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Using chores and allowances for kids by age is an effective way to instill essential life skills.
Teaching children about money management and responsibility is a fundamental aspect of parenting. Chores and allowances serve as a framework for those financial lessons.
However, if deciding which chores and allowances are suitable for your child’s age is a daunting task, let me help.
In this age by age guide, I will explore the best chores and allowances for kids, helping you lay a strong foundation for their financial future.
Related: 25 Family Chore Chart Printables for Multiple Children
Should Children Be Paid for Chores?
Deciding whether or not to pay your children for chores is difficult. The pros and cons of paying for chores are varied.
Should children get an allowance? My husband and I struggled with this decision.
In our family, we wanted the focus to be on our family functioning as a team and decided to separate chores from allowances.
Although our children receive an allowance, it is not directly tied to the chores they are expected to do. We all have chores and they are done at the same time unless a chore cannot be accomplished until a prior chore is completed. (For example, the person who sweeps the floor has to finished before someone can mop the floor.)
Despite the emphasis on the allowance being a gift and chores being required, the line between chores and allowances has gotten blurry more than once.
In one situation, I was tempted to remove a child’s allowance because they were not completing their household duties without being reminded. But, since we said the children were not paid for chores, I had to find another motivation to use as discipline.
How Much Allowance Should a Child Receive?
Determining how much allowance a child should receive can vary greatly. The amount you give your child depends on various factors, including your family’s financial situation, your child’s age, and the goals you have in mind.
RELATED: Best Allowance and Chore Apps for Families
According to GoHenry: “A common rule of thumb is to pay children between 50 cents to $1 per week for each year of their age. Following this rule, a 10-year-old’s allowance would be between $5 and $10 per week, while a 16-year-old would get between $8 and $16 per week.”
However, in our family, allowances have been much lower.
When we first gave our children an allowance, they were given $10 a month. Not a lot at all. Even as teenagers, they only received $20 a month but had the opportunity to make more money with paying chores.
Chores and Allowances for Kids By Age
While there is not a set of rules when assigning chores and allowances for kids by age, this guide can help you brainstorm appropriate tasks.
Toddlers (Ages 2-4)
Toddlers are just beginning to explore the world around them. While they may not be ready for traditional chores, there are still valuable lessons they can learn.
Chores:
- Putting Toys Away: Encourage your toddler to participate in cleaning up their toys after playtime. This teaches them the importance of tidiness.
- Basic Cleanup: Simple tasks like wiping spills with a cloth can help toddlers feel responsible. At this age, it is important to begin teaching children they are responsible for the messes they make.
- Dusting: Whether using a duster or a cloth, toddlers can easily wipe flat surfaces while an adult or older child tackles the more delicate areas.
- Sort Recycling: Glass should be set aside by an older child or adult, but young children can sort between boxes and cans.
- Clearing the Table: Toddlers are old enough to begin removing their plates and cups from the table after a meal or wiping the table after dishes are removed.
- Laundry Basics: While a toddler is too young to wash and dry their own clothes, they can learn to hang wet towels and to place dirty clothes into a hamper.
RELATED: Teaching Children Leadership and Teamwork with Chores
Allowance:
Toddlers don’t typically receive a regular allowance. However, you can introduce the concept of saving by using a clear jar to visually represent money saved over time.
You can also begin teaching toddlers that money has value. Take your toddlers for trips to the grocery store and encourage gratitude when your child receives a gift.
Preschoolers (Ages 4-6)
Preschoolers are eager to help and learn. At this age, they can start taking on more responsibilities around the home.
Chores:
- Making Their Bed: Teach preschoolers to straighten their sheets and fluff their pillows as part of their morning routine.
- Setting the Table: Simple tasks like putting out utensils or napkins is a great way to involve them during mealtime.
- Assisting with Laundry: Beyond placing dirty clothes into the hamper, preschoolers can help sort laundry by colors or pair clean socks. They can also learn to fold washcloths and place clean towels into the closet.
- Restocking the Bathroom: Preschoolers can learn to replace the toilet paper as needed. As they grow closer to school-age, they can also refill hand soap containers and wipe the bathroom counters as needed.
- Feeding Pets: By the age of six, children should be learning to care for animals. While your child is not old enough to walk the dog, they can walk with you. Preschoolers can also refill food and water dishes.
- Watering the Plants: If your child can hold a watering hose or carry a plastic watering can, he or she can help by watering the plants around the house.
Allowance:
Consider giving a small weekly allowance, teaching them about saving, spending, and sharing. (This allowance does not need to be a lot of money so work within your budget.)
Use cash or change that is divisible by three, such as three quarters or three dollars, to make it easier to divide between the different money categories.
Then, have the children divide their allowance between three simple containers (like empty Pringles cans or jars.)
If you want to provide a more permanent piggy bank, order The Moon Jar from Amazon. (The Moon Jar is a fabulous product for teaching children how to save, spend, give with their money since there are three sections which fit together.)
Early Elementary (Ages 7-9)
As children enter elementary school, they can handle more complex chores and learn about financial responsibility.
Chores:
- Doing Dishes: With adult supervision, elementary-aged children can wash dishes or unload/load the dishwasher.
- Taking Out Trash: The kitchen garbage may be too heavy, but they are able to empty small trash bins in bedrooms and bathrooms.
- Light Yard Work: Raking leaves, pulling weeds, or watering plants are age-appropriate outdoor tasks.
- Dusting: Children at this age can dust anywhere they can reach but might still require some supervision when working with fragile items.
- Make a Snack: By this age, children can choose their own snacks and even use the microwave with supervision.
- Flip the Laundry: Using a small, sturdy step stool for top-loading washers, early elementary children may be tall enough to move wet clothes from the washer to the dryer.
RELATED: Printable Chore Chart Magnets for Kids
Allowance:
Increase their allowance as you see fit and introduce the concept of saving for more significant items they want, like toys or games.
Encourage your children to begin setting goals and tracking their progress. The Earn and Learn Dry Erase Tracker is a fabulous tool for showing children income versus expenses and introduces the concept of paying chores.
Preteens (Ages 10-12)
Preteens are ready for more significant responsibilities and financial lessons.
RELATED: Read my Greenlight Debit Card for Kids Review
Chores:
- Wake Themselves: Using an alarm clock, preteens are able to get themselves up and ready for the day without a parent.
- Cleaning Their Room: Encourage them to keep their room tidy and organized.
- Wash Their Own Laundry: By age 10, my children were sorting, washing, drying,
- Meal Prep: Teach them basic cooking skills, such as making simple breakfasts or packing their school lunch. Have your preteen work beside you in the kitchen as you prepare meals and teach him or her how to properly use knives and other kitchen equipment.
- Pet Care: If you have pets, they can take on responsibilities like feeding and walking.
- Wash the Car: Preteens are old enough to give a car a complete wash and dry. If they are not tall enough, provide a long-handled brush for reaching the top of the vehicle.
Allowance:
At this age, introduce the idea of a budget. If you have not started doing so already, encourage your preteen to allocate a portion of their allowance for saving, spending, and charitable giving. (We use Greenlight Debit Card for Kids and have it set to automatically divide the allowance based on percentages.)
Teach preteens to use a budget planner system for tracking spending and saving. There are various colors and styles available at Amazon.
Teenagers (Ages 13-18)
Teenagers are on the cusp of adulthood, and it’s crucial to prepare them for financial independence.
RELATED: Basic Money Management for Teens
Chores:
- Yard Maintenance: Teens can handle lawn mowing, trimming, and other outdoor chores.
- Grocery Shopping: Let them plan and shop for some family meals, teaching budgeting and meal planning.
- Car Responsibilities: If they have a car, they should take care of tasks like filling the gas tank and basic maintenance.
- Prepare Dinner: Teenagers should be able to prepare a simple meal for the family.
- Garbage Duty: Teens are tall enough and strong enough to take out the garbage and place the cans on the curb for collection day.
- Clean the Bathroom: By this age, teenagers can clean the bathroom. We use a bathroom cleaning checklist to make sure everything is done.
Allowance:
My teens receive a very modest allowance. But they are also paid for yard work, spring cleaning tasks, and tasks beyond basic household chores. We also encourage our teens (ages 16 and up) to get a part-time job.
If you provide your teenagers with a more substantial allowance, encourage them to open a bank account. They should use their money to cover personal expenses, transportation costs, and save for college or future goals.
Can Chores and Allowances Be Skill-Based?
Chores and allowances for kids by age are great tools for teaching children responsibility, money management, and the value of hard work. But, every child is different.
If some of these chores seem inappropriate for your child, consider their aptitudes first. Remember that every child is unique, so adjust the chores and allowances to suit their abilities and interests.
By tailoring these tasks to your child’s skills, you can gradually prepare them for financial independence. At the same time, you are instilling important life skills along the way.
With the right approach, you can set your child on the path to a financially responsible and empowered future.
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