What Chores Should My 5 Year Old Be Doing Anyway?

Check out these age-appropriate daily chores for 4 and 5 year olds!

Hey everyone! I am back from the blogging dead, haha. With a newborn and the hubby deployed and life getting cray cray, I decided to save my sanity and put my blog on hold till I get this whole adulting thing down.

While adulting is still hard, I have finally gotten a day to day routine figured out to the point where blogging is finally once more a possibility! (Oh, how I have missed the blogging. It’s an addiction ya’ll.)

So I know it sounds painfully obvious, but what has really helped keep my household in order has been establishing routines with the kids – basically getting really firm on holding them accountable regarding messes and clean up. It’s only been a month and the kids have fallen into our new routine like it’s second nature, and my life is starting to feel as zen as it can with a house full of toddlers and a baby, lol.

Since I’ve made routines and chores a part of our day to day life, I have yet to be overwhelmed by dirty dishes, messy bedrooms or toys all over the floor. Yes they still happen. Yes, every day is a chore war. But I’m on top of things, I’m being proactive, I’m laying the foundation for a lifetime of living with these tiny humans who are going to have “clean up after yourself” ingrained in the core of their beings and let me tell you, it feels PHENOMENAL.

So I did a lot of Googlizing when trying to figure out what chores are important for my children to learn, and what they should be capable of doing at this age. And I learned that there is a bit of a difference between a chore (an ongoing daily task that benefits the household) and having your kids participate in daily or occasional life skills (joining in on an activity for the purpose of learning how to do it before living on their own, such as cooking a meal from scratch).

I was really jazzed to see that I am TOTALLY on top of the life-skills lessons with my kids. Check that one off the list. Yay me. But when it came to age-appropriate chores, I had been a bit of a slacker in laying down the law. So if you, like me, are trying to find a definitive list of chores for your 5 year old so you can get to (lovingly) cracking that whip, here’s the best checklist I found on the interwebs, courtesy of Focus on the Family.

NOTICE: As you peruse this list, remember that every child matures at a different pace. Adjust your expectations and daily routine to what you know about your children’s skills and talents. Similarly, your kids don’t have to do every single thing on this list every single day. It’s kind of like a pirate code… it’s more guidelines! (Arrrr!! *piratey claw finger*)

Regardless of how you structure your chore chart, making these a habit and a routine WILL help your children succeed in personal and family responsibilities… and restore a bit of your sanity too!

Chores Your Five Year Old Could / Should Be Doing

Pick up playthings when asked or at set times (I have been staying on top of the “put your old mess away before you make a new one” rule, and it has been one of the biggest clutter cleaners yet. Additionally, I have them pick up their room one hour before bedtime. It’s been amazing. Really. Try it.)

Assist in making their bed

Take their dirty laundry to the laundry basket

Fill a pets food and water bowls with supervision

Help water houseplants with supervision

Help a parent clean up spills and dirt

Dust bookshelves and furniture (without breakables!)

Get dressed with minimal parental help

Bring their things from the car to the house

Wash hands after using the restroom and before meals and food prep

Set the table with supervision

Clear the table with supervision

Help a parent carry in the lighter groceries

Hang up towels in the bathroom

Clean floors with a dry mop

Do you have anything to add (or take away) to this list of chores for a 5 year old? Share your thoughts below!