Real-life examples of chore charts for kids: age-appropriate examples that actually work

Let’s skip the theory and start with what you probably came for: real examples of chore charts for kids, broken down by age. Then we’ll talk about how to separate cleaning chores from everyday responsibilities like brushing teeth and homework.

Think of chores in two buckets:

• Daily tasks: things every person does to care for themselves (getting dressed, brushing teeth, packing backpack).
• Cleaning chores: things that help care for the shared home (wiping counters, vacuuming, taking out trash).

The best examples of chore charts for kids show both buckets clearly, so kids learn, “Some things I do because they’re part of being a human, and some things I do because I’m part of this family.”

Toddler & preschool examples of chore charts for kids (ages 2–4)

At this age, your goal is not a spotless house. Your goal is building the habit of helping.

A simple picture-based chart works best. Imagine a row of big icons with spaces for stickers underneath. Real examples include:

• A morning routine row: picture of a shirt (get dressed), toothbrush (brush teeth), cereal bowl (eat breakfast), backpack (put shoes and backpack by the door).
• An evening routine row: toy bin (put toys away), plate (bring dish to sink), bathtub (bath time), book (choose a bedtime story).

For cleaning chores, think tiny and specific. A realistic example of a toddler-friendly cleaning chore column might include:

• “Help put toys in the bin” with a picture of a toy box.
• “Put dirty clothes in hamper” with a picture of a laundry basket.
• “Wipe table with mom/dad” using a damp cloth after snack.

At this age, the chart is more about visual cues and praise than independence. You’re doing the chore with them, but the chart helps them see, “I help take care of my space.”

Early elementary examples of chore charts for kids (ages 5–7)

Kids in kindergarten through second grade can handle more responsibility, especially if the chart is clear and consistent.

A common example of a chore chart for this age is a weekly grid on the fridge:

• Days of the week across the top.
• Chores down the side.
• Kids put a checkmark or magnet when they’re done.

Here’s how you might separate daily tasks from cleaning chores on that grid.

Daily tasks column examples include:

• Get dressed without being asked.
• Brush teeth (morning and night).
• Make bed (pull up blanket, put pillow in place — not perfection).
• Pack backpack and water bottle for school.

Cleaning chores column examples include:

• Clear your own plate and cup from the table.
• Wipe the table with a kid-safe spray or damp cloth.
• Sort laundry into lights and darks.
• Water plants with a small watering can.
• Help feed the pet (with supervision).

Many families add a weekend-only row for slightly bigger cleaning chores:

• Dust low surfaces in bedroom with a microfiber cloth.
• Help match clean socks and fold small towels.

Kids this age love seeing progress. One of the best examples I’ve seen is a family who used colored magnets: green for daily tasks, blue for cleaning chores. By Sunday night, the goal was to “turn the board blue and green,” not “be perfect.”

Upper elementary examples of chore charts for kids (ages 8–10)

By third to fifth grade, most kids can handle multi-step tasks and real responsibility. They’re also old enough to understand that everyone in the family contributes.

Here, examples of chore charts for kids often shift from pictures to written lists on a whiteboard or in a simple app.

A realistic weekly chart for this age might have three sections: Daily Life, Room Care, and Family Cleaning Chores.

Daily Life examples include:

• Get up with alarm on school days.
• Personal hygiene: shower or bath as scheduled, brush teeth, use deodorant if needed.
• Pack lunchbox and check homework folder.

Room care examples include:

• Make bed each morning.
• Keep floor clear of clothes and trash.
• Put dirty laundry in hamper every night.
• Tidy desk and reading area twice a week.

Family cleaning chore examples include:

• Load and unload dishwasher (with help as needed).
• Wipe kitchen counters after snack or dinner.
• Sweep kitchen or entryway.
• Take out small trash cans and replace bags.
• Help prepare one simple meal per week (tacos, pasta, salad).

Some of the best examples of chore charts for kids in this age group use rotating jobs. For instance, one week the chart assigns “Kitchen Helper,” the next week “Laundry Assistant,” and the next “Pet Care Captain.” This rotation keeps things fair and prevents, “Why do I always have to take out the trash?” wars.

For guidance on what kids this age can typically handle, you can compare your expectations with general child development resources from organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC (for example, their child development milestones pages: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/index.html).

Tween examples of chore charts for kids (ages 11–13)

Tweens are capable of doing almost every household chore with some guidance. The challenge isn’t ability; it’s buy-in.

At this stage, move from “Mom’s chart” to a shared family system. One powerful example of a chore chart for tweens is a family job board on a whiteboard in the kitchen.

You might divide it into three sections:

• Must-do daily tasks (non-negotiable basics).
• Assigned weekly cleaning chores.
• Extra paid jobs (optional, with a small allowance or reward attached).

Must-do daily task examples include:

• Wake up and manage morning routine without repeated reminders.
• Care for body: shower, hair, teeth, deodorant.
• Keep bedroom at a basic standard: no food, no trash on floor, laundry contained.

Assigned weekly cleaning chore examples include:

• Vacuum shared areas (living room, hallway).
• Clean their bathroom sink and mirror.
• Wipe down kitchen appliances (fridge door, microwave front).
• Help with one full load of laundry: wash, dry, fold, and put away their own clothes.

Extra paid job examples include:

• Deep clean the car interior.
• Organize a pantry shelf or toy shelf.
• Help with yard work: pulling weeds, raking leaves, sweeping porch.

One of the best examples I’ve seen in real families is using checklists inside cabinets. For instance, tape a simple “How to clean the bathroom” list inside the bathroom cabinet so your tween isn’t guessing. The chore chart then just says “Bathroom – Thursday,” and the step-by-step lives where they need it.

For tweens, it’s also helpful to connect chores to real-world skills. You can even point to life skills research showing that kids who do chores tend to develop stronger responsibility and independence. The Harvard Graduate School of Education, for example, has discussed how shared household responsibilities support social-emotional development (see: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/16/03/chores-children).

Teen examples of chore charts for kids (ages 14+)

Yes, this article is about kids, but teens are still in the “raising humans” category, and your chore system should grow with them.

For teens, examples of chore charts shift from “Do this because I said so” to “This is how we run a household together.” A shared family calendar or task app often works better than a cute printable.

A realistic teen chore setup might look like this:

• Each teen has core responsibilities: managing their own laundry, keeping their room at a basic standard, and handling one major weekly cleaning chore.
• The family uses a shared digital list (like a notes app or task manager) where everyone can see what needs to be done before the weekend.

Core daily task examples include:

• Set and manage their own alarm.
• Handle basic self-care and school prep independently.
• Keep bedroom reasonably clean weekly (vacuum, change sheets, empty trash).

Major weekly cleaning chore examples include:

• Deep clean one bathroom.
• Plan, shop for (with supervision), and cook one dinner.
• Mow lawn or handle snow shoveling as appropriate.
• Do one full family laundry load, including towels or linens.

Some of the best examples of chore charts for teens include money management: connecting chores to allowance or to privileges like car use or screen time. Not in a harsh way, but in a clear, “With more independence comes more responsibility” way.

If you’re wondering whether your expectations are reasonable, you can cross-check with life skills lists from university extension programs, such as this youth life skills guidance from the University of Minnesota Extension: https://extension.umn.edu/youth-development/teaching-children-life-skills.

Cleaning chores vs. daily tasks: how to show the difference on the chart

Kids get overwhelmed when everything feels like a chore. Separating cleaning chores from daily life tasks on your chart keeps things sane.

Here are a few real examples of how families visually separate the two:

• Color-coding: Blue for daily tasks (get dressed, brush teeth, homework), green for cleaning chores (vacuum, dishes, trash).
• Two-column layout: Left side labeled “My Daily Routine,” right side labeled “My Chores for Our Home.”
• Time-based sections: Top half of the chart for morning/evening routines, bottom half for after-school or weekend cleaning chores.

For example, a second grader’s chart might have:

• Morning routine: get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, put dishes by sink.
• After-school tasks: hang backpack, snack, homework, playtime.
• Cleaning chores: set table for dinner, clear dishes after dinner, wipe table.

Using these examples of chore charts for kids, age-appropriate examples become easy to spot: if it’s about taking care of their own body or belongings, it goes in daily tasks. If it’s about shared spaces, it goes in cleaning chores.

2024–2025 trends: digital examples of chore charts for kids

Families today are mixing old-school paper charts with digital tools. You don’t have to go all-in on tech, but it’s helpful to know what’s out there.

Some current trends and real examples include:

• Family task apps where each child has their own list, and parents can assign recurring chores. Kids check off tasks on a tablet or old smartphone.
• Shared calendar systems (like Google Calendar) where bigger weekly cleaning chores are listed just like sports practices or appointments.
• Hybrid systems: a paper chart on the fridge for daily tasks and a digital list for weekend or rotating cleaning chores.

If your child has attention or executive function challenges, visual and consistent systems can be especially helpful. Resources from organizations like CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) discuss the value of visual schedules and predictable routines: https://chadd.org.

When you look at modern examples of chore charts for kids, age-appropriate examples still follow the same basic rules: clear expectations, visible progress, and chores that match what a child can realistically do.

How to build your own chart from these examples

You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect chart. You just need something your child can understand and you can stick with.

Here’s a simple way to turn these examples of chore charts for kids into your own custom version:

Start by listing three to five daily tasks your child already does or almost does on their own. For a 6-year-old, that might be: get dressed, brush teeth, make bed, put dishes by sink, put toys away before bed.

Next, choose one to three cleaning chores that help the family and are truly age-appropriate. For that same 6-year-old, you might pick: set the table, wipe the table, help sort laundry on Saturday.

Then, decide how your child will track progress:

• Stickers for younger kids.
• Checkboxes or magnets for elementary kids.
• A shared whiteboard or app for tweens and teens.

Finally, choose a simple reward system if you want one. It doesn’t have to be money. Real examples include:

• Extra bedtime story for a full week of completed chores.
• Choosing the Friday night movie.
• Earning points toward a small outing or treat.

The best examples of chore charts for kids are boring in the best way: they’re predictable, visible, and used every day, not just for a week in January.

FAQ: Examples of chore charts for kids and common questions

Q: Can you give an example of a simple chore chart for a 5-year-old?
Yes. Picture a paper chart with two sections: “Every Morning” and “Helping My Family.” Under “Every Morning,” you list: get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, put pajamas in hamper. Under “Helping My Family,” you list: put toys in bin before dinner, clear my plate, help wipe the table. Your child adds a sticker or checkmark each time they finish a task.

Q: What are some examples of age-appropriate cleaning chores for a 9-year-old?
Examples include: loading and unloading the dishwasher, wiping kitchen counters, sweeping the kitchen, folding and putting away their own laundry, taking out smaller trash cans, and helping cook simple meals. These are all realistic examples of chore charts for kids: age-appropriate examples that build real-life skills.

Q: How many chores should kids have each day?
For younger kids (under 7), a few daily tasks plus one or two small cleaning chores is usually plenty. Older kids can handle more, especially if chores are spread across the week. The key is consistency. Ten chores on Sunday and none the rest of the week will burn everyone out.

Q: Should daily tasks like brushing teeth go on the chart, or just cleaning chores?
For most kids, especially under 10, it helps to include daily tasks on the chart. It reinforces routine. Over time, as those habits become automatic, you can shift the chart to focus more on cleaning chores and shared responsibilities.

Q: What if my child refuses to do the chores on the chart?
First, check if the chores are truly age-appropriate. If they are, tie chores to natural consequences and family rules: screens, outings, or allowance happen after responsibilities are done. Keep your expectations calm and consistent, and involve your child in choosing from a few chore options so they feel some control.

When you look at these real examples of chore charts for kids, age-appropriate examples all have the same heartbeat: clear expectations, realistic tasks, and a system that your family can actually live with. Start small, adjust as you go, and remember — the goal isn’t a perfect chart. The goal is raising kids who know how to take care of themselves and the place they call home.