Summer Chores for Kids
Some kids are pretty good about doing their chores, while other kids would rather watch paint dry than to do their chores. While it is hard for kids to do lots of chores during the school year, summer is the ideal time for them to step up with their chore list. One great tip is to create rotating chore charts so they don’t have to do the same chores over and over. Here are some age-appropriate summer chores kids can do:
Summer chores for kids under the age of 5:
• Help pick up and put away the outdoor toys at the end of the day.
• Collect the dirty laundry from all the bedrooms.
• Clean up any spills around the house.
• Help dust furniture.
• Hang coats, jackets and other clothing on hooks.
• Help pick up toys and other items from the living room.
Summer chores for kids ages 5 to 10:
• Set and clear the dinner table.
• Sweep the kitchen floor.
• Mop kitchen floor.
• Load the clothes in the washing machine.
• Load the clothes in the dryer.
• Bring in the morning newspaper or daily mail.
• Water the flowers in the garden.
• Dust furniture.
Summer chores for kids ages 10 to 12:
• Pick up and put away outdoor toys at the end of the day.
• Hang towels outside to dry after a day in the swimming pool.
• Remove laundry from the dryer and fold clothes.
• Help bring in groceries from the car.
• Vacuum the rugs and carpets.
• Empty the indoor trash cans.
• Load and unload the dishwasher.
• Help with meal preparation.
Summer chores for kids ages 12 and older:
• Fill the pet’s food and water bowls.
• Pull the weeds in the garden.
• Mow the lawn.
• Wash and wax the family car.
• Clean the patio and deck furniture.
• Vacuum the swimming pool.
• Clean the bathroom.
• Wash the interior and exterior of windows.
• Defrost the freezer.
Now, put those kids to work!
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Chores are important for the kids, it doesn’t only teach them about responsibility but knowledge about the life skills that they need when they grow up. I think this is a helpful list!
My kids are 12 and 16 but I don’t think they can mow the lawn yet. They help with laundry and we don’t ask a lot more of them.
I did all of these as a kid and others. Chores are a good way for kids to earn a little income and responsibility.
This is great. I have 7 kids who love being helpful and doing things for me around the house so might as well turn them into chores and get them really helping!
This is a great list for all ages. I have a 15-year-old son that doesn’t like doing any type of chores but of course, I force him to do them.
I’ve pinned this for later! My kids do a few chores each, but I’m always looking for inspiration for other things they could help with. My 4 year old loves doing the laundry. He sorts everything into colours, loads the washer and then transfers everything to the dryer when it’s done. He’ll make a fab husband one day 🙂
Louise x
My daughter is still at the age where helping mummy with the chores is fun and she’s actually pretty good at it. Unfortunately my son is not so eager and needs some sore of financial incentive!
Changing up chores is a good idea. I used make up chore charts with stickers for the little ones and they liked putting a sticker on when they finished a task.
Chores are totally important especially since they’re great for developing discipline and learning life skills! I think this guide is very helpful. I make sure that my kids help around the house!
My son is just turning four so he is still in the stage of no. Even when trying to tell him to pick up his mess he’d not doing it. Once this phase is over I will definitely be utilizing some type of chore system even if it is small.
I’ve always implemented chores for the kids at home. Since they’re all at different ages, there’s plenty that they can cover. I think as a parent, it’s important that we let them do chores. My eldest is very independent and living on her own and she rocks at it because she knows what she needs to do to maintain a house.
What a great and smart thing for kids. These will sure keep them busy and I always felt so important doing new chores as a kid.
I have two daughters at very different age ranges (two and eight). The two year old loves to help with chores while my older daughter would rather do anything other than chores. It’s a struggle and summer time is killing me!
As the mom of (mostly) grown children, I can say that one of the things I would do differently if I had it to do over is to make my children shoulder more of the work around the house. Chores are a good thing, and teach so much more than just how to do housework.
Apart from helping with meal preparation, my kids aged between 10 and 12 are doing the listed tasks. I am so proud of them every day. This is a great guiding list for parents.
It is good to start kids early doing little chores here and there so they start to learn the value of hard work. Nice list!
I think that involving children to do home tasks is amazing! This is how they learn to be responsible!
These are GREAT ideas. You’re never too young to help out around the house… it gives a sense of belonging to a family.
Caitlin • Blonde Seeking Ambition
This is great idea, putting kids to work in the summer! I love the list you wrote out, so helpful!