School’s out! Before filling the kids’ time entirely with sports and camps, plot a cleaning schedule into their summer. Teens down to toddlers really can be responsible for certain kinds of tasks. Tara Aronson provides the following suggestions for appropriate chores by age.

 

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Consider the abilities of your unique child — you may find yourself adding to or subtracting from this list. Plan to spend some time personally training brilliant young minds during their first attempts at a new procedure:

Toddlers can usually:

• Fetch their own new diaper
  

• Press on or off buttons on appliances like the T.V. or the dishwasher
  
  
• Help straighten up by putting away toys, closing doors and drawers and dropping clothes in the dirty clothes basket
  
  
• March on the welcome mat to prevent tracking dirt from outdoors
  

Preschoolers can usually:

• Make their bed (as long as you don’t expect hospital corners)
  

• Bring their dishes to the kitchen after eating, and help put away clean dishes
  
  
• Sort small toys and game pieces
  
  
• Reshelf books after story time
  
  
• Dust reachable areas, such as baseboards
  
  
• Put CDs and videos in their appropriate sheaths
  
  
• Wipe up play dough crumbs
  
  
• Help fold and put away clean clothing

Primary school students can usually:

• Feed, water and walk the dog
  

• Clean bird cages and pets’ water and food dishes
  
  
• Help stock the pantry and refrigerator
  
  
• Learn to prepare breakfast and other easy-assembly foods
  
  
• Lay out place settings for supper
  
  
• Load the dishwasher
  
  
• Clean spills before they harden
  
  
• Pick up bedroom as a whole
  
  
• Sweep
  
  
• Take out garbage and any recyclables from kitchen, bathrooms and other living areas
  
  
• Fold laundry
  
  
• Drape towel on rack to dry after showers

‘Tweens can usually:

• Wash dishes without a dishwasher
  

• Prepare sack lunches
  
  
• Put away clean dishes
  
  
• Wipe down refrigerator
  
  
• Be fully responsible for own laundry, including sheets and pillow cases
  
  
• Restore order in the bedroom
  
  
• Do the mopping
  
  
• Keep the shower shiny
  
  
• Wash windows
  
  
• Dust blinds
  
  
• Wipe down washable surfaces inside the car
  
  
• Organize garage and storage areas

Older teens can usually:

• Do more detailed bathroom work, including the toilet bowl and basins
  

• Categorize closet contents and put everything in its place
  
  
• Fix supper for the family