Sharing the workload by having chores for 6 year olds (or 7 year olds) assigned to your little one is great. It benefits not only you because you get some time out, but chores also teach kids some important values and lessons. Chores build confidence as well, because they make kids feel like contributors to the running of the household, and when they do their chores well, it can make them feel accomplished!
When assigning chores to your little one, it’s vital that they are age appropriate and that they are chores that your kid will be able to safely do. At the end of the day, chores aren’t meant to be extremely challenging or break your kid down, on the contrary. Ideally, the chores for 6 year olds and chores for 7 year olds should be about instilling a sense of responsibility and discipline.
Below are some age-appropriate chores for 6-year-olds, which double up as suitable chores for 7-year-olds too.
Read more:
9 Helpful Chores For 4 Year Olds (And 5 Year Olds)
Chores For 8 to 10 Year-Olds To Make Them Totally Cooperative
Outdoor chores
1. Watering the garden
When thinking of chores for 6-year-olds and chores for 7-year-olds, you don’t have to limit it to just indoor chores. At 6 and 7, your kid is independent enough to venture out into your backyard and water the garden. Not only can this be a breath of fresh air, but it’s also one of the more enjoyable and effortless chores. This is especially true if your little one has green fingers and loves the outdoors.
2. Pulling out weeds
Much like watering the garden, this is a safe and fun addition to the list of chores. Teach your kid a bit about how to identify weeds and how to know what to pull out and what not to. This can also be a great way to bond and spend time together.
3. Raking leaves to keep the yard clean
How big your yard is will determine if your little one can do this one on their own or if they’ll need some assistance. I consider this one of the more fun and playful chores and a nice way to get some fresh air. Fortunately, there are child-sized rakes on the market, meaning that your little one will have a suitable one for his age and height.
4. Walking the dogs
Most kids love their family’s furry friend, so this may just become one of their favorite chores. This is considered among suitable chores for 6 year olds because it’s safe and at that age, your kid is likely to have control over your pet/s. This is a good one because it means not just your pets get a little bit of exercise, but so does your little one.
5. Feeding the pets
This is one of the more regular chores that will surely teach your little one about responsibility. Just as they enjoy regular meals throughout the day, so should your family pets. By adding this to the list of chores, they’ll begin to understand what you go through in the kitchen when you’re preparing delicious meals for the family.
6. Fetching the mail
Some families have gone entirely digital with their correspondence, so you might not see the need to add this to your selection of chores for 6-year-olds and chores for 7-year-olds. However, if you still have hand-delivered mail or newspapers, then this is a great addition to the list of chores.
7. Cleaning the dog’s kennel or fish dish
Depending on which pets you have, your kid’s list of chores can include cleaning your family pets’ “homes.” It’s not too laborious or difficult to do, so it’s considered among the safer chores for 6 year olds and 7 year olds.
Indoor chores
8. Cleaning their room
At 6 or 7, it’s only right that your little one learns to clean up after themselves. In fact, most kids have this on their list of chores from a very young age. It’s an indoor chore that’s safe and how difficult it is on any given day depends entirely on how neat or messy your kid is. So, the ball is in your kid’s court!
9. Drying the dishes
Smaller families tend to not use a dishwasher or dry and opt to do these chores themselves. This is one of the chores that may occasionally require supervision. However, if you assign the drying of smaller items that aren’t sharp to your kid, then it’s a suitable addition to the list of chores for 6-year-olds.
Take the time to teach your kid how to thoroughly wash and dry the dishes, highlighting the need to handle them with care. Through watching you wash and dry some of the bigger, sharp and more fragile items, they’ll get the hang of it in no time!
10. Folding the laundry
This is one of the chores for 6-year-olds that can also be assigned to younger kids because it’s safe. If this has been on your child’s list of chores from an early age, then they will be better trained at folding laundry and may even be able to do so without any assistance by now.
11. Clearing out household paper bins
While taking out the trash may be considered a chore for slightly older kids, this is a variation that can be added to 6 and 7 year olds’ list of chores. Most rooms around the house may have smaller paper bins that need to be cleared every now and then. There’s no heavy lifting required, so I’d say this is one of the chores that your kid will be able to do with ease.
12. Assisting with meal preparations
What’s a list of chores without any food-related chores? Whether you choose to let them help with dinner or with packing their own lunch, make sure that you’re there for supervision. Your little one shouldn’t have chores that require the use of sharp or dangerous objects, but they can always assist with the washing of vegetables or packing the lunchboxes and juice boxes into lunch bags for the family.
13. Choosing own clothes to wear
One of the simplest and most empowering chores that you can give your kids is allowing them to choose what they want to wear. Giving your little one a level of freedom and expression from a young age can make them more independent. They’ll also be able to feel confident and comfortable in their clothing because it was their choice. You may or may not consider this a chore, but it’s a pretty good task to trust your little one with as they mature.
Things to consider when assigning chores
Assigning chores to your little one shouldn’t be done on a whim. Taking the time out to choose just the right chores that are safe and won’t leave your child feeling disheartened is important. When your child does successfully complete the chores you assign, it’s often to the best of their ability.
That being said, don’t expect perfection. The more your kid does the chores, the better they’ll become at them. Instead of wanting them to “get it right” from the onset, rather encourage them to approach chores as a learning opportunity. You could even keep track of their progress and occasionally reward them for chores well done!
It’s important to give praise where it’s due so that your kid remains motivated and eager to do their chores. That way, they’ll know that they’ll get the recognition and acknowledgement
Read more:
9 Helpful Chores For 4 Year Olds (And 5 Year Olds)
Chores For 8 to 10 Year-Olds To Make Them Totally Cooperative
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.