Did you have chores when you were a kid? Mine were to dust on Saturdays and set the table. As parents, we know that keeping the house in order is a full-time job. That’s why it’s important to have all hands pitching in. Young kids love to help around the house. So, why not encourage the enthusiasm by giving your kiddos age-appropriate chores.
Age 6 is definitely not too young to have your child doing chores. You can actually start younger. Chores for 6-year-olds shouldn’t be complicated, but the lessons packed into those simple tasks will most certainly last a lifetime. There are quite a few benefits that go along with giving your kiddos daily and weekly chores to do. Before you start assigning chores, let’s take a look at the pluses and the best age-appropriate ones for your kiddos.
Perks of chores for 6-year-olds
You don’t have to feel like Cinderella’s wicked stepmother when you give children chores. Doing chores is a part of everyday life, and getting kids to do chores at an early age goes a long way. Completing chores gives kids a sense of responsibility and makes them feel like they are a contributing member of the family.
Being in a family is like being part of a team. Everyone does their part. Having chores to do also gives kids a sense of independence along with a sense of accomplishment. Remember, kids love to help. So, let them. It gives them a feeling of pride to be able to complete a chore and gives you a hand in the process.
As adults, we know there will always be chores. So, having kids learn how to do chores, even at a young age, is teaching them important life skills. You don’t want to be showing kids how to fold laundry in the weeks before they’re heading off to college. Those simple 6-year-old chores form the foundation for the life skills your child will need when it’s time for that next chapter after high school.
Daily chores for 6-year-olds
Kindergarteners and first graders aren’t too young for chores. The chores you give them should be age-appropriate tasks. When you start assigning your 6-year-old chores, put the emphasis on the fun. Don’t give them the idea that chores are drudgery. You want them to keep that enthusiasm for chores through the teen years — if possible. Remember, music while they work always makes the chore seem less daunting. If you’re looking for age-appropriate chores for your 6-year-old, we’ve got some simple suggestions to get them started.
Putting away toys and books
If you’re cleaning up the playroom or your kiddo’s room every day, stop. This is an easy chore your 6-year-old can do on their own. Make sure shelves are accessible and have bins or containers to store toys. Cleaning up their playthings is a chore you can start early on with kids. It’s a daily one that is just part of keeping the house in order.
Making the bed
The age of 6 is too young to change the sheets, but not for making a bed in the morning. With a couple of bed-making lessons, your 6-year-old will be taking this daily chore off of your list.
Setting the table
Getting dinner ready on busy weeknights is definitely a group effort. Your young child can certainly help by setting the table. Depending on where the dishes are located, you may have to take them down, but after that, it’s a chore kids can do on their own.
Clearing the table
Taking the dishes away after the meal is finished is another simple chore ideal for kindergarteners and first graders. Just be sure to give kids instructions on where to place the dirty dishes. This time also isn’t too early to have kids learn how to start putting dirty dishes into the dishwasher if you have one.
Helping with the laundry
Laundry is another daily task that has a lot of components. While 6-year-olds may not be ready to wash or dry loads on their own, they can assist in other areas, like emptying the hamper, sorting dirty clothes, and taking clothes out of the dryer. You can start showing them how and where to put their clean clothes away, too. Kids can probably help with the folding with parental assistance.
Bringing the mail in
Another easy daily chore is to put kids in charge of checking the porch for packages and bringing the mail in.
Pet care
If you have pets, it’s a great idea to turn their care into a daily chore for your 6-year-old. Young kids can help feed pets and ensure the water bowl is clean and full. Playing with pets is an important daily activity kids won’t think is a chore, but it is. Brushing kitties and pups is also another easy chore kids can do that’s a snap.
Helping to make school lunches
One of my least favorite chores is making those dreaded school lunches. While 6-year-olds can’t make their whole lunch, they can give a helping hand. Making this a daily chore is a great way to teach kids how to put together a healthy lunch. This way, when the teen years hit, yours will know how to pack their own lunch for school.
Weekly chores for 6-year-olds
Some chores don’t have to be done daily. So, it’s a good idea to have your kiddo be responsible for a couple of weekly chores in addition to their daily ones. Having kids complete weekly chores goes a long way toward building a strong foundation of life skills.
Dusting
Give kids a dust cloth or a Swifter and they can clean off low surfaces and baseboards. Give them a couple of dusting lessons before you set them off on their own. Remember the music. It always makes cleaning the house go by quicker.
Helping with the groceries
Whether kids go shopping with you or not, lending a hand bringing groceries in the house and putting them away is a perfect weekly chore for 6-year-olds. It also teaches kids to put down what they’re doing and help whenever you come home with a car full of groceries.
Emptying garbage cans
Bringing out the garbage is typically a weekly thing in most homes. Young kids can help by getting those small trash cans around the house and emptying them into a bigger bin before it all heads to the curb.
Watering plants
If you’re a plant lover and have lots of houseplants, watering them is a chore a 6-year-old can do. You may need to give a few lessons on plant watering before you let them do it on their own. This way, kids know how much is too much.
Seasonal chores
When it comes to being a homeowner, there are those nagging chores that come up throughout the year. Raking leaves in the fall and early spring. Shoveling snow in winter. Weeding, planting and watering the garden in spring and summer. These are all outside chores 6-year-olds can certainly give you a hand doing and it’s a fun way you can spend quality time together outdoors.
Chore tips
A family is a team, and teamwork keeps the house running smoothly. There are quite a few daily, weekly, and seasonal chores that keep a house in order. Now that you are going to have your 6-year-old completing some, keep these tips in mind.
Set up a chore chart
You may ask kids to do certain chores, but it’s always a roll of the dice as to whether they remember or not. Make it easy for them by creating a chore chart. This way, kids know exactly what their daily and weekly chore responsibilities are.
Be a role model
You are your child’s first role model. We know adulting isn’t always fun. Chores are a part of that not-so-fun part of being an adult. In the long run, though, having chores as a child teaches kids important life skills they will need when they eventually leave home.
Don’t be critical
Remember kids won’t do a chore exactly the way you will. So, don’t expect perfection. Maybe the bed isn’t made to your standards, but it’s made.
Should you give an allowance for chores?
Many parents do give an allowance to kids for completing daily, weekly, and seasonal chores. Giving kids an allowance certainly has its benefits, too. One perk is encouraging kids to do their chores in the first place. Chores are something that must be done whether kids get a monetary reward for it or not. Where you fall on the allowance or not argument may depend on what your parents did. Either way, it’s a personal choice.
Chores are a part of life, and 6-year-olds are always eager to help parents. There are many positive benefits to giving kids chores to do. Chores teach responsibility, independence, and important life skills. Doing chores also gives kids a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. With this list of chores for 6-year-olds, you are sure to find some ideal ones for yours to do around the house. Kids can do more than you think and getting them involved in the lengthy list of chores around the house gives you a major helping hand.
