Common Chores for Teens:
A Great Chore List !

There are so many options for common chores for teens. In fact, there are way more options than teens will probably like!

As with giving chores to kids of other ages, remember the purpose behind having teens do chores and the positive benefits to them. Of course, the advantage to you is that you get some help around the house...but that's a side benefit.

By the time kids get to the teenage years, you may feel like you already having them doing everything that there is to do. And, of course, all of the chores lists for kids can be used for teens too. But are there other ones? You bet!

What are some common chores for teens?
As you review the age appropriate chores below, remember that any chore should be adapted for your family and your teen. No list or recommendation is a one-size-fits-all answer. Be flexible and make these fit your life (or toss them out if that's what works best), and also try to balance the types of chores with the total number of things on the chore lists.

• Have them do the chores that they are already doing - just do them better. A 13-year-old can clean her room or make her bed better than a 5-year-old.
• Consider adding chores from the kids' suggestions that your teen is not yet doing. This isn't about loading them up with lots of chores, but just about taking a fresh look at the ones they are doing.
• Clean the house. Maybe not the whole house every week, but they could be assigned one common room per week. For that room, they can vacuum or sweep the floor, dust, clean the counters, straighten books and magazines, clear the clutter, etc.
• Do their own laundry - start to finish including folding.
• Mow the yard. Older teens can even trim with a weedeater if they can physically manage the equipment.
• Rake and bag leaves.
• Powerwash the driveway or sidewalk.
• Powerwash and seal a wood deck.
• Cook one family meal per week. It doesn't need to be fancy.
• Clean up and put away any tools, dishes, pots, pans or toys that they get out.
• Small painting projects.

Really, older teens can have the level of responsibility of most adults when they do age appropriate chores. That is what the goal of sharing household responsibilities is ultimately: to prepare your child or teen to be a responsible adult. And, as they get closer to adulthood, they will get closer to having adult responsibilities. That's why many of the common chores for teens are also common chores for adults!

Once everyone agrees on the chores and chore lists, it's a good idea to track them. Check out this page for teen chore chart ideas. And this page for a chore chart alternative - a teen chore contract. And, if you have kids of different ages (or just want all of these teen resources in one place), check out this chore guide.