Ages 6 to 8, roughly Years 2 to 4 in England and Wales
Chores for 6 to 8 year olds
At 6 to 8, we suggest emptying the dishwasher, drying the dishes, folding the laundry, dusting and sweeping, brushing the pet and helping cook dinner with an adult. From 7, add loading the dishwasher, emptying the kitchen bin and making a cold snack. From 8, the washing up, cleaning the sink and hanging out the laundry. They can also run their own school-day routine, with a chart to tick. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists dusting, sweeping and sorting laundry from 5, and helping cook dinner from 8 (source: AAP).
This is the age when jobs start to save you time. In our experience, children this age can follow two or three steps and like ticking things off. The AAP says a chore chart gives children a sense of achievement (source: AAP). The list below is what is new from 6. Everything on the 3 to 5 page still counts.
What jobs can a child aged 6 to 8 do?
Jobs that start between 6 and 8 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
- Helping others
Looking after themselves
By 6, getting dressed, brushing teeth and bath time are routine. They sit in the morning and evening routines below, not in a list of jobs.
Bedroom and their own things
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your PE or club kit | 6 | 5 min | small | Kit, trainers and a water bottle, by the door the night before. |
Kitchen and meals
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put the leftovers away | 6 | 5 min | small | Into a box with a lid, then the fridge. |
| Dry the dishes | 6 | 10 min | medium | A clean tea towel. Glasses first. |
| Empty the dishwasher | 6 | 10 min | medium | Put everything away where it lives. |
| Help plan the meals | 6 | 15 min | medium | Pick one dinner for the week ahead. |
| Help cook dinner | 6 | 30 min | big | Wash your hands. Ask an adult before using the hob. |
| Load the dishwasher | 7 | 10 min | medium | Scrape plates first. Sharp knives go flat. |
| Make a snack | 7 | 10 min | medium | Something cold: fruit, crackers or a sandwich. |
| Do the washing up | 8 | 15 min | big | Hot soapy water. Glasses first, pans last. |
Cleaning and laundry
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dust the shelves | 6 | 10 min | medium | A dry cloth, top shelf first. |
| Sweep the kitchen floor | 6 | 10 min | medium | Corners first, then into the dustpan. |
| Fold the laundry | 6 | 15 min | medium | One pile for each person. |
| Load the washing machine | 8 | 5 min | medium | Ask an adult to choose the wash. |
| Clean the bathroom sink | 8 | 10 min | big | Spray, wipe, rinse. Ask an adult for the spray. |
| Hang the laundry out | 8 | 15 min | big | Shake each one out first. |
Pets
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brush the pet | 6 | 10 min | medium | Gently, the way the fur grows. Stop when they have had enough. |
| Clean out the pet cage | 8 | 20 min | big | Old bedding out, fresh bedding in. |
Outdoors and bins
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empty the compost caddy | 6 | 5 min | small | Into the food bin, then rinse the caddy. |
| Pull up weeds in the garden | 6 | 20 min | big | Gloves on. Ask which ones are weeds. |
| Empty the kitchen bin | 7 | 5 min | small | Tie the bag, take it out, put a new bag in. |
| Sweep the path | 7 | 15 min | medium | From the door out to the gate. |
| Rake the leaves | 7 | 20 min | big | Into a pile, then into the green bin. |
| Wash the car | 8 | 45 min | big | Bucket, sponge, rinse. Ask an adult for the hose. |
School, reading and clubs
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practise your spellings | 6 | 10 min | medium | Look, say, cover, write, check. |
| Practise your instrument | 6 | 15 min | medium | A little most days beats a lot once a week. Start with the bit you enjoy. |
| Do your homework | 6 | 30 min | big | Somewhere quiet, screens off. |
| Practise a new language | 7 | 10 min | medium | Five new words, or one short lesson. |
| Practise your times tables | 7 | 10 min | medium | A few minutes out loud, or a times tables game. |
Famoo gives no points for these by default. We think learning is its own reward, and paying per session pushes speed over care.
Helping others
| Job | From age | Time | Effort | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call or message a grandparent | 6 | 10 min | medium | Tell them one good thing about your week. |
| Help a younger brother or sister | 8 | 15 min | big | Read with them or help them tidy. |
Famoo gives no points for these by default. We think kindness to family should not be bought.
What does a good routine look like at 6 to 8?
These are the routines Famoo suggests for 6 to 8: at most five steps each. A missed step is just not ticked.
Morning routine
7am to 8.15am, school days. About 32 minutes of steps.
- Get dressed 5 min
- Make your bed 5 min
- Eat your breakfast 15 min
- Brush your teeth 2 min
- Pack your school bag 5 min
After school
4pm to 5pm, school days. About 25 minutes of steps.
- Hang up your coat 1 min
- Put your shoes away 2 min
- Empty your lunchbox 2 min
- Read for 20 minutes 20 min
Evening routine
6pm to 7.15pm, every day. About 32 minutes of steps.
- Set the table 10 min
- Have a bath or shower 15 min
- Brush your teeth 2 min
- Lay out your uniform 5 min
Once a week
- Tidy your bedroom: Saturday
- Pair the socks: Sunday
Printable chores chart for 6 to 8 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) | |||||||
| Get dressed | |||||||
| Make your bed | |||||||
| Eat your breakfast | |||||||
| Brush your teeth | |||||||
| Pack your school bag | |||||||
| After school (4pm to 5pm) | |||||||
| Hang up your coat | |||||||
| Put your shoes away | |||||||
| Empty your lunchbox | |||||||
| Read for 20 minutes | |||||||
| Evening routine (6pm to 7.15pm) | |||||||
| Set the table | |||||||
| Have a bath or shower | |||||||
| Brush your teeth | |||||||
| Lay out your uniform | |||||||
| Once a week | |||||||
| Tidy your bedroom | |||||||
| Pair the socks | |||||||
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 6 to 8
Keep cleaning products locked away or high up, in their original containers (source: CAPT). When a job needs a spray, an adult gets it out, stays nearby and puts it back straight after. Never mix cleaning products: some mixes, like bleach and ammonia, give off a toxic gas (source: nidirect). Keep sharp knives out of reach (source: NHS); we suggest children leave them for an adult.
How do I get a 6 to 8 year old to help?
- Pick one job that helps the whole home, like setting the table, and keep it the same for a few weeks. The AAP suggests adding one new job at a time (source: AAP).
- In our experience, a routine beats reminders. Five steps in the same order every morning is easier than five separate asks.
- Show the standard once: what a cleared table looks like. Then leave it to them.
- Points for home jobs, not for homework or brushing teeth. We think reading and learning are their own reward.
- Under 9, we suggest one home job a day is plenty on top of a routine.
Questions parents ask
What chores can a 6 year old do?
Famoo suggests these from 6: empty the dishwasher, dry the dishes, fold the laundry, dust the shelves, sweep the kitchen floor, put the leftovers away, empty the compost caddy, brush the pet and pack their PE kit. With an adult, they can help cook dinner.
Can a 7 year old load the dishwasher?
In our experience, many can. Show them to scrape plates first and to lay sharp knives flat, or leave knives for you. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists unloading the dishwasher later, at 11 to 12, so go at your child’s pace (source: AAP).
Can an 8 year old do the washing up?
Famoo suggests the washing up from 8: hot soapy water, glasses first and pans last. Keep sharp knives out of the bowl and wash those yourself at first.
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 6 to 8. 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.
- NHS: Baby and toddler safety, reviewed 19 February 2026. Checked 30 October 2026.
- Child Accident Prevention Trust: Poisoning prevention. Checked 30 October 2026.
- nidirect, Northern Ireland government: Chemical safety in the home. 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: 3 to 5 Older: 9 to 11
