9 Helpful Chores For 4 Year Olds (And 5 Year Olds)

Coming up with ideas for chores for 4 year olds is a pretty important task. This is especially true when you consider that at that age, your kid is becoming more independent and capable. That means that the chores you pick for your kid need to be chores that are age-appropriate and promote growth in a positive way.

Looking back on your childhood years, you probably didn’t enjoy having to do chores around the house, did you? Even though you might not have realized it at the time, those chores were teaching you some important life lessons – some of which you carry with you to this day!

Yes, sure, you may have preferred to go play with your friends or do something other than your chores, but that level of responsibility helped shape the person you are today. So why not instill the same values in your kid by assigning some of these chores for 4 year olds to your little one?

Do chores for 4-year-olds differ from chores for 5-year-olds?

Chores for 4 year olds and chores for 5 year olds are quite similar because there’s a small age difference between the two groups. Four-year-olds can typically do what kids a year older than them can do, which is why this list of chores can be applicable to both age groups.

In most cases, chores for 5-year-olds include a bit more responsibility than chores for 4-year-olds. This means that in terms of physical and mental demands, chores for these two age groups are quite similar.

When it comes to assigning chores, a key thing is to be mindful of your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities. This will provide some guidance to you on chores that are both age-appropriate and suitable for your little one.

Pin this list of chores for 4 year olds and 5 year olds for later!

Age-appropriate chores for 4-year-olds (and 5)

1. Help with cooking and baking measurements

Kids this age ideally shouldn’t be around a hot stove or sharp kitchen utensils. However, that doesn’t mean they should stay away from the kitchen entirely! They can always assist with safer tasks such as measuring dry ingredients when baking or washing the vegetables before they are chopped and cooked by an adult.

This will also make them feel like they were part of the cooking or baking experience, which will surely leave them feeling proud of themselves.

2. Dust low furniture

This is possibly one of the safest and easiest chores for 4 year olds or 5-year-olds. All they need is a soft cloth and furniture spray and they are good to go. The focus here is on low furniture; 4 and 5-year-olds aren’t tall enough to reach higher than that, and they shouldn’t feel the need to get on a step ladder and potentially hurt themselves in the process.

3. Unpack and put groceries away

This is a fun one! Growing up, I didn’t even consider this as one of my chores, it was just an enjoyable thing to do. Unpacking and putting groceries away is a great addition to your list of chores for 4-year-olds or chores for 5-year-olds.

It’s a bit like diving into a goodie bag every single time, at least that’s what it felt like to me. I enjoyed going through the grocery bags to see what goodies my parents had come home with that day, and I know a lot of other kids enjoy it too.

4. Feed pets

Kids that love their pets definitely want this to be on their list of chores. Contrary to popular belief, chores don’t always have to be boring or unexciting. Some chores, like this one, shouldn’t feel like chores at all; they should be fun and be something that your little one can look forward to each day.

5. Assist with laundry

Assisting with laundry starts before wash day. In a way, you could say that this is one the chores that need to be done daily. As a starting point, your child should know not to mix whites with colored clothing. This means that they should make sure that every time they put their clothing in the laundry basket, they put it in the right one to make the washing process easier.

Alternatively, if you don’t use different laundry baskets, one of the chores could be to separate the clothes on wash day.

Other laundry chores that your little companion could assist with include matching up the socks, folding their own clothes, and taking the clothes out of the dryer. These are simple and harmless laundry chores that don’t have anything to do with dangerous objects or operations.

6. Garden chores

For some households, the garden is a very important element for either aesthetics or its function. If this is the case in your house, then it only makes sense to include it in the list of chores for your kids. Four and 5-year-olds can focus on the smaller garden chores, such as watering the plants, picking flowers, or planting the fruit, vegetables and flowers.

The most appropriate garden chores for younger kids are those that aren’t physically demanding or require any heavy lifting. Picking flowers for the house is one of the cute and sentimental chores for your little one to do. It requires minimal physical labor and it will brighten up your home.

7. Dinnertime chores

This is among the chores that need to be done frequently, often on a daily basis. However, you could work out a roster and alternate so that your little one doesn’t have to do it all the time. A lot of elements go into preparing for dinner, which means that there are various chores for kids of all ages to do.

For your 4 or 5-year-old, assign chores that don’t require them to be in possession of sharp objects and cutlery. Chores such as setting out the napkins and place mats are most appropriate for younger kids.

8. Clean toy area

Chores like this one are great for teaching kids about responsibility and cleaning up after themselves. Nobody likes a messy house, so instead of you running around after your kids and cleaning up after them, get them involved. Add this to their list of chores so that they understand that their toy area is their little haven and they need to ensure that it’s always in tip-top condition.

9. Wipe spills

In addition to cleaning up their toy area, 4 and 5-year-olds are old enough to understand that if they create a mess, they must clean it up. Wiping spills, be it on the counter or on the floor, should become second nature to them. If they see a mess or spillage, teach them to look for a dry cloth and wipe the mess.

Put safety first

Doing chores is something that families around the world practice, some might even call it a worldwide tradition and way of being. There are both educational and functional benefits to letting your little one take control over some elements of running the household, even if it’s not done perfectly. The more they do their chores, the better they’ll become at them.

That being said, safety should always be an important consideration when picking chores for your kids. That’s why different age groups don’t have the same chores to do. While older kids may be able to do chores that involve knives or scissors, little ones can’t do those chores because they might just hurt themselves in the process.

So, when choosing the right chores for 4 year olds and chores for 5 year olds, it’s best to stay away from any chores that involve sharp objects, heights, heavy lifting, chemicals or dangerous substances and heat. Yes, I’ll admit, it’s always nice to come back home to a cooked meal, but don’t start them off too young and add cooking to their list of chores just yet – for their own safety!

Special thanks to author: Sannie Nkosi is the founder of Four-Leaf Consulting. After a few years in journalism, she ditched the newsroom to write about things that really matter (like family, finances and travel). On a regular day, you can find her creating content, listening to podcasts, or engaging with small business owners.