Make a Chore Chart for Kids

How to use the chore chart maker

Enter your child’s name and choose an age group. Tick the suggested chores you want to include, or add a chore of your own. Then pick the days for each task so the weekly chart reflects what your household actually needs.

Before printing, look over the chart with your child. Check that each chore is clear and that the selected days make sense for your family. You can print the finished chart or save it as a PDF, and you do not need to sign up.

A printable chore chart for kids works best when the tasks are easy to recognize. If a label feels too broad, use the custom chore option to describe the action you want your child to do. The chart is a place to record the plan, while you and your child can talk through what each task involves.

• Choose an age group, select or add chores, assign days, and print or save the weekly chart.

Choose age appropriate chores

The American Academy of Pediatrics lists examples of chores for children ages 5 to 12. Use its age groups as a starting point, then consider your child’s ability, disability, safety needs, and family circumstances. A chore that appears in an age group is an option, not a requirement for every child.

The CDC lists doing simple household chores, such as matching socks or clearing the table after meals, as a milestone most children reach by age 5. That example can help you think about simple tasks, but it does not decide what any individual child should do. Choose a task your child can learn and that you can support safely.

• Ages 5 to 7: The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests making beds, setting and clearing the table, weeding or raking, packing school lunches, dusting, tidying toys and bookshelves, sorting laundry, feeding pets, emptying trash bins, sweeping, bringing in the mail, watering plants, and washing plastic dishes.
• Ages 8 to 10: The American Academy of Pediatrics includes the earlier tasks, plus vacuuming, helping cook dinner, making simple snacks, walking the family pet, putting away their own laundry, and unpacking groceries.
• Ages 11 to 12: The American Academy of Pediatrics includes the earlier tasks, plus cleaning the kitchen, changing bed sheets, loading and unloading the dishwasher, doing and folding laundry, cleaning toilets and bathrooms, washing the car, cooking a simple meal with supervision, and watching younger siblings with an adult at home.

Start small and choose the days

If you are wondering how many chores to put on the chart, start small. Pick tasks you can explain and support, rather than filling every available day. You can add more or change the plan after your child has had a chance to work with it.

Choose days based on when each chore needs doing in your household. A task can appear on the days you select; it does not have to fill the whole week. If a selected day stops working for your family, update the chart and print a new copy.

Ask your child whether the task names are clear before you settle on the chart. For a custom chore, write an action that tells them what to do, such as sorting laundry or watering plants. Keep the plan tied to your family’s circumstances and your child’s ability.

Teach a new chore step by step

Show your child how to do a new chore before expecting them to follow the chart independently. Then do the task together, watch while they try it, and let them do it when they are ready. You can use the same sequence again if they need more practice.

Make sure you both mean the same thing by the chore written on the page. For example, if the chart says “clear the table,” show which items you want your child to handle. If part of a task calls for supervision, stay involved with that part.

The chart can remind your child which task is planned for a day, but it cannot explain every step. Keep giving guidance when a task is new or changes. Adjust the chore if it does not fit your child’s ability or your household’s needs.

• Show the task, do it together, watch your child try, then let them do it.

Praise, rewards, and allowance

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests praising effort and initiative rather than focusing only on the outcome. When your child tries a chore or notices that something needs doing, acknowledge that effort. You can still help them learn any part of the task they have not mastered.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also says rewarding success works better than badgering or scolding. A reward can be as simple as your response to completed work. If you want a tangible option, its guidance mentions stickers or allowance tied to completed chores.

Decide what fits your family and explain it clearly to your child. A chart can show which chores were planned, while your conversations can cover effort, help, and completion. You can use praise alone or choose a tangible reward; neither approach needs to be a rule for every family.

Keep the chart current and check safety

Look at the chart together as your routine changes. Remove chores that no longer fit, add a task your child is ready to learn, or move a chore to a different day. You can make those changes in the tool and print or save an updated weekly chart.

Match chores to your child’s ability and disability, as well as the conditions in your home. Supervise tasks involving chemicals, sharp tools, or hot surfaces. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists cooking a simple meal for ages 11 to 12 with supervision, and watching younger siblings only with an adult at home.

Check what a chore involves before adding it, especially when a short label covers several actions. A task such as cleaning a bathroom may involve materials that need adult supervision. If the task cannot be done safely as written, change the task or the support you provide.