I’m looking for suggestions on chores that are suitable for kids. I want them to learn a sense of responsibility, but I’m unsure what’s appropriate for their age and what tasks are actually helpful. What have other parents found effective? I’m hoping for ideas that are manageable and teach them valuable skills.
We’ve had good luck with cooking tasks. My kid started by washing vegetables and tearing lettuce, now handles scrambled eggs and simple pasta dishes. There’s something about creating food that feels more rewarding than just cleaning up.
Taking care of plants has worked well too. We have a few houseplants that are basically hers now. She waters them and notices when they need attention. It’s taught her to pay attention to things that can’t ask for help.
The tasks that stuck were ones where she could see clear results from her effort.
My 9 year old does trash duty and basic bathroom cleaning. The 12 year old handles dishes and keeps her room organized.
They both make their own beds daily. Started that habit early and it stuck.
Took some trial and error to find what they’d actually stick with consistently.
My kids really enjoy helping with laundry - they sort colors, move clothes from washer to dryer, and fold their own clothes. The younger one loves matching socks.
Feeding pets has been great too. They take turns filling water bowls and putting out food. It teaches them that animals depend on us and they feel really proud taking care of our dog.
For kitchen stuff, they help unload the dishwasher (just the safe items) and wipe down counters. The older one makes his own lunch now which was a big step.
What worked best was starting with things they were already interested in. They wanted to help, so I just found ways to make it their regular job. Now they do these things without me asking most of the time.