12 chores a 7-year-old can do
- Make the bed every morning
- Pack their backpack the night before
- Clear, rinse and stack their dishes
- Set and clear the table
- Put away their clean laundry
- Empty the small trash cans
- Feed the pet and refill the water bowl
- Sweep under the table after dinner
- Tidy their room before bed
- Help unload the dishwasher
- Water the plants
- Read for 20 minutes
Daily jobs and weekly jobs
| Every day | Once a week |
|---|---|
| Make the bed | Put away clean laundry |
| Clear and rinse dishes | Empty the small trash cans |
| Feed the pet | Water the plants |
| Pack the backpack | Tidy their room properly |
Three or four daily jobs plus one or two weekly ones is a good mix. Give the weekly jobs a fixed day, like laundry on Sunday, so nobody has to decide when.
How to cut down on reminders
- Tie chores to something that already happens: bed before breakfast, backpack before screen time.
- Make the chart the one who reminds. Ask "What does your chart say?" in place of listing the jobs yourself.
- Give one reminder, then let the missed star speak for itself.
- Let them tick off chores on their own. Kid mode on a tablet is built for this.
- Check the finished job once in a while and say something specific about what they did well.
Questions parents ask
How many chores should a 7 year old have? Four to six is typical: three or four short daily jobs and one or two weekly ones.
How much allowance should a 7 year old get? There's no single right amount. One common rule of thumb is $1 per year of age per week, so about $7, and many families pay less. The payday calculator adds up whatever you set per chore.
What if my 7 year old rushes and does a sloppy job? Show them once what "done" looks like, then ask them to check their own work against it. Redoing a job together is more useful than redoing it for them.
More charts: chore chart for 6 year olds, chore chart for 8 year olds, chore chart for ages 6 to 9. Prefer a ready-made set? Printable packs are on our Etsy shop.