What 5 year olds can realistically handle
Most 5 year olds can follow a three step routine and remember it the next day with a picture checklist. They can focus for 10 to 15 minutes on a chore and are proud of finishing on their own.
Fine motor skills are still developing, so folding a fitted sheet or tying a trash bag is still frustrating. Pick jobs with big, simple motions and let them own a few things completely, like setting the table every night.
Daily chores for 5 year olds
These happen every day, most of them inside routines you already have. Times are for a child who has been shown how and is doing it on their own.
| Chore | Time | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Make their bed: covers up, pillow on top | 3 min | 1 |
| Get dressed without help | 10 min | 1 |
| Set the table with napkins, forks and cups | 5 min | 1 |
| Clear their plate and scrape food into the trash | 3 min | 1 |
| Unload the spoons and forks from the dishwasher Leave anything sharp in the basket for a grown-up. | 5 min | 1 |
| Feed the pet and check the water bowl | 5 min | 1 |
| Hang up the backpack and put the lunch box on the counter | 2 min | 1 |
| Ten minute tidy of their room before bath | 10 min | 1 |
Weekly chores for 5 year olds
Bigger jobs that need doing once a week. Give each one a set day so nobody has to remember.
| Chore | Time | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Fold towels and washcloths | 10 min | 1 |
| Empty the small bathroom and bedroom trash cans into a bag | 5 min | 1 |
| Match the family's socks | 10 min | 1 |
| Put away their own clean laundry | 10 min | 1 |
| Water the indoor plants | 5 min | 1 |
Want it on paper? Print the free chore chart for ages 3 to 5, or the after school checklist.
Stretch chores to try next
Once the daily list happens without reminders, add one of these. They are worth a little more because learning a new job is part of the work.
| Chore | Time | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Dust the furniture in the living room with a microfiber cloth | 10 min | 2 |
| Wipe the bathroom sink with a damp cloth Plain water and a cloth. No sprays at this age. | 5 min | 2 |
| Help pack tomorrow's lunch: fruit, snack and water bottle | 10 min | 2 |
Making chores stick at this age
- A picture checklist on the fridge lets a pre-reader run their own morning.
- Pick one job they own every day, like setting the table. Owning one thing teaches more than rotating through ten.
- Show, then do it together, then watch them do it. Three rounds is usually enough.
About the point values
Points here work out to roughly one point for every 10 minutes of work, never less than one. Change them to suit your family. What matters is that a harder job is worth more than an easy one. The chart of chores by age uses the same scale for every age, so siblings' lists compare fairly. Wondering whether to pay in points or cash? See points vs allowance and how much allowance by age.
Questions parents ask about chores for 5 year olds
Do chores really make a difference at 5?
The research points that way. A US study that followed about 10,000 children found that those who did chores more often in kindergarten rated themselves as more socially and academically capable, and more satisfied with life, by third grade. It shows a link, not proof, but it held after accounting for family income and parents' education.
Should chores be tied to rewards at 5?
Rewards work best for building a new routine or getting through a job a child does not enjoy. Experiments also show that rewards people come to expect can reduce interest in things they already like doing. So pay points for the jobs you are building and the extras, pair every reward with specific praise, and keep the rule the same week to week.
Sources
The chores and ages here were checked against the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidance. Where this page makes a claim about safety or research, it comes from:
- Age-Appropriate Chores for Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org.
- Associations Between Household Chores and Childhood Self-Competency. White, DeBoer, Scharf et al., Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 2019.
- A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. Deci, Koestner and Ryan, Psychological Bulletin, 1999.
- Tips for Using Praise and Rewards. CDC, Essentials for Parenting Toddlers and Preschoolers.
