Chores for Primary School Kids

As kids move through primary school, they’ll start to take on fresh responsibilities and new routines, and will probably feel a bit more grown up too. You can tap into this by asking your primary-school age son or daughter to take on a few chores.

With kids at primary school being a variety of ages, we’ve jotted down some really simple chore ideas by age that you could get your kids to try. If you’re looking for a more extensive list for all ages, check out our Pocket Money Chores List here!

With the first years of primary school comes a lot of big changes in a child’s life, as they start to learn about responsibility and get settled into a routine. If you decide to give your child chores at this age, it’s best to keep them simple. Why not ask them to:

🍴 Take cutlery out of the drawer for dinner

🧽 Help clean the table after meals

🧸 Put their toys and books away

🛏 Help you make their bed

🎒 Help you to get their school bag ready each night

As they grow older and become more settled into the school routine, you could take the opportunity to give them that bit more responsibility at home. At this stage, they can be trusted to take care of some more complex chores. Some of these more responsible chores could be:

🍽 Empty the dishwasher with you

🥪 Help to make their packed lunch

🛒 Help put away the shopping

🧹 Hoover their room

With secondary school approaching, kids need to be prepared for the extra responsibility that comes with it. Learning to manage their time will become an essential skill, and it could be good to prepare them by leveling up their chores to learn. Some chores for 10-11 year olds could be:

🫧 Tidy and clean the kitchen

👧 Look after younger siblings

🍽 Fill, turn on, and empty the dishwasher

👕 Wash their clothes, and hang them up after

🚗 Wash the car

You can pay as much or as little as you like; some parents reward their children for chores with money, while others don’t. On average, Rooster Money users pay £2.67 for washing the car; £2.43 for mowing the lawn; £1.92 for raking leaves; £1.17 for washing windows; and £1.38 for gardening. Find out more in our Pocket Money Index.

You can set up chores*, paid or unpaid, one-offs or regular, for your child in the Rooster Money app, and tick them off once they’re done. You’ll get the chores feature in your Rooster Card** subscription. Find out more about chores.

For more term time tips, take a look at our Back to School section; read all about how kids can travel independently on public transport with a Rooster Card; run through our tips and hacks for starting secondary school; and find out more and order a Rooster Card here.

*Chores is part of our subscription services of which fees and eligibility criteria apply
**Rooster money app for kids aged between 3 and 17. Card for ages 6-17. Fees and T&Cs apply. Parent/guardian must be 18+ and UK resident.