Chores for 6-Year-Olds
elementarySix-year-olds can read a chore list and check off boxes — a printable chart on the fridge becomes a useful tool here, not just a craft.
Pay context for age 6
$3-5 weekly works for most families. Six is when a kid can hold a goal for 3-4 weeks and start feeling progress.
12 age-appropriate chores
Each chore below shows a typical pay range, time estimate, and how much parent supervision it still needs. Use these as a starting point — the right number of chores is the one your kid can sustain for at least four weeks straight without nagging.
Self-care
Make bed properly each morning
$0.50–$1Pack own backpack the night before
$0.50–$1Kitchen
Clear all dishes from the table
$0.50–$1Laundry
Sort laundry (lights/darks)
$0.75–$2Help fold washcloths and napkins
$0.50–$1Put away clean laundry in dresser
$0.75–$2Cleaning
Sweep a small area with a broom
$0.75–$2Wipe down kitchen chairs
$0.50–$1Empty small bathroom trash cans
$0.50–$1Pets
Take pet out (in fenced yard)
$0.50–$1Brush pet (short coat) gently
$0.50–$1Outdoor
Sweep the porch or entryway
$0.75–$2How to keep it running
A morning chore + an after-school chore + a Saturday chore is the right cadence. Use a printable chart so they own the tracking.
When they refuse: Six-year-olds will start to "negotiate." Hold the line on the routine but listen on the order — let them pick which chore goes first. Choice within structure cuts complaints in half.
The parent angle
Six is the age you can introduce a real savings goal — $30 Lego set, a book series, a stuffed animal. Plot the math with them: "$3/week × 10 weeks = $30." That math is concrete enough to feel.
Frequently asked
How much allowance should a 6-year-old get?
$3-5 a week is the typical range. Higher than $5 starts to outpace a 6-year-old's ability to spend or save meaningfully.
Should I tie all of allowance to chores at this age?
Most families split it: a base "you live here" allowance ($1-2) plus per-chore pay for extras. That way, refusing a chore costs the bonus, not the base — which keeps the base sacred.
What if a 6-year-old loses interest in saving?
Pick a more concrete goal. Six-year-olds lose interest because the goal feels abstract. "A bike" is too big — "the new Lego set we saw at Target" works.