16 of the Best Chore Charts for Kids (Plus, How to Make a Chore List) (2024)

Once you figure out what chores to give your kids (I’ll help), you need some sort of chore chart for kids that will organize everything. Here are my best picks for kid’s chore charts.

What are the best chore charts for kids, tweens, and families – the kind that will help you set up your chore system?

We’ll look at the pros and cons of each chore chart type, types of chores to help you come up with chore lists for your kiddo(s), and free printable editable chore chart options (for both kids and tweens).

But first up? Let’s get one thing out of the way – should kids do chores?

Should Kids Do Chores?

Before we answer should kids do chores, you should know you’re talking to a woman who grew up on a family dairy farm.

In other words, my entire childhood was one big chore list.

There was milking the cows, feeding the cows, cleaning up after the cows, feeding the calves, getting the cows in from the meadow, putting the cows out into the meadow, cleaning the milk house, running the farm stand…I could go on, and on, and ON.

So yes, my opinion – which is decidedly in the YES, you-should-give-kids-chores column – might be a bit biased.

Given that, I’d like to point out WHY you should give kids chores to do (whether you want to pay them for chores or not is another topic).

Reasons why giving kids chores is just good parenting:

• Builds Basic Life Skills: Chores now will start teaching your child important life skills they’ll need to know to survive as an adult (like how to sort their laundry, what it feels like to come home to a made bed after a long day at work, and how to wash dishes).
• Builds Confidence: There is a certain level of confidence you build when you follow instructions, see something through to completion, and you don’t need help from anyone to do it.
• Builds Self-Reliance: When I left the farm, I felt completely self-reliant. I knew how to make money, how to clean, how to take care of a herd of animals, and all kinds of other things. That came from years of being put in a position of responsibility, taking action, and seeing how it turned out (both good and bad). I wish this kind of self-reliance on your own child, and chores is an excellent way to get there.
• Gives Your Child a Taste of Employer-Employee Relationship: One day, your child will have a job and career. They’ll need to answer to a boss or bosses, and they’ll be judged on their work. A well-thought out chore system can include ways to provide oversight, and give direction for how your child can improve moving forward (which is the basis for most job reviews and evaluations).
• Gives Your Child Healthy Expectations of Early Adult Life: You’ve probably heard about (or experienced) teens who have high expectations for their young adult lives due to how they were raised, versus what they will actually be able to afford when they’re in their early 20s and working to survive. In other words, most, if not all, young adults are going to start out on the bottom of the pay-totem-pole. This means that unless they want to take on loads of debt, they’re not going to be able to afford to hire a maid, send clothes to the laundromat, and eat out every meal. They have to learn about the types of chores that a “normal” household completes themselves.

Glad we cleared that up. Now, let’s move onto how to make a chore list (especially if you choose a customizable or editable chore chart from below).

How Do You Make a Chore List?

I’ve detailed in my Family Chores article how to create an entire family chore system.

In a nutshell, here’s how you make a chore list:

• Brainstorm What You Want Done: You probably have a few ideas in the back of your head for things you’d like help with around the house. You’ll want to include chores that help your child grow, as well.
• Research what’s Age-Appropriate: On another piece of paper, write down a column and an age for each of your kids. You’ll need to now research and gut-check which chores are age appropriate. Fortunately for you, I surveyed 179 mothers to ask what REAL moms think are age appropriate chores for their kids (meaning, which chores they give to which aged child in their own household). You can get that age appropriate chore list for kids here. I’ve broken it down by age, so you can get specific examples for what chores should a 12-year-old be doing, or really, any age.
• Decide on a Chore Schedule: How often will you expect your kids to get chores done? What are your deadlines going to be?
• Decide on an Oversight System: Again, you’ll want to look at my family chore system article to figure out an overall chore oversight system.
• Pick Out a Chore Chart: There are all kinds of chore charts out there, and I’ll be detailing below the pros and cons of each, plus my personal picks, to help you choose one. You should know that you can get paper chore charts, customizable chore charts, magnetic chore charts, chore chart apps, etc. Hint: you can also pick out a kid chore app to track money (here’s my review of greenlight vs. famzoo, specifically), if you pay for chores.
• Explain the Chore System to Your Child: It’s best to hold a family meeting to explain your new chore system to your kids. That way, expectations and responsibilities will be clear, questions can be asked, tweaks can be made, and things can start off on the right foot.

Pssst: Is your child griping about chores already? I’ve got this REALLY fun chore game I created (for free), called the White Elephant Chore Games. You might want to check it out.

Best Customizable Chore Charts

Customizable chore charts give you the MOST control over your chore list and chore system. That’s because you can just create new chores and delete old ones as your child ages or as you rotate responsibilities.

Pros of Customizable Chore Charts:

• Literally, the sky’s the limit as far as which chores you want to include – lots of freedom here!
• The chart will definitely grow with your child – your kid’s responsibilities and capabilities will change over the years, and a customizable chore chart will pay itself back by still being usable and relevant to your family.

Cons of Customizable Chore Charts:

• You have to actually come up with a chore list (there aren’t typically example chores given), so a bit more work on your part.

My #1 Pick for Best Customizable Chore Chart: Neatlings® Chore Chart System

Honestly, I am blown away by the Neatlings® Chore Chart System (yes, it’s sitting right next to me as I write this up). It gets my #1 pick as the best customizable chore chart because it will take care of all of your chore chart needs for all of your kids!

Don’t just take my word for it – this chart won a Mom’s Choice Award, and a Parent’s Choice Award.

Let me show you why this could be the one for you!

• Erasable Chore Cards, with Space for Oversight: Not only are there 4 decks of chore cards that come with it (3 decks of 54 self-care cards in 3 separate colors, for each kid — AND one deck of 54 household chore cards), but each chore card has space for you to write in your expectations for how the chore should be done/oversight. Did I mention there are blank chore cards so that you can both get tons of ideas for chores to choose PLUS customize this system to your own chores you want (like some money chores)? Also, it comes with an erasable pen, because the chore cards are reusable. LOVE that.
• Can Configure for Between 1-3 Kids: You can configure the system for up to 3 kids (you’ll need to purchase another if you have more than 3 kids). There are several options for how to configure this on your wall, as well. For example, you can configure to set things up for chores by day, chores by priority, or even chores by time of day (morning/evening/night). Once you figure out how you want things, connector strips are included so that you can connect it into one system.
• You Choose Rewards or Responsibilities: You can choose to either reward your child for each chore (money, screen time, free printable chore bucks, tickets for the family store, etc.), OR, you can choose any of the chore/self-care cards to be “responsibilities”, meaning there is no reward. Love that flexibility, because it’ll work with anyone’s chore and allowance system!
• Includes Rewards Tickets: If you want to go the reward ticket route and tie it with a family store where the kids can redeem the tickets, everything is included. She even includes examples of what to include in your family store for rewards, and ideas for how many tickets your child can save up to redeem for each item. Hint: here’s a free printable of hers for 99 family store ideas, if you want to go that route.
• There’s a Pocket for Bonus Chores: If you want to offer your motivated kids a chance to earn more or do more, there’s an area for bonus chores.

One last word, from Robin, the creator, “It [the Neatlings® chore chart] teaches kids how to work first, then fun, how to make decisions with how to spend their earned reward tickets (money) and how to save for something they want. They get to learn these things in a fun and safe environment when the stakes for financial missteps are low.”

Psst: maybe chore apps are your thing? Check out my picks for best app for tracking chores.

Best Magnetic Chore Chart

Need a chore chart with magnets on it? Let’s look at the pros and cons to these, and my best pick.

Pros of magnetic chore charts:

• You don’t have to keep printing out new chore charts each week to use with your kids
• You can keep it at a central location (maybe your command center) and it can live there, where everyone can reach it
• Can easily stick to your fridge with the magnets!

Cons of magnetic chore charts:

• You need to find one where the included magnets allow you to “grow” with your child’s chore capabilities and responsibilities over the years
• Little ones might just want to play with the magnets…as a Mom of a 3-year old, I’m just sayin’

Now, to get onto my picks – I actually chose two for this category, one that is editable and for older kids, and one that is not editable, and for younger kids.

My #1 Pick for the Best Magnetic Chore Chart (OLDER Kids): Lushleaf Design’s Magnetic Behavior Chalkboard

This magnetic chore chart is perfect for your fridge. It’s 17” X 11”, and offers two options (two different boards) for you to put your chores in – either for one week at a time, or for the entire month.

I like this for older kids because you can edit it however you wish, it’s sleek (doesn’t look “babyish”, so you won’t get any nose cringes when you introduce it!), and it just feels right for tweens and teens.

Included are a pack of 5 dry erase markers (you can use a different color for each family member), an eraser, a small, empty spray bottle, and a set of 30 reusable chore icon stickers.

You can use this for multiple kids because you write in the chores to be done along the left-hand column, and then you write in each kid’s or adult’s name who is responsible for that chore, and the day they need to do it.

My #1 Pick for the Best Magnetic Chore Chart (YOUNG Kids): Melissa & Doug’s My Magnetic Responsibility Chart

Got younger kids? Melissa & Doug’s Magnetic Responsibility Chart is my #1 pick for best magnetic chore charts that’ll work for the younger crowd. This chart actually hangs on the wall (it’s two boards, hinged together with durable fabric), and then has lots of magnets that come with it – 25 different chores with two blank chore magnets, and 54 circle magnets with praises.

It’s for one child, fyi.

There are different circle magnets (sets in 6 different colors) with praises that you can put beside your child’s chore magnets, such as “great job!” and “Awesome!”.

Tasks include both chore responsibilities as well as behavior responsibilities (such as “apologize to someone” and “show respect”). There are two blank magnets that you can use to write in your own responsibilities/behaviors (if I were you I would do it by taping a piece of paper with the chore written over the blank magnet so that you can use it for other items in the future).

• Chores Include: Load dishwasher, set table, make bed, take out trash, help with indoor chores, clean up room, get ready for bed, put clothes in wash, clear table, empty dishwasher, put toys away, brush teeth, take care of pet, take a bath, help with outdoor chores, and get dressed.
• Behaviors include: Do homework, show respect, keep hands to yourself, no teasing, share, apologize to someone, stop whining, say please and thank you, and don’t use bad language.

You can choose if you want to add incentives to this system, by telling your child that if they get a certain number of the praise-circle magnets each week, then they get X, Y, or Z. If you don’t want to reward your child for chores/behaving properly? You don’t have to with this system.

Best Free Editable Printable Chore Charts

Are you just dipping your toes into chore charts, and you’re looking for a free, editable version you can print off at home? I’ve got you covered.

Pros of Free Editable Printable Chore Charts:

• These are free, and editable, so you can write in the chores that you want for your kids.
• They’re small (the size of a paper!), so they can fit just about anywhere.

Cons of free editable printable chore charts:

• You have to print out new charts for each child, each week. That could get annoying.
• Most of these charts are limited in how you can use them, so they might not jive with your overall chore system.

My favorite free editable printable chore charts with Rewards:

1. Free Printable Chore Chart with Rewards
2. Responsibility and Chore Chart with area for chore commissions
3. Chore Chart for Kids with a line to put in a reward at the bottom
4. Free Chore Chart Printable with Screen Time Rewards

My favorite free editable printable chore charts WITHOUT Rewards

These printable chore charts do NOT have spots for rewards.

1. Free Printable Chore Chart
2. Free Printable Chore Chart you use magnets with
3. Editable chore chart for kids
4. Printable chore magnets so you can DIY a magnetic chore chart

My Favorite Free Printable Chore Charts for Tweens

1. Responsibility and Chore Chart with area for chore commissions
2. Free Printable Chore Chart with Rewards
3. Responsibility and Chore Chart with area for chore commissions
4. Chore Chart for Kids with a line to put in a reward at the bottom
5. Free Chore Chart Printable with Screen Time Rewards

Best Chore Chart for Multiple Kids

Got multiple kids? My picks for best chore chart – multiple kids – is either the Lushleaf Designs, or the Neatlings®.