Family ChoresPlay. Help. Earn.
Sort, filter, and approve chores
Chore ideas · Ages 11–12

30 chores for 11–12 year olds — independence with a safety net.

Pre-teens can run complete systems: a full load of laundry start to finish, a weeknight dinner, the family dog. The parental job shifts from supervising the work to auditing the outcome. This is also the age where coins start teaching budgeting, and where recurring routines build the habits that survive the teenage years.

Assign these in Family ChoresJump to the chore list

Parent tip: Hand over whole domains, not tasks — "laundry is yours on Saturdays" beats five separate laundry chores. Domains build planning skills that single tasks never will.

From real Family Chores data

What families actually assign at ages 11–12.

Aggregated, anonymized platform numbers for this age range — a realistic baseline, not a Pinterest fantasy.

78%

of assigned chores get completed at this age

10

chores per week on the average chart

12 coins

average payout per chore

13

New Skill Bonuses earned per child in the first year

Most assigned

The top three at this age

  • Do a full load of laundry start to finish
  • Wash and put away all dishes after dinner
  • Walk and care for the dog independently
Most completed routine

Laundry Day

The routine this age group finishes most often. See how chores chain into habits on the routines page.

The list

Chore ideas for ages 11–12, by the skill they build.

Every chore is tagged with one of the five Pillars of Responsibility, so you can balance the chart instead of accidentally raising a vacuuming specialist.

🌱 Self Care (4 chores)

Morning and bedtime routines, hygiene, and personal responsibility handled independently.

  • Handle your own morning alarm and routine · ~20 min
  • Manage your own homework and deadlines · ~15 min
  • Pack for trips using a checklist · ~25 min
  • Iron simple clothing items · ~12 min

🏠 Home Care (10 chores)

Cleaning, dishes, laundry, and yard work - caring for the physical home environment.

  • Deep clean the bathroom · ~30 min
  • Clean the refrigerator shelves · ~20 min
  • Sweep and mop all hard floors · ~25 min
  • Clean window interiors · ~20 min
  • Clean ceiling fans with supervision · ~15 min
  • Vacuum the stairs · ~10 min
  • Mow the lawn with supervision · ~40 min
  • Shovel snow or clear walkways · ~25 min
  • Wash the car · ~30 min
  • Run the dishwasher cycle and put everything away · ~15 min

📋 Organization (4 chores)

Planning, packing, tidying, and keeping life - and stuff - in order.

  • Organize the pantry · ~25 min
  • Clean and organize the garage shelves · ~30 min
  • Track and restock household basics · ~10 min
  • Help plan the weekly menu · ~15 min

🤝 Family Contribution (5 chores)

Helping siblings, caring for pets, and pitching in on work that serves the whole household.

  • Change bed linens for the family · ~20 min
  • Watch a younger sibling for an hour (parent nearby) · ~60 min
  • Walk and care for the dog independently · ~25 min
  • Take full responsibility for a pet · ~20 min
  • Wash and put away all dishes after dinner · ~20 min

🛠️ Life Skills (7 chores)

Cooking, laundry, budgeting, and the practical skills of running an adult life.

  • Do a full load of laundry start to finish · ~30 min
  • Cook a simple dinner once a week · ~40 min
  • Meal-prep snacks for the week · ~25 min
  • Defrost and prep ingredients for dinner · ~15 min
  • Budget your allowance for the month · ~15 min
  • Maintain your bike (tires and chain) · ~20 min
  • Compost and garden upkeep · ~20 min

Inside Family Chores, each of these becomes a real chore with coins, optional parent approval, a repeat schedule, and Responsibility XP toward its pillar — learn how the system works on the Pillars of Responsibility page.

Other ages

Chore ideas for every age, 5 to 16.

Kids grow; the chart should too. Each guide shifts the mix toward more independence and bigger skills.

Ages 5–6

First chores that build confidence

28 age-appropriate chores - most assigned: Make the bed

Ages 7–8

From helper to owner

28 age-appropriate chores - most assigned: Make the bed neatly

Ages 9–10

Real skills, real standards

30 age-appropriate chores - most assigned: Unload and reload the dishwasher

Ages 11–12

Independence with a safety net

30 age-appropriate chores - most assigned: Do a full load of laundry start to finish

Ages 13–14

Adult-grade work, teen-grade motivation

30 age-appropriate chores - most assigned: Do your own laundry completely

Ages 15–16

Rehearsal for adulthood

31 age-appropriate chores - most assigned: Plan and cook two family dinners a week

Free to start

Put these chores to work for your 11–12 year old.

Create your family free, add these chores in minutes, and let coins, routines, and Responsibility XP handle the daily motivation.

Start your family freeBack to the chores guide

Sign in with Google, add your kids as managed profiles, and assign your first chore in under five minutes.

Chores for 11–12 Year Olds: 30 Age-Appropriate Ideas