Do it with them first
Show the chore, then do it together, then let them do it while you watch. Most three year olds can put toys away alone after a week of doing it side by side.
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Chores by age · Ages 3 to 5
Chores for 3 to 5 year olds
Little ones love to help, and this is the age to make helping feel normal. Keep jobs short, physical and easy to see finished. Pictures matter more than words, so every chore on the chart below has an icon a pre-reader can recognise.
12 chores for ages 3 to 5
- Put toys away
- Clothes in the basket
- Brush teeth
- Shoes by the door
- Help lay the table
- Help feed the pet
- Water the plants
- Pull the duvet up
- Get dressed
- Match the socks
- Wipe up spills
- Books back on the shelf
Make their chart
We’ve picked 5 chores to start with. Tap to swap them, add your own, then print.
Tips
Making chores work at 3 to 5
Keep it to three or four
A short chart they can finish beats a long one they give up on. Add a new chore only when the old ones happen without reminders.
Praise the effort, not the result
The duvet will be lumpy. Say “you made your bed all by yourself” and leave it. Redoing it teaches them their help doesn’t count.
Stickers work brilliantly
At this age a sticker is the reward. Let them choose the sticker and put it on the chart themselves.
Questions parents ask
What chores can a 3 year old do?
Three year olds can put toys in a box, put dirty clothes in the basket, carry their plate to the side, put shoes by the door and help feed a pet with you. Keep each job to a minute or two.
Should I reward a 4 year old for chores?
A sticker or a tick on a chart is plenty at four. The point is to make helping visible and fun. Bigger rewards can come later, when they are saving up points for something.
How many chores should a 5 year old have?
Three to five small daily chores is plenty. Choose a couple for the morning (get dressed, brush teeth) and a couple for the evening (toys away, clothes in the basket).
Want the chart to cheer back?
Score Your Chores is the same idea on your iPhone. Kids wake up their own Buddy, finish quests with a press-and-hold, and save points for rewards you choose. You approve everything in two taps. Free, no ads, no child accounts.