Ages 12 to 14, roughly Years 8 to 10 in England and Wales
Chores for 12 to 14 year olds
At 12 to 14, Famoo suggests young people can cook a simple meal, do their own laundry from start to finish, clean the bathroom, mop the floor, take the bins out and walk the dog. From 14, it suggests the ironing, mowing the lawn with an adult and cooking dinner for everyone. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists cooking a simple meal with supervision, doing laundry and cleaning the bathroom from 11 to 12 (source: AAP), and says children should be at least 12 to use a walk-behind mower (source: AAP). The difference now is who decides: offer jobs and a routine, and let them choose.
In our experience, the first years of secondary school bring more homework and more independence. The AAP says chores teach life skills (source: AAP). The list below starts at 10. Everything on the 9 to 11 page still counts.
What jobs can a child aged 12 to 14 do?
Jobs that start between 10 and 14 in Famoo's library, grouped by where they happen. Time is about how long it takes. Effort is how Famoo sizes it for points: small, medium or big.
No health or safety body sets exact ages for chores. The starting ages below are our suggestions, from Famoo’s own job library, checked against the American Academy of Pediatrics’ age-by-age chore lists (source: AAP). Some of ours start earlier than the AAP’s and some later. Every child is different: you know yours.
- Looking after themselves
- Bedroom and their own things
- Kitchen and meals
- Cleaning and laundry
- Pets
- Outdoors and bins
- School, reading and clubs
Looking after themselves
At this age, looking after themselves is their business. Famoo does not set a self-care routine on a young person; they can add one if they want.
Bedroom and their own things
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan your spending | 11 | 10 min | big | What you have, what you are saving for, and what is left to spend. |
Kitchen and meals
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook a simple meal New at this age | 12 | 45 min | big | Pasta, eggs or a stir fry. An adult nearby when the hob is on. |
| Cook dinner for everyone New at this age | 14 | 60 min | big | Pick the recipe, check what is in, and cook. Someone else washes up. |
Cleaning and laundry
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mop the kitchen floor | 10 | 15 min | big | Sweep first. Not too wet, and keep off it while it dries. |
| Clean out the fridge | 10 | 20 min | big | Out-of-date things out, shelves wiped, everything back. |
| Clean the bathroom | 11 | 30 min | big | Toilet, bath and floor. Gloves on, and ask an adult for the spray. |
| Do your own laundry New at this age | 13 | 45 min | big | Wash, dry, fold and put away. Check the labels first. |
| Do the ironing New at this age | 14 | 30 min | big | Shirts first, while the iron is hot. Iron off when you finish. |
Pets
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walk the dog | 10 | 30 min | big | Lead on, poo bags in your pocket. |
Outdoors and bins
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bins out | 10 | 10 min | big | Take the bins to the kerb the night before collection. |
| Mow the lawn New at this age | 14 | 45 min | big | With an adult. Shoes on, and check the grass for toys first. |
School, reading and clubs
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revise for a test | 11 | 30 min | big | Short bursts with breaks. Test yourself rather than just rereading. |
Famoo gives no points for these by default. We think learning is its own reward, and paying per session pushes speed over care.
What does a good routine look like at 12 to 14?
Famoo suggests three routines for 12 to 14, offered to the young person to accept or change. Nothing is ticked until they choose.
Morning routine
7am to 8.15am, school days. About 25 minutes of steps.
- Make your bed 5 min
- Eat your breakfast 15 min
- Pack your school bag 5 min
After school
4pm to 6pm, school days. About 50 minutes of steps.
- Do your homework 30 min
- Read for 20 minutes 20 min
Evening routine
6.30pm to 8pm, every day. About 20 minutes of steps.
- Do the washing up 15 min
- Lay out your uniform 5 min
Once a week
- Tidy your bedroom: Saturday
- Change your bed sheets: Sunday
- Load the washing machine: Saturday
- Hang the laundry out: Saturday
- Bins out: Tuesday
Printable chores chart for 12 to 14 year olds
Prints on one A4 page. Use your browser's Print, or the button. Tick a box when a step is done; grey boxes are days off.
| Job | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning routine (7am to 8.15am) | |||||||
| Make your bed | |||||||
| Eat your breakfast | |||||||
| Pack your school bag | |||||||
| After school (4pm to 6pm) | |||||||
| Do your homework | |||||||
| Read for 20 minutes | |||||||
| Evening routine (6.30pm to 8pm) | |||||||
| Do the washing up | |||||||
| Lay out your uniform | |||||||
| Once a week | |||||||
| Tidy your bedroom | |||||||
| Change your bed sheets | |||||||
| Load the washing machine | |||||||
| Hang the laundry out | |||||||
| Bins out | |||||||
From famoo.app/chores-by-age
Get the Famoo app Family life, sorted together. The family calendar, jobs and lists, shared by everyone at home.
app.famoo.app
Is it safe? Notes for 12 to 14
Hobs, ovens, irons and mowers need an adult nearby until you are sure. The AAP says a simple meal at 11 to 12 is cooked with supervision (source: AAP). Iron off when they finish, and put it out of reach of younger children while it cools (the NHS says this for babies and toddlers; we keep it for all younger brothers and sisters) (source: NHS). For mowing, the AAP says at least 12 for a walk-behind mower and 16 for a ride-on, sturdy closed-toe shoes, stones, twigs and toys cleared first, younger children indoors or well away, and supervision until you are confident (source: AAP).
How do I get a 12 to 14 year old to help?
- Offer, do not set. From 12, Famoo offers the routine to the young person to accept or change.
- In our experience, ownership beats nagging. One weekly job that is theirs, like bins out on collection night.
- Cooking is a life skill (source: AAP). One simple meal a week, pasta, eggs or a stir fry, with you nearby.
- Their own laundry is a big step. Check the labels together the first time.
- Keep school days light. Homework and the washing up are enough for a weeknight.
Questions parents ask
What chores should a 13 year old do?
Their own laundry, the washing up, changing their bed, taking the bins out and cooking a simple meal once a week are all fair at 13, in our view. Agree the list together rather than handing it over.
Can a 12 year old cook on their own?
Famoo suggests cooking a simple meal from 12, like pasta, eggs or a stir fry. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists a simple meal with supervision at 11 to 12, so stay nearby when the hob is on until you are sure (source: AAP).
My teenager will not help. What works?
Ask them to choose. Famoo offers routines and jobs to young people from 12 to accept or change, rather than setting them. In our experience, a job they picked is a job they own.
Turn this list into a points chart your kids can tick in Famoo
Every job on this page is ready-made in Famoo, with the same times and steps, and a suggested routine for 12 to 14. Pick the jobs, choose who does them, and your child ticks them off on their own view of the app. You decide what points are worth.
Famoo is in beta, so things may change. Sign up with Google in a minute.
Where this comes from
We opened and read each source below to check it says what we say it does. No health, safety or money body sets exact ages for chores, so the starting ages are our own suggestions. Where a line on this page has no source, it is our view as parents, and we say so.
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org: Age-Appropriate Chores for Children, last updated 9 February 2024. Checked 30 October 2026.
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org: Lawn Mower Safety: Information for Families, last updated 3 April 2025. Checked 30 October 2026.
- NHS: Baby and toddler safety, reviewed 19 February 2026. Checked 30 October 2026.
- GOV.UK, Department for Education: The national curriculum (school years and key stages). Checked 30 October 2026.
Some words and pictures on this page were drafted with AI. Not yet checked by a person. The starting ages, times and steps come from Famoo’s own job library. The ages are where we suggest starting, not rules: you know your child.
Younger: 9 to 11 Older: 15 to 17
