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Chores for 10-year-oldsChores for 10-year-olds: a weekly plan and what to pay
A 10-year-old can do whole jobs: load the dishwasher, take out the trash, vacuum a room, walk the dog. The change from younger kids is ownership. Give them a job that is theirs every week, say what “done” looks like, and check the result instead of the process. The American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) lists many of these as age-appropriate.
What chores can a 10-year-old do?
At ten, children can do whole jobs, not just steps. The American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) lists, for older school-age kids, jobs like vacuuming, helping make dinner, making their own snacks, taking the pet for a walk, putting away their own laundry and putting away groceries; and, for the oldest group, unloading the dishwasher, doing and folding laundry and cooking a simple meal with supervision. Grouped by where they happen:
- Kitchen: load or unload the dishwasher, wipe the table, make their own snack, help make dinner, pack their lunch.
- Laundry and room: put away their own clothes, change their sheets, keep their room tidy, start a load with help.
- Around the house: vacuum a room, empty wastebaskets, take out trash and recycling, dust, sweep.
- Outside and pets: walk the dog, feed and water pets, rake leaves, weed, water the garden.
How is a chore for a 10-year-old different from one for a 5-year-old?
The change is ownership. A five-year-old needs you in the room. A ten-year-old should hold a job that is theirs every week, know exactly what “done” looks like, and be trusted to do it without a reminder at every step. Write the standard down in one sentence (“dishwasher empty and silverware in the right drawer”), check the result rather than watching the process, and keep your fixes quiet. For younger kids, see chores for 5-year-olds.
What does a weekly plan look like?
Here is a sample plan. It is small on purpose: one rotating job a day and one pet or room job. Swap in your own.
| Day | Main job | Small daily job |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Take out the kitchen trash and recycling | Feed the pet |
| Tue | Load or unload the dishwasher | Tidy bedroom |
| Wed | Help make dinner (one step, such as salad) | Feed the pet |
| Thu | Put away own laundry | Take out trash and recycling |
| Fri | Vacuum one room | Feed the pet |
| Sat | Weekly job: rake, weed, or wash the car | Tidy bedroom |
| Sun | Plan next week's chores with a parent (10 minutes) | Feed the pet |
Print it on a weekly chore chart: choose the “Older kids” template, then type your own jobs over it.
Which chores should be paid, and which not?
One useful split is basics and extras. Basics (their room, their dishes, feeding the family pet) are unpaid because everyone who lives in the house does them. Extras (washing the car, raking the whole yard, a big clean-out) can earn money, set before they start. Money for the basics usually comes as a flat allowance, so the child learns to handle money separately from earning it. A common rule of thumb is one dollar a week per year of age; try the allowance calculator, or read how much allowance by age.
What if a 10-year-old resists?
Do what the AAP suggests. Make the rules explicit and written down, hold a regular check-in to review progress and ask for their ideas, and revise the chore “contract” together. If they still skip jobs, use consequences such as taking away a privilege, and be consistent. The AAP says badgering or scolding is not effective, and rewarding successes works better. Kids this age are also good at spotting unfairness, so keep the same rules for each child and rotate unpopular jobs such as the bathroom. More ideas for each age are on the chores by age page.
Common questions
How many chores should a 10-year-old have?
One or two a day plus one bigger weekly job is a good start, in addition to looking after their own room and homework. Add only when those happen without nagging.
Should a 10-year-old be paid for chores?
Many families pay for extra jobs and treat the basics as unpaid. A common rule of thumb for allowance is one dollar a week per year of age, so about $10 at age ten, but there is no official amount.
What if my 10-year-old refuses to do chores?
Agree the rules in advance, use consequences such as losing a privilege, and avoid scolding. The AAP says encouragement works better than badgering, and that devices are privileges, not rights.
What extra jobs can a 10-year-old do for money?
Bigger, occasional jobs outside the daily basics: washing the car, raking the whole yard, weeding a garden bed, or a deep clean-out of a closet. Agree the amount before they start.