Do you ever wonder what chores are age appropriate for your children? When we moved to our farmhouse, I was eager to have my girls get involved in helping around the ranch.
I knew they could’help more, but wanted to make sure they were age appropriate chores for kids. I asked my good friend/Preschool Director, Christina, for help in creating a chore list for my Wildflowers. This list sadly does not include pouring mama a glass of wine, but I’ll keep trying! Read on for ideas to get your kids involved and teach them the importance of providing a helping hand in your family.
Ages 2-3
At this age it is important to supervise and always assist. Children at this age cannot be expected to dependably complete below chores, but they sure love giving a hand.
-Water plants in yard and garden
-Dust
-Help collect chicken eggs
-Feed chickens, scatter chicken scratch
-Wipe up table after dinner and spills
-Pick up toys and put into designated baskets
-Unload dishwasher
-Bring dishes to sink after meals
-Put their shoes away
Ages 4-6
At this age, children are able to do some of the chores with less assistance. It is always best to be close by in case help is needed, but allow independence to build confidence.
-Feed indoor pets and assist with feeding farm animals
-Collect chicken eggs
-Pick up mail from mailbox, if in safe range from house and not on a busy street
-Sort laundry, assist in folding and put away clothing
-Bring dirty clothes to laundry room
-Make their bed in the morning
-Pull weeds in yard and garden
-Assist in picking up dog poop, with proper tools
-Rake up yard leaves, with assistance
-Collect table scraps for compost bin
-Water plants in garden
-Make a small and quick snack, however, no dangerous appliances such as stove or oven should be used
-Pick out clothes for school the night before
-Assist in packing school lunch
-Set and clear the table for meals
-Harvest garden vegetables
Ages 7-9
At this age, children are able to be mostly independent. Although they may have questions and you should remain nearby, you can begin to step back a little to allow full confidence in their personal abilities
-Tend to and care for a section of the garden
-Feed large farm animals, ensure large animals are comfortable with children
– Cook simple meals, including using a “kid friendly” knife
-Bathe on their own
-Use allowance or earned money to purchase desired items
-Get ready for school: wake up to an alarm clock, brush teeth and make cereal
-Start loads of laundry and fold clean clothing
-Clean mirrors and windows
-Load and unload dishwasher
-Assist in spreading compost
-Assist in garden and yard upkeep, such as pruning shrubs and deadheading rose bushes
-Make sure animals have adequate water
Age 10+
-Brush and saddle horses with permission to ride
-Mow the lawn
-Work on small repair projects around the house and farm
-Hoe weeds, build fence and shovel dirt
-Wash cars or ranch trucks
-Cook the family a meal
-Vaccum the house
-Assist in cleaning bathrooms
-Learn how to create a budget and stick to it, such as planning and budgeting for back to school clothes shopping
-Take the dog for a walk in the neighborhood, ensure they are in a safe area and able to get ahold of you if an emergency arrives
-Learn basic CPR and first aid techniques
-Preserve/Can vegetables and fruits from garden
-Create grocery shopping lists/meal plan for the family to teach healthy eating and planning
