23 practical chore ideas for 7-year-olds
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Highlights
These 20+ organized chore ideas across indoor, cleaning, outdoor, and helper tasks can teach your child about responsibilities and important life skills.
Keep your 7-year-old on track with chore tracking apps like Greenlight, sticker charts, and reward systems.
Chores can help 7-year-olds grow more independent, build life skills, and take pride in contributing to the family. At this age, kids are ready for a mix of structured responsibilities and more “grown-up” tasks, especially when you add encouragement, rewards, or even a little fun.
We’ve rounded up 23 age-appropriate chores for 7-year-olds, including what each task involves, how often it’s needed, and how to make it stick. There are a ton of chores and responsibilities you can hand off to your kids at this age. Plus, if you use an app like Greenlight, the #1 family finance and safety app, you can track and manage chores easily, pay out allowances, and help teach your kids the power of earning their own money.
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To keep things easy to scan, we’ve organized the chores into categories. Feel free to mix and match based on your child’s maturity, interests, and what’s realistic for your household.
23 age-appropriate chores for 7-year-olds
Here’s a quick preview of the chores, which are covered in further detail below:
Make the bed
Put away clothes
Set the table
Clear the table
Empty the dishwasher
Organize toys or books
Laundry basics
Match and fold socks
Wipe down counters
Dust furniture or shelves
Mop small areas
Empty small trash cans
Water plants
Pull weeds
Rake leaves
Wash the car (with help)
Pack lunch or snack
Help carry in groceries
Put away groceries
Feed the pets
Clean up after dinner
Take out garbage
Vacuum small areas
Chores. Allowance. They’re different for every family. That’s why we let you call the shots. Want to tie allowance to chores? Pay a percentage based on chore progress — or only if they’re all done. Prefer not to? Your house. Your rules.
Indoor chores 🛏️
Basic responsibilities kids can practice inside every day.
1. Make the bed
What it involves: Straightening the blanket, fluffing pillows, and placing comfort items like stuffed animals where they belong.
How often: Daily
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Helps build independence and a sense of daily routine. Plus, they get to see a finished result every time.
Tips for parents: Focus on effort, not perfection. Let them take the lead and add their personal flair.
2. Put away clothes
What it involves: Folding or hanging up clean clothes and placing them in the right drawers or closet sections.
How often: Weekly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Reinforces organization, spatial awareness, and follow-through.
Tips for parents: Use labeled drawers and offer praise for completing small batches.
3. Set the table
What it involves: Placing napkins, forks, plates, and cups at each seat before meals.
How often: Daily or as needed
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Builds sequencing skills and makes kids feel like they’re contributing and participating.
Tips for parents: Teach a simple setup process and give room for creativity — napkin folding, centerpieces, etc.
4. Clear the table
What it involves: Bringing used dishes to the sink or dishwasher and wiping down the table.
How often: Daily
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Encourages responsibility and shows that cleanup is an important part of every meal.
Tips for parents: Make it a team activity. Praise quick, complete follow-through.
5. Empty the dishwasher
What it involves: Putting away dishes and utensils. Focus on non-breakables and safe items.
How often: Weekly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Encourages sorting and multi-step thinking.
Tips for parents: Start with just utensils or cups. Use sorting trays or bins to keep it simple.
6. Organize toys or books
What it involves: Returning items to bins, shelves, or drawers while organizing them accordingly.
How often: Daily
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Reinforces the value of tidiness and personal responsibility.
Tips for parents: Label storage with icons or colors, and make it a race or matching game.
7. Laundry basics
What it involves: Sorting lights and darks, loading or helping transfer clothes between machines.
How often: Weekly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Builds life skills and offers a sense of control over their belongings.
Tips for parents: Assign a “laundry day” and let them press buttons or scoop detergent (with help).
8. Match and fold socks
What it involves: Finding sock pairs and folding or rolling them together.
How often: Weekly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Develops pattern recognition and patience.
Tips for parents: Make it a timed challenge or let them sort by color/family member.
Cleaning chores 🧽
These simple tasks teach kids how to keep shared spaces tidy.
9. Wipe down counters
What it involves: Using a damp cloth to clean surfaces after meals or messes.
How often: Daily or as needed
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Teaches attention to detail and taking care of shared spaces.
Tips for parents: Use water or kid-safe cleaners and show a “sweep and fold” motion for coverage.
10. Dust furniture or shelves
What it involves: Wiping down low or easy-to-reach surfaces with a cloth or duster.
How often: Weekly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Builds observation skills and encourages consistent upkeep.
Tips for parents: Assign a “dust patrol” role and use a checklist for satisfaction.
11. Mop small areas
What it involves: Using a kid-sized mop or Swiffer to clean up small spills or rooms.
How often: Weekly or biweekly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Teaches motor control and how to manage small messes independently.
Tips for parents: Stick to water and limit to low-traffic areas.
12. Empty small trash cans
What it involves: Taking out trash from bathrooms or bedrooms and replacing liners.
How often: Weekly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Encourages responsibility for cleanliness and follow-through.
Tips for parents: Use light, manageable bags and guide them through tying or carrying.
With a debit card of their own, kids and teens learn to spend wisely, keep an eye on balances, and track their spending. Big money dreams? Set savings goals and start investing with as little as $1 — with your approval on every trade.
Outdoor and seasonal chores 🍃
Great for active kids who love a hands-on role outdoors.
13. Water plants
What it involves: Using a small watering can or cup to hydrate indoor or outdoor plants.
How often: 2 to 3 times per week
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Teaches care, observation, and consistency.
Tips for parents: Assign a “plant pal” or garden section as their own to maintain.
14. Pull weeds
What it involves: Gently removing weeds from flower beds, pots, or walkways.
How often: Weekly (seasonal)
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Builds patience and attention to detail outdoors.
Tips for parents: Show them safe weeds to pull. Use gloves and a bucket for easy cleanup.
15. Rake leaves
What it involves: Gathering leaves into piles using a kid-sized rake.
How often: Weekly in the fall
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Offers satisfying physical activity and supports teamwork.
Tips for parents: Let them jump in afterward for an instant reward and memory-maker.
16. Wash the car (with help)
What it involves: Spraying, soaping, and rinsing with a sponge and hose (with supervision).
How often: Monthly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: It’s active, fun, and introduces real-world responsibility.
Tips for parents: Keep it to lower sections and avoid harsh soaps. Bring extra towels.
Everyday helper tasks 🐕
These are teachable moments that help kids build real-life skills and independence.
17. Pack lunch or snack
What it involves: Selecting and packing food into containers or lunchboxes with supervision.
How often: Daily (school days)
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Builds independence, planning, and healthy food choices.
Tips for parents: Pre-portion options and give them a “menu” to choose from.
18. Help carry in groceries
What it involves: Bringing in light bags (bread, paper towels, snack boxes) from the car.
How often: Weekly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Offers a sense of usefulness and teamwork.
Tips for parents: Assign them a title like “Pantry Patrol” or “Snack Specialist” for extra buy-in.
19. Put away groceries
What it involves: Sorting and storing food into fridge, pantry, or cupboards.
How often: Weekly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Reinforces sorting, memory, and organizing skills.
Tips for parents: Break it into zones (fridge vs. pantry) to avoid causing overwhelm.
20. Feed the pets
What it involves: Pouring pre-measured food or water into bowls with supervision.
How often: Daily
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Teaches empathy, routine, and gentle care.
Tips for parents: Use measuring scoops and give gentle reminders at first.
21. Clean up after dinner
What it involves: Clearing dishes, wiping tables, and helping with light dishwasher loading.
How often: Daily
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Builds a habit of follow-through after meals.
Tips for parents: Use a “cleanup playlist” and celebrate teamwork.
22. Take out garbage
What it involves: Carrying kitchen trash to the outdoor bin with guidance.
How often: Weekly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Reinforces responsibility and handling things safely.
Tips for parents: Guide them on how to tie bags and use handles or wheels.
23. Vacuum small areas
What it involves: Using a lightweight vacuum to clean bedrooms, rugs, or living room spots.
How often: Weekly
Why it’s great for 7-year-olds: Strengthens focus, coordination, and motor control.
Tips for parents: Carpeted areas are easiest. Start small and grow their zone over time.
Tips to help your 7-year-old stay on top of chores
✅ Let them choose from a list of two to three daily or weekly tasks
🎯 Use sticker charts or apps to track progress
⏲️ Set a timer to keep chores short and focused
🎵 Add music or a podcast to make it more fun
👏 Praise effort over perfection
💡 Rotate chores to avoid burnout and boredom
🎁 Consider small rewards like screen time or allowance
How much should I pay my 7-year-old for chores?
While every family is different, many parents give between $4 and $7 per week in allowance for a 7-year-old’s chores. Some tie allowance payment to specific tasks, while others use a base allowance with bonus opportunities.
Turn chores into life lessons
By age 7, kids are ready to handle more responsibility, and chores are a perfect way to teach real-life skills like follow-through, organization, and effort.
With tools like Greenlight, which includes chore tracking and allowance management, savings goals, and interactive ways to learn financial lessons, you can turn those everyday tasks into core life skills.
Empower kids to earn and learn. Manage chores, jobs, and allowances. Teach kids to earn, save, and invest with the Greenlight app. Try Greenlight, one month, risk-free.†
Both you and your kids download the Greenlight app — with tailored experiences. They check off chores, you automate allowance. They spend wisely, you set flexible controls. They build healthy financial habits, and you cheer them on.
This blog post is provided “as is” and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. Some content in this post may have been created using artificial intelligence; however, every blog post is reviewed by at least two human editors.
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