youngest, who is 7yrs younger than my second child, I didn’t. We babied him his entire life and now that he is 18yrs old he still expects us to do everything for him. I blame us for it but it is so hard to break the cycle!
Oooh, thanks for the warning!
i wouldn’t know I have a 3 year old that I share a bed and bedroom with
We as moms have so much to do in the house being able to delegate just a portion of these tasks to our kids is a huge relief. I think just straightening the main living room and taking out trash and recycling are a great help to me.
That’s completely true … do whatever feels like it balances the family 😀
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