Make a chore chart
Making the chart
Start with a list. Pick an age band and press Use this list, then change any chore, delete the ones that don't apply with ×, or add your own. Each chore gets a small drawing when it mentions something the chart knows, such as a bed, the dog or the dishwasher; untick Pictures for plain rows.
Type one name per line. With One per child, every child gets their own copy of the list, and Print sends them all together. The family chart puts everyone on one sheet with a Who column, so you can type a name against each chore or leave it blank to fill in by hand.
Columns sets the shape of the week. Mon to Sun and Sun to Sat give a tick box for each day. A daily checklist has one box per chore and a date line, for a list that's printed fresh or kept in a plastic sleeve.
Print with the scale at 100% and the same paper chosen here, Letter or A4. Black and white leaves out the coloured bands and stripes. Your chart is saved in this browser so it's there next week, and Copy link puts the settings after the # in the address. That part of a link never goes to a server, ours included.
Which chores at which age
The lists for ages 5 to 12 follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' page on chores, adapted from its book Caring for Your School-Age Child: Ages 5 to 12 (3rd edition, 2018). It suggests making beds and setting and clearing the table from five to seven, adds vacuuming, helping make dinner and walking the family pet from eight to 10, and from 11 to 12 cleaning the kitchen, changing the sheets, doing laundry and cooking a simple meal with supervision.
The 2 to 4 list comes from Intermountain Health's guide, which has toddlers tidying toys and books, carrying dirty clothes to the laundry and helping feed a pet.
These are starting points. You know better than any list if your child can be trusted with a vacuum cleaner.
Using a chore chart
The AAP page says a chore chart or checklist can help, as a reminder of what's expected and a record of what's done. It also says rewarding success and encouraging works better than scolding, and it mentions allowances and stickers as rewards tied to finished chores.
Put the chart where the chores happen, at a child's eye height, and tick the boxes together at first. A short list that gets done beats a long one that doesn't, so it's worth starting with three or four chores and adding more once those are habits.
Points or allowance adds a column for what each chore is worth and a box for the week's total. Type the amounts in the chore list, like 2 or 50¢, or leave them blank to write on the sheet. For one goal at a time, a reward chart with stars or stickers to fill is often easier for younger children to follow.
Questions
Can I make charts for several children at once?
Yes. Type one name per line and choose One per child. Each child gets a sheet with the same chores, up to 12 children. For different chores per child, print one at a time, or use the family chart with a Who column.
How many chores fit?
Up to 20. The rows get shorter as the list grows; landscape paper leaves more room for long chore names.
Is anything I type sent anywhere?
No. The chart is drawn on this page. Your settings are kept in this browser's local storage, and a copied link carries them after the #, which browsers don't send to servers. Start again clears what's saved.
Can I use it for routines as well as chores?
Yes. Type anything into the list, like brush teeth or pack the school bag. The rows don't have to be chores.
Does it print on A4?
Yes. Choose A4 or US Letter and portrait or landscape, and print at 100%.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org: Chores and Responsibility (adapted from Caring for Your School-Age Child: Ages 5 to 12, 3rd edition, 2018; updated 9 February 2024)
- Intermountain Health: Age-appropriate chores for kids (updated 17 November 2023)
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