What 6 year olds can realistically handle
At 6, most kids can follow a written or picture checklist of four or five items and work for 15 minutes without reminders. They understand that a job has a standard, and they will argue about whether they met it, which is a good sign.
Supervision can move from next to them to within earshot. This is a good age to add a first outdoor chore and a first shared family job, like emptying all the small trash cans, so they see their work helping everyone.
Daily chores for 6 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 | 3 min | 1 |
| Pack their backpack for tomorrow and set it by the door | 5 min | 1 |
| Unload silverware and plastic dishes from the dishwasher Sharp items stay in the basket for a grown-up. | 10 min | 1 |
| Set the table and clear their own place | 10 min | 1 |
| Feed the pet and refill the water bowl | 5 min | 1 |
| Wipe the kitchen table with a damp cloth after dinner | 5 min | 1 |
| Tidy their room: floor clear, clothes in the hamper | 10 min | 1 |
Weekly chores for 6 year olds
Bigger jobs that need doing once a week. Give each one a set day so nobody has to remember.
| Chore | Time | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Empty all the small trash cans into the kitchen bin | 10 min | 1 |
| Sweep under the kitchen table with a small broom and dustpan | 10 min | 1 |
| Fold their own shirts and pants and put them away | 15 min | 2 |
| Vacuum the couch cushions with a handheld vacuum | 10 min | 1 |
| Rake leaves into a pile with a kid size rake | 15 min | 2 |
Want it on paper? Print the free chore chart for ages 6 to 8, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Make their own cereal breakfast using a small milk pitcher Pour the milk into a small pitcher the night before so the jug is not a hazard. | 5 min | 2 |
| Put away all the pantry groceries | 15 min | 3 |
| Help wash the car: rinse and sponge the doors | 20 min | 3 |
Making chores stick at this age
- Hang a checklist at their height and let them tick it off themselves.
- Do the evening backpack routine at the same time every night, not in the morning rush.
- Tie chores to things that already happen. Tidy before bath, not at a random time.
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 6 year olds
How do I get a 6 year old to do chores without reminders?
Put the list where they can see it, keep it the same every day, and check it at the same time. After two or three weeks the list does the reminding. A reminder from you is fine; a lecture is what makes it a fight.
Is my 6 year old old enough to help with laundry?
Yes, for sorting, folding simple things and putting their own clothes away. Running the machine can wait until 8 or so, when they can read the settings and reach the controls safely. If anyone 6 or under lives in or visits your home, the AAP recommends liquid or powder detergent instead of pods, which are far more dangerous if swallowed.
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.
- Laundry Room and Detergent Safety. American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org.
- Executive functions and household chores: Does engagement in chores predict children's cognition?. Tepper, Howell and Bell, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 2022.
