At what age should children start assisting with chores?
Chores are a way for children to start learning responsibility in and around the house.
POLOKWANE – Children should assist in daily or weekly house chores.
Review spoke to Rika Terblanche from BabyGym about what chores children should assist with and at what age:
Two to three-years-old:
- Put dirty laundry in the laundry basket
- Help to feed the family pets
- Make his own bed, no matter if it is not perfect.
- Pick up his toys and books
- Wipe up messes that he made
- dust.
“You can put old socks on his hands hand show him how to wipe an area.”
Four to five-years-old:
- Get the mail
- Straighten his room
- Empty the knives and forks from the dishwasher
- Load the dishwasher
- Put away the laundry
“Your child can match the socks and fold them at this age.”
Six to eight-years-old:
- Collect trash from waste baskets around the house.
- Water plants
- Sort laundry into different colours
- Empty the dishwasher
- Clean bathroom sinks and counters
- Help pack school lunches
“Children can now start helping in the garden, pulling out weeds and rake the leaves.”
Nine to 11-years-old:
- Clean toilets
- Take the trash outside
- vacuum and mop floors
- Walk the pet
- Mow the grass.
“He can now also assist with the preparation of food by washing it, cutting it and measure what needs to be measured.”
12 years and older:
“By now your child is old enough to baby-sit his or her siblings, iron clothes, clean the interior and exterior of the car, cook simple meals and do the laundry. Additionally, he/she can clean the refrigerator and make a grocery list.”
