GUIDE For parents · November 2026
A starter chore list for your first week
The blank chart is the hard part. Here are 34 chores grouped by time of day and effort. Pick five or six per child to begin, and add from there.
Morning (5 to 10 minutes)
- Make the bed
- Get dressed and bring pajamas to the hamper
- Feed the pet
- Pack the school bag
- Put breakfast dishes in the sink
- Brush teeth and hair
After school
- Unpack the backpack and lunch box
- Put shoes and jacket where they belong
- Wipe the table after a snack
- Start homework before screens
- Water one plant
- Check the family calendar
Dinner and evening
- Set the table
- Clear the table
- Load dishes
- Wipe counters
- Take out kitchen trash
- Lay out clothes for tomorrow
- Tidy the living room for five minutes
Weekly jobs
- Change bed sheets with help
- Collect and sort laundry
- Fold and put away clothes
- Vacuum one room
- Wipe bathroom sink
- Bring bins to the curb
- Wash the car with a parent
- Sweep the porch
Stretch jobs for older kids
- Cook a simple meal
- Plan one family dinner
- Mow or rake with supervision
- Do own laundry start to finish
- Clean the bathroom
- Help a younger sibling with a routine
- Write the grocery list
Setting up
Keep the first week short. Five jobs a day is plenty. Most displays let you set recurring jobs and a color for each person, so you can set it up once.
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GENERAL PARENTING IDEAS, NOT MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT.