What chores are appropriate for a 6-year-old?

Making the bed, setting the table, feeding a pet, putting their own clean laundry away, packing the school bag from a checklist, and tidying their room toward a clear goal. Two-to-three-step jobs they can finish without help are the sweet spot.

How many chores should a 6-year-old have?

Two to four. On school days keep it to one or two five-minute tasks that fit the existing routine; save the bigger job for the weekend. The total load should stay under ten minutes on a school day.

Does a 6-year-old still need pictures on the chart?

Pictures still help, even once reading starts. An early reader decodes a chart slowly, but recognizes an image instantly, so picture chores keep the chart usable without you standing next to it. The generator can put an image on every chore.

Should a 6-year-old get an allowance for chores?

Six is on the early side, and many families wait a year or two. If you start now, keep it simple: a small fixed amount tied to the week being mostly done, settled at the same moment each week. Immediate rewards like screen time or a weekend treat still motivate more at this age.

The chart worked for a month and now my 6-year-old ignores it. Why?

The list probably went stale. At six, kids grow into new abilities in months, not years. Swap one easy chore for a slightly harder one, let them pick a new style for the reprint, and keep the daily review at a fixed time. A small refresh usually restarts the habit.

Free Printable Chore Chart for a 6-Year-Old

Six is a turning point for chores. Your child is in school, starting to read, and suddenly very aware of the difference between pretend jobs and real ones. A chart works at this age when the chores genuinely matter to the household and the schedule respects that school days are already full.

The generator below is already set for a 6-year-old. It pre-fills real jobs like making the bed and setting the table; every chore can carry a picture as backup for an early reader. Edit the list, assign days, and print the chart as a free PDF.

Two to four chores is the right load: a couple of five-minute tasks on school days, one bigger job on the weekend.

About your children

Child's name

Child's age

year-old

About the chart

Style

colorful

pastel

minimalist

black&white

dinosaur

unicorn

cars

space

safari

princess

adventure map

superhero

Chart type

chores

morning routine

evening routine

reward

behavior

responsibility

Paper size

US Letter

How often?

weekly

daily

monthly

Set the chores

Each image has a description in the form of a chore name, but you can name the chores as you wish.

Weekly chores When to do it?

Weekly chores are larger, more demanding tasks completed once or a few times per week. Because they require more time and effort, they are limited to 5 tasks maximum, helping prevent children from feeling overwhelmed and keeping responsibilities manageable and motivating.

Daily routine covers everyday tasks and habits that should be completed each day, without being tied to a specific time. The focus is on consistency, independence, and building long-term habits. To avoid overload, daily routines are limited to 10 tasks maximum.

Monthly chores are bigger jobs that only need doing once or twice a month, like deep-cleaning the bedroom or sorting outgrown clothes. Each chore gets a checkbox per week, so your child can spread the work across the month. Monthly charts are limited to 5 tasks to keep them realistic.

Morning routine includes simple, repeatable tasks that help children start the day calmly and prepared. These tasks are done after waking up and focus on hygiene, organization, and getting ready for school or daycare. To keep the routine manageable, it is limited to a maximum of 10 tasks.

Evening routine consists of calming tasks that help children slow down and prepare for sleep. These tasks are done at the end of the day and focus on relaxation, self-care, and preparing for the next day. Evening routines are limited to a maximum of 10 tasks to keep them stress-free and effective.

A reward chart connects effort to a goal your child is working toward. Add the tasks, tick off the days, and write the reward on the line at the bottom of the printed chart. Keeping the goal visible all week is a big part of what makes it work.

A behavior chart tracks habits rather than tasks: kind words, sharing, listening the first time. Name the behaviors you want to encourage and let your child tick them off day by day. Keep it positive by charting the behavior you want to see more of, not the one you want to stop.

A responsibility chart covers the things that are simply part of family life, like homework, pets, and tidying up. It works like a chore chart, but the framing matters: these are responsibilities your child owns, not favors they do. Keep the list short so ownership feels doable.

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Your chart is downloading. Print it, stick it on the fridge, and check out the app below to keep the routine going.

Chore chart examples

What chores can a 6-year-old do?

First-graders can handle chores with two or three steps, done start to finish. Jobs most 6-year-olds can own:

Make their bed every morning
Set the table
Feed and water the pet
Put their clean laundry away
Pack the school bag using a checklist
Tidy their room with a clear goal, like all toys in the bin

From picture play to real routine

At six the chart shifts from game to routine, and the trick is not losing the fun in the handover. Keep the pictures even as reading starts; they let your child check the chart at a glance. But talk about the chores differently: 'the table is your job now' lands very differently at six than 'can you help me set the table', and first-graders are proud of jobs that are officially theirs.

School days change the math

Six is usually the first year the afternoon is genuinely full: school, homework, activities, and a tired kid. Put the daily chores where they already fit, like making the bed before school and feeding the pet before dinner, and push anything bigger to the weekend columns. A chart that ignores the school schedule becomes a nightly fight by October.

See the full 7-year-old chore chart page →

More free printable charts: the chore chart generator, chore chart for a 5-year-old, chore charts by age, chore chart for teens, weekly chore chart.

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Basic daily chores