It won't be too long until your teen is off to university or moves into their first flat or house share. If you’re keen to help them learn to stand on their own two feet, start handing out chores that boost their life skills and their ability to live independently.
Not only do chores offer a great way for teenagers to learn valuable life skills, but they also give a taste of the realities of independent living. What’s more, the Harvard Grant Study found that professional success in life comes from doing chores as a child. This is because being able to roll up your sleeves and pitch in with the unpleasant tasks without being asked is what gets you ahead in the working world.
You may also be thinking about paying your teens for chores to help them start saving money towards their goals, whether saving for a car or moving out. If they’ve never had a job before, this can teach them the value of hard work and help them to develop good money management skills. Our Youth Economy Report shows GoHenry kids earned a total of £ 2.9 million from completing chores that had been set in their GoHenry app in 2021.
If you’re considering motivating your teenager to help with chores, here's our guide to the best chores for teens.
Related:
Should I give my kids pocket money for doing chores?
Teaching teens money management
Here are some of the best chore ideas for teens:
- Taking out the rubbish and recycling daily
- Doing laundry
- Changing bed sheets
- Cooking one meal a week
- Shopping for groceries
- Kitchen cleaning
- Pet walking and feeding
- Keeping their bedroom tidy
- Ironing their clothes
- Being responsible for younger siblings
- Watering plants
- Returning packages to the post office
- Taking all mugs and plates from their room every day
- Easy home maintenance
- Manage their own money
- Do their homework
The best chore ideas for teens
Chores are a valuable way to teach life skills that extend far beyond the immediate task at hand. They not only provide an opportunity for personal development but also, soft skill building that’s highly beneficial to teens at home, school and eventually in the workplace.
To make sure that the chores your teenager is doing align with life skills, there are a few steps you can take. Firstly, identify the life skills you want your teenager to develop. Think about the skills you want your teenager to have as they prepare for adulthood. This might include things like responsibility, time management, communication, and teamwork.
Assign chores that develop those skills. For example, if you want your teenager to develop responsibility, assign them a chore like feeding and caring for a pet or watering the plants regularly.
Ensure your teenager understands the purpose of the chore and how it relates to the life skill you are trying to teach. Provide clear instructions and check in regularly to provide feedback and help them improve.
Encourage independence and problem-solving: As your teenager gains confidence in their abilities, encourage them to take on more responsibility and find their own solutions to problems that arise while doing their chores.
Chores to teach responsibility
Kitchen chores
Cooking one meal a week - Aside from teaching them how to plan and organise themselves, cooking one meal a week expands their cooking know-how for when they go to university. Show them how to meal plan for this meal including skills, such as budgeting, planning and organisation.
Taking out the recycling daily
Aside from being responsible for their waste, taking out recycling is one of those jobs that has to be done in every household whether your teen likes it or not. Talk to them about what goes in what bin and the benefits of recycling.
Doing laundry
Laundry is a vital life skill that all teens need to know. Ensure they know how to work washing machines and dryers, read clothing labels so clothes aren’t ruined and hang clothes properly to dry.
Changing bed sheets
Yet another chore that needs to be done but that your teen probably doesn’t think about- one to teach them before they head to university.
Chores to teach kids accountability
Returning packages
This is a good one to entrust to your teen as it shows them they’ll lose money if they don’t return unwanted goods.
Homework
Doing homework is a good chore to teach accountability and consequences, and by setting it as a daily/weekly chore it avoids you having to nag them to do their work.
A part-time job
At a certain point in their life, your teen may need to find a part-time job and keep it. Working part-time will teach them how to make a commitment, turn up on time, and do what they are asked to do.
Chores to teach empathy
Pet walking and feeding
A caring chore that will teach your child to be accountable. Include in this chore making sure there is pet food, cleaning pet areas, and dog walking.
Being responsible for younger siblings when you are busy
Being helpful and taking the initiative is another skill for your teen to learn, so entrusting them to look after younger siblings and be responsible for them when you are busy is a good one.
Watering plants
When kids take on the responsibility of watering plants, they learn that living things rely on them for care and sustenance. This can help teach them about the importance of being responsible and dependable.
Chores to teach organisation
Tidying cupboards
Tidying cupboards, wardrobes, and even rooms help teach teens how to be organised and the benefits of living and working in an organised space.
Taking old clothes and goods to the charity shop
Teenagers often talk about the importance of recycling without making the effort. Task them with taking their second-hand items to the charity shop once a month.
Taking all mugs and plates from their room
As a parent, how many times have you exited your teen’s room with a pile of crockery? Teach them to clean up for themselves and not hog all the mugs in their room by insisting they bring them down every day and wash them up.
Wash and clean the car
It may not be their car, but they use it too, so showing them how to keep a car clean and tidy is a good chore and a future life skill.
Ironing their clothes
This is a life skill they may think they don’t need but will one day need to do when they start work. Show them how to iron everything from shirts to trousers and leave them to do this weekly.
Chores to teach collaboration
Take responsibility for keeping shared spaces
Teach them to keep the living room or kitchen clean and organised, including dusting, hoovering, and wiping surfaces down.
Doing dishes/dishwasher with a sibling
Collaborating and compromising with a daily chore can teach your teen about teamwork and working together.
Tidy up the garden with siblings
From mowing the lawn to tidying up, weeding, and more, gardening with others is a good lesson in time management, organization, and collaboration.
Chores to teach problem-solving
Managing their own money
Close the bank of mum and dad and whether it’s pocket money or earnings, let kids get used to budgeting, saving and tracking their own weekly expenditure.
Easy home maintenance
In every household, there are a wealth of annoying chores you have to do to keep things running smoothly. Hand these over to your teens, and make them change light bulbs, change toilet rolls, and fold up fallen towels.
Grocery top-up shop
Create a shopping list and help select items at the grocery store. Prioritise items on the list, get them to compare prices, and make decisions based on budget constraints.
How to keep your teens accountable with chore apps
If your teenager is new to the routine of doing chores or just busy juggling school, college, or a part-time job, it can be hard to keep track of what you've asked them to do. Fortunately, chore apps like GoHenry can help your teenager be accountable for the assigned tasks. You can set up tasks for your teenager to complete, and with the GoHenry app on their phone, they can easily check to see what they need to do and check off the chores as they complete them.
How to approach the conversation on chores with teens
Approaching the conversation on chores with teens can be tricky. The trick is to set clear expectations from the start. Make sure your teen understands what is expected of them and when they need to complete their chores.
What can help here is to allow your teen to have some input in their chore assignments. Do they have a preference or interest in a certain type of chore? Are they more willing to take the dog for a walk every day than emptying the dishwasher?
It's also important to be honest with your teen about why chores are important and how they contribute to the family as a whole. Encourage a two-way conversation and be open to your teen's thoughts and feelings (rather than complaints).
Choose chores that you know your teen could do with learning, such as cooking, laundry, shopping to a budget, and even cleaning. And while it’s important to hold your teen accountable with expectations and timings, be sure not to control their every move. The goal is responsibility and accountability.
Scheduling chores for your teens
You can help your teenager succeed in their chores by devising a schedule of daily and weekly tasks. This will help them to know what needs to be done and when. For instance, they'll need to clear the table every day, but they'll only be required to cook a meal once a week. Give your teen a clear and concise chore schedule to help them focus and get the work done.
Motivating teens to do chores
If your teenager has never done household chores before, they may not feel very motivated to get started. Start by giving them just a couple of chores to begin with and giving them a chance to excel. This way, they'll quickly feel a sense of pride from knowing they've done what's asked of them and feel motivated to carry on.
It's also important that you give them age-appropriate chores. Says Sue Atkins, Family Parenting Expert and author of Parenting Made Easy, “The best way to set chores is to talk about expectations and the fact you are all a team in the house and need to work together. Doing this creates a chore mindset, making it easier to set chores, and it also helps them be thoughtful adults when they no longer live at home.”
Money is undoubtedly a big motivator for many teenagers, and rewarding your teen for doing chores is a useful way to teach them about the link between work and money, which is one of the many benefits of giving chores to kids.
Decide on a specific amount for each chore they complete. How much you pay is entirely up to you, and you may wish to pay more for harder tasks. Our Youth Economy Report discovered that the top housework earner for young people is vacuuming, earning teens £1.20 per task. If you need a guide, look at our article about how much I should pay my child for doing chores.
Tips for how to set chore payment scales
When deciding how much to pay teens for their chores, consider how often you want to pay and how much each task will pay. There are a few options for setting payment scales:
-
Pay per chore: Set each task with an individual amount, and teens can complete each chore to get paid. Parents can pay out as they go.
-
Lump sum per week: A popular choice for parents is to pay one lump sum each week when all chores are done. This option is good if your teen tends to avoid some chores.
-
Extra bonus pay: Kids may earn extra money for additional, specific chores done throughout the week or for doing chores without being asked.
Lead by example; show them how
Teens learn best by watching and learning. If chores for teenagers are new, they’ll likely need you to demonstrate tasks and guide them in the beginning so expectations can be set. Patience is key, here because it’s with practice that teens will get better at completing and doing the chores you set them.
Set clear expectations
Before teens can learn how to do a job correctly, they need to understand your expectations. Make sure you clarify how you’d like a chore completed, and use a chore app or chart to keep everything organised.
Establish fair consequences if they don’t do their chores
While pocket money and monetary rewards can help motivate kids to do chores, sometimes consequences are necessary when chores aren’t completed. Explain to teens the rewards they can earn from taking care of their chores, but also let them know what to expect if they ignore their responsibilities.
Consequences may be as simple as missing out on a fun activity because chores still need to be done. More significant consequences like an earlier curfew, less screen time, or taking their phone away altogether are options for parents to consider.
Motivate your teens to do chores with GoHenry
If you’re struggling to motivate your teenager to do their chores, GoHenry can help. With the GoHenry teen debit card + app, you can assign and keep track of chores with the paid tasks feature. This also allows you to set rewards so your teens receive pocket money when they mark tasks complete. This is a great way to encourage your teen to learn the importance of responsibility and the value of money.
Related articles:
Should I give my kids pocket money for doing chores?
Teaching teens money management
How to keep your teens accountable with chore apps
If your teenager is new to the routine of doing chores or just busy juggling school, college, or a part-time job, it can be hard to keep track of what you've asked them to do. Fortunately, chore apps like GoHenry can help your teenager be accountable for the assigned tasks. You can set up tasks for your teenager to complete, and with the GoHenry app on their phone, they can easily check to see what they need to do and check off the chores as they complete them.
How to approach the conversation on chores with teens
Approaching the conversation on chores with teens can be tricky. The trick is to set clear expectations from the start. Make sure your teen understands what is expected of them and when they need to complete their chores.
What can help here is to allow your teen to have some input in their chore assignments. Do they have a preference or interest in a certain type of chore? Are they more willing to take the dog for a walk every day than emptying the dishwasher?
It's also important to be honest with your teen about why chores are important and how they contribute to the family as a whole. Encourage a two-way conversation and be open to your teen's thoughts and feelings (rather than complaints).
And choose chores that you know your teen could do with learning, such as cooking, laundry, shopping to a budget, and even cleaning. And while it’s important to hold your teen accountable with expectations and timings, be sure not to control their every move. The goal is responsibility and accountability.
20 of the best chore ideas for teens
While most teenagers will be able to carry out most chores, they may need some guidance. It's a good idea to ask them to do just a couple of things a week to get them started into a routine with clear expectations over how you want it done. Then you can gradually build up chores as they feel more confident and want to take on more.
Taking out the rubbish and recycling daily
Aside from being responsible for their waste, taking out the rubbish is one of those jobs that has to be done in every household whether your teen likes it or not. Talk to them about what goes in what bin, emptying bins in the house and recycling.
Doing laundry
Laundry is a vital life skill that all teens need to know. Ensure they know how to work washing machines and dryers, read clothing labels so clothes aren’t ruined and hang clothes properly to dry.
Changing bed sheets
Yet, another chore that needs to be done but that your teen probably doesn’t think about. One to teach them before they head to Uni.
Cooking one meal a week
Aside from teaching them how to plan and organise themselves, cooking one meal a week expands their cooking know-how for when they go to university.
Shopping for groceries with a budget
Grocery shopping is an essential life skill that may shock them when they realise they must shop around to get all the necessary items.
Kitchen and bathroom cleaning
A pet hate of anyone who shares a flat with others is a person who doesn’t know how to leave the bathroom and kitchen clean after use.
Pet walking and feeding
A responsibility chore that will teach your child to be accountable. Include in this chore making sure there is pet food, vet visits, and dog walking.
Keeping their bedroom tidy
Teach teens how to keep a clean space by tidying up their room regularly. Not just putting items away but also dusting and hoovering their room.
Ironing their clothes
This is a life skill they may think they don’t need but will one day need to do when they start work. Show them how to iron everything from shirts to trousers.
Being responsible for younger siblings when you are busy
Being helpful and taking the initiative is another skill for your teen to learn, so entrusting them to look after younger siblings and be responsible for them when you are busy is a good one.
Watering plants
When kids take on the responsibility of watering plants, they learn that living things rely on them for care and sustenance. This can help teach them about the importance of being responsible and dependable.
Returning packages
This is a good one to entrust to your teen as it shows them they’ll lose money if they don’t return unwanted goods.
Taking all mugs and plates from their room
As a parent, how many times have you exited your teen’s room with a pile of crockery? Teach them to clean up for themselves and not hog all the mugs by bringing them down every day and washing them up.
Meal planning for the week
While they only have to cook one meal a week, meal planning for the week can teach them important skills, such as budgeting, planning and organisation. Show them how to do it.
Easy home maintenance
In every household, there are a wealth of annoying chores you have to do to keep things running smoothly. Hand these over to your teens, and make them change light bulbs, change toilet rolls, and fold up fallen towels.
Taking old clothes and goods to the charity shop
Teens often talk about the importance of recycling without putting in the effort. Rather than have them leave their old things out for you to take to the charity shop, task them with taking items to the shop once a month.
Take responsibility for keeping shared spaces
Teach them to keep the living room or kitchen clean and organised, including dusting, hoovering, and wiping surfaces down.
Wash and clean the car
It may not be their car, but they use it too, so showing them how to keep a car clean and tidy is a good chore and a future life skill.
Doing dishes/dishwasher with a sibling
Collaborating and compromising with a daily chore can teach your teen about teamwork and working together.
Finding a part-time job
At a certain point in their life, your teen may need to find a part-time job. You’ll need to explain how to look for a job, write application emails and letters, where they can apply online and how they can keep track of their applications.
Scheduling chores for your teens
You can help your teenager succeed in their chores by devising a schedule of daily and weekly tasks. This will help them to know what needs to be done and when. For instance, they'll need to clear the table every day, but they'll only be required to cook a meal once a week. Giving your teen a clear and concise chore schedule to help them focus and get the work done.
Motivating teens to do chores
If your teenager has never done household chores before, they may not feel very motivated to get started. Start by giving them just a couple of chores, to begin with, and give them a chance to excel. This way, they'll quickly have a sense of pride from knowing they've done what's asked of them and feel motivated to carry on.
It's also important that you give them age-appropriate chores. Says Sue Atkins, Family Parenting Expert and author of Parenting Made Easy, “The best way to set chores is to talk about expectations and the fact you are all a team in the house and need to work together. Doing this creates a chore mindset, making it easier to set chores and it also helps them be thoughtful adults when they no longer live at home.”
Money is undoubtedly a big motivator for many teenagers, and rewarding your teen for doing chores is a useful way to teach them about the link between work and money, which is one of the many benefits of giving chores to kids.
Decide on a specific amount for each chore they complete. How much you pay is entirely up to you, and you may wish to pay more for harder tasks. Our Youth Economy Report discovered that the top housework earner for young people is vacuuming, earning teens £1.20 per task. If you need a guide, look at our article about how much I should pay my child for doing chores.
Tips for how to set chore payment scales
When deciding how much to pay teens for their chores, consider how often you want to pay and how much each task will pay. There are a few options for setting payment scales:
-
Pay per chore: Set each task with an individual amount, and teens can complete each chore to get paid. Parents can pay out as they go.
-
Lump sum per week: A popular choice for parents is to pay one lump sum each week when all chores are done. This option is good if your teen tends to avoid some chores.
-
Extra bonus pay: Kids may earn extra money for additional, specific chores done throughout the week or for doing chores without being asked.
Lead by example; show them how
Teens learn best by watching and learning. If chores for teenagers are new, they’ll likely need you to demonstrate tasks and guide them in the beginning so expectations can be set. Patience is key, here because it’s with practice that teens will get better at completing and doing the chores you set them.
Set clear expectations
Before teens can learn how to do a job correctly, they need to understand your expectations. Make sure you clarify how you’d like a chore completed and use a chore app or chart to keep everything organised and organised.
Establish fair consequences, if they don’t do their chores
While allowance and monetary rewards can help motivate kids to do chores, sometimes consequences are necessary when chores aren’t completed. Explain to teens the rewards they can earn from taking care of their chores, but also let them know what to expect if they ignore their responsibilities.
Consequences may be as simple as missing out on a fun activity because chores still need to be done. More significant consequences like an earlier curfew, less screen time, or taking their phone away altogether are options for parents to consider.
Ensure that chores align with teaching life skills
To make sure that the chores your teenager is doing align with valuable life skills, there are a few steps you can take. Firstly, identify the life skills you want your teenager to develop. Think about the skills you want your teenager to have as they prepare for adulthood. This might include things like responsibility, time management, communication, and teamwork.
Assign chores that develop those skills. For example, if you want your teenager to develop responsibility, assign them a chore like feeding and caring for a pet or watering the plants regularly.
Ensure your teenager understands the purpose of the chore and how it relates to the life skill you are trying to teach. Provide clear instructions and check in regularly to provide feedback and help them improve.
Encourage independence and problem-solving: As your teenager gains confidence in their abilities, encourage them to take on more responsibility and find their own solutions to problems that arise while doing their chores.
Motivate your kids to do chores with GoHenry
If you’re struggling to motivate your teenager to do their chores, GoHenry can help. With the GoHenry teen debit card + app, you can assign and keep track of chores with the paid tasks feature. This also allows you to set rewards so your teens receive pocket money when they mark tasks complete. This is a great way to encourage your teen to learn the importance of responsibility and the value of money.
Related articles:
