Chores for tweens and young teens (ages 12 to 14)
Twelve to fourteen year olds can run whole jobs: a load of laundry from hamper to drawer, dinner once a week, the bathroom top to bottom. Handing over a complete job, rather than a slice of one, is what builds real independence.
Expect some pushback. Tweens respond better to clear expectations and a bit of choice than to reminders. Agree the list together, put it somewhere visible, and let the chart do the nagging.
62 chore ideas for ages 12 to 14
Toys and tidying
- Organize bookshelves
- Declutter toys
- Sort papers
School things
- Clean backpack
Bedroom and laundry
- Deep clean bedroom
- Do laundry start to finish
- Iron clothes
- Organize linen closet
Kitchen and meals
- Cook simple meals
- Wash dishes by hand
- Clean kitchen counters
- Clean stovetop
- Clean fridge
- Clean oven exterior
- Prep ingredients for meals
- Clean cutting boards
- Clean toaster
- Clean blender
- Organize spices
Bathroom
- Clean bathroom fully
Around the house
- Vacuum whole house
- Mop floors
- Clean windows
- Dust ceiling fans
- Clean vents
- Wipe walls
- Clean under furniture
- Wipe cabinets
- Clean picture frames
- Wipe remotes
- Clean keyboard
- Dust blinds
- Clean under rugs
Pets
- Clean pet cages
- Clean litter box
- Wash pet bedding
- Pick up pet waste
Outdoors and garden
- Take trash to curb
- Bring bins back in
- Sweep garage
- Trim plants
- Clean patio furniture
- Water lawn
- Plant flowers
- Sweep driveway
- Help with yard work
Bigger jobs and helping out
- Donate old clothes
Daily routines
Habits rather than jobs. Great for earning points, not usually for pay.
- Brush teeth twice daily
- Shower and personal hygiene
- Make bed
- Pack school bag
- Read for 30 minutes
- Do homework before screens
- Prep outfit for tomorrow
- Morning routine independently
- Bedtime routine
- Practice instrument
- Exercise or stretch
- Skincare routine
- Manage own schedule
- Journaling
- Limit screen time
Tips for this age
- Hand over whole jobs they can own, like “your laundry” or “Wednesday dinner”.
- Negotiate the list once, then stick to it. Fewer reminders, clearer consequences.
- Link bigger jobs to money they manage themselves. It’s good practice for later.
Use these chores in Tasklio, free
Add a child aged 12 to 14 and Tasklio offers a ready-made starter set of chores and rewards. Kids tick off their own jobs; you approve with one tap.
Parents also ask
What chores should a 12 year old do?
Doing their own laundry, cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming the house, washing dishes, taking the bins out and cooking a simple meal are all reasonable. Most can also look after pets without reminders.
How do I get a 13 year old to do chores without nagging?
Agree the chores and the deadline together, make them visible (a shared chart or app), and connect them to things your teen cares about, like screen time, money or plans with friends.
How much allowance for a 14 year old?
It depends on what the money is meant to cover. Our allowance calculator gives a starting point based on age and a few questions about your family.