Chores for kids by age: what your child can do from 2 to 8 and up

You can give your child a real chore from about 2 years old. Start with one small job, like matching socks or putting toys in a box, and add more as they grow. ECDA's chores guide, written by a psychologist at NUH, says chores build focus, motor skills and self-esteem. The chores for kids by age table below splits the jobs into four bands, from 2 to 3 up to 8 and older.

How to start chores with your child, step by step

1. Pick one job your child can finish, like putting toys in a basket. A Families for Life article from ECDA says to set your child up for success, not frustrate them with a job that's too hard.
2. Do the job yourself while your child watches. Then do it together until they can do it alone, as Raising Children Network suggests.
3. Give one clear instruction. Say "Cars in the red box, please," not "Clean your room." Families for Life says specific steps show your child what's expected.
4. Teach one small step at a time. Families for Life suggests adding the rest once your child feels confident.
5. Praise the trying, and say thank you. Families for Life says not to expect a perfect job, and that your encouragement helps a child finish.
6. Leave the job as your child did it. ECDA's advice on school bags is to resist redoing it, since mistakes are part of learning.
7. Keep knives, hot pots and cleaning products out of the job. HealthHub lists all three as things to keep out of a young child's reach.
8. Put the jobs on a picture chart by the front door or on the fridge. Families for Life says the simpler the chart, the more likely you'll stick with it.
9. Tell your helper and the grandparents the plan, so that whoever is home hands the job back to your child instead of doing it, and share your safety rules with them as HealthHub advises.
10. Swap or add a job once the first one is a habit, because Raising Children Network says changing jobs from time to time keeps children interested.

Chores for kids by age, at a glance

These jobs come from ECDA, Families for Life, HealthHub and Raising Children Network. HealthHub groups 6 to 12 together and Raising Children groups 6 to 11, so we've moved the longer jobs to 8 and up.

Some children are ready sooner. Families for Life says a 3 year old can set the table, and even a 15-month-old can learn to put rubbish in the bin. Rotating jobs also keeps things fair between siblings, Raising Children says, and our sibling rivalry guide helps when the arguing starts anyway.

Kitchen jobs have their own list in our cooking with kids guide. To fit chores into the day, our daily routine for preschoolers has sample schedules.

Why chores help your child

ECDA's guide says chores train concentration and focus and strengthen motor skills. They also give a child responsibility, and the self-esteem that comes from seeing what they can do. Each job has its own lesson in it, too: matching socks and folding clothes work the small muscles of the hand, while dusting a table one section at a time trains memory and problem-solving. Taking the rubbish out on the same days each week shows a child how a schedule repeats.

HealthHub, writing with NUH doctors, lists household chores among the ways to support a preschooler's development. There's an upside for you as well, since Raising Children Network points out that chores get done sooner when your child helps, which leaves you with less to do.

Should you pay for chores?

Families differ on this, and the sources describe both ways. Raising Children Network says some families see helping as every family member's job, so they don't pay. Others do pay. If you do, keep the chores regular and clear so there's no bargaining over what needs doing and when.

A middle path is to keep everyday jobs unpaid and pay a little extra for extra jobs, which Raising Children says some families do. For young children, Families for Life says finishing a job and taking its card off the chart is often reward enough. If you'd rather not use cash, it suggests points or stickers your child can trade for an outing or a treat. Our guide on how to avoid spoiling your child covers rewards and saying no.

Chores in a home with a helper or grandparents

With a helper at home, most jobs get done before your child reaches them. Your child's own jobs can still stay theirs: toys away, dirty clothes in the basket, plate cleared, school bag packed.

Tell your helper which jobs belong to your child, and the words you use for each one. Ask them to do the job beside your child, not for them. ECDA's advice on school bags fits here too: resist the urge to redo it, even when it's quicker.

Give grandparents the same short list. Mark which jobs stay with an adult. Your child's preschool may already do this. An ECDA article quotes a preschool leader whose centre gets children to serve their own meals and clear up after themselves, so home can match it. If your helper is new, our new helper arrival checklist is a good place to write these house rules down.

Keeping chores safe at home

HealthHub says most common childhood injuries happen at home, where young children spend most of their time. A few changes keep chores safe.

• Hand your child a damp cloth with plain water and do any spraying yourself. HealthHub says to keep cleaning products out of reach, in their original bottles and never in juice or water bottles.
• Take the knives out first. HealthHub lists knives and scissors among the things to keep from a young child's reach, so your child puts away the spoons and you put away the rest.
• Keep hot drinks and pots well away from wherever your child is working. For jobs in the kitchen itself, our cooking with kids guide has tasks by age and what to do for a burn.
• Peg laundry on an indoor rack, away from the window. HealthHub advises locked window grilles once a child can climb, and warns that a stool can become a prop to reach heights.
• Choose plates and cups that won't break.

Our baby-proofing checklist covers the latches and locks.

When to get help

Chores also show you how your child's hands and focus are growing. It's worth talking to a doctor if you notice any of these.

• Your preschooler still can't feed or dress themselves when others their age can. HealthHub says preschoolers learn to do tasks like these on their own. Our toddler milestones guide lists what to expect earlier on.
• Your child has real trouble staying on any task, often loses belongings, or gets hurt a lot, even with enough sleep and limited screens. HealthHub lists these among signs to discuss with your child's doctor. Our ADHD guide explains how assessment works.
• Your child gets a scald or a cut, or chokes, during a chore. HealthHub says these need first aid straight away.

Start with your family doctor, a polyclinic doctor or your child's paediatrician. HealthHub says they can do a developmental assessment and may refer a child not yet in primary school to NUH's Child Development Unit or KKH's Department of Child Development. HealthHub also suggests telling them what other caregivers and preschool teachers see, so bring what your helper and grandparents notice. Our paediatrician map lists clinics near you.

Frequently asked questions

What chores can a 3 year old do?

A 2 to 3 year old can put toys and books away, put dirty clothes in the laundry basket and match socks, say ECDA and Families for Life. ECDA adds dusting low tables and chairs. Families for Life says many 3 year olds can set the table too.

What age should kids start doing chores?

ECDA suggests starting from around two years old, though Families for Life says even a 15-month-old can learn to put rubbish in the bin or fetch a clean diaper. Pick one job and do it together until your child can manage it alone.

Should I pay my child to do chores?

That's up to your family, and both choices work. Raising Children Network says that if you pay, the chores should be regular and clear so there's no bargaining. Some families keep daily jobs unpaid and pay for extras, and Families for Life suggests stickers or points if you'd rather not use cash.

What are good chores for kids in Singapore flats?

Pick jobs that fit a small space. Watering plants, sorting clean laundry by family member and dusting a low table all work in a flat, and so does putting rubbish in the bin. Families for Life also suggests pegging clothes, which is safest on an indoor rack away from the window.

Do kids still need chores if we have a helper?

Yes. Keep your child's own jobs, like toys away and plate cleared, and ask your helper to hand those back. One list agreed with your helper and the grandparents means your child hears the same rule from everyone.

How do I get my child to do chores without nagging?

Give one clear instruction and keep a picture chart where your child can see it. Then do your own chores at the same time. Families for Life suggests setting aside time each day for the whole family to do chores together, and says children copy the adults around them. Our guide to discipline without shouting has more on getting cooperation.