Good chores for 10 year olds include cleaning the bathroom sink, changing their own bed sheets, taking the bins to the curb, making breakfast on the weekend and getting up on time with their own alarm. Those come on top of the dishes, vacuuming, laundry and trash jobs many started at eight and nine. Most 10-year-olds can handle three or four short daily jobs and two or three bigger weekly ones. The step up at ten is the bigger jobs: they take longer and have more parts, and they need a plan for the week.
Ten is also the age many kids start wanting more independence and more money of their own. Bigger jobs are a good way to give them both.
In short: add two or three bigger weekly jobs, like the bathroom sink, bed sheets and the bins, and let your 10-year-old plan which day they happen. Teach each one in parts before handing it over, keep strong cleaning products and the stove with an adult, and link the bigger jobs to bigger goals.
The step up at ten: bigger jobs and a weekly plan
At nine, the goal is owning a job from start to finish. At ten, many kids are ready for jobs with more steps, such as changing bed sheets or cleaning a sink, and for planning their own week around them.
A weekly plan can be as simple as this:
- Every day: make your bed, empty the dishwasher or wash the dishes, homework before screens.
- Tuesday: take the bins to the curb.
- Saturday: clean the bathroom sink, vacuum your room.
- Sunday: change your bed sheets.
Let your child pick the days for the weekly jobs. A plan they chose is a plan they're more likely to follow.
Try saying: "These three are your weekly jobs. You choose the days, and once you've chosen, the plan is yours to keep."
What chores can a 10-year-old do?
These match the chores KudosNest suggests for a 10-year-old. The first seven are new at ten; the rest carry over from nine. They line up with the advice of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which suggests changing sheets, cleaning the kitchen or bathroom and yard work for ages 10 to 11.
| Chore | How often | About how long | What "done" looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean the bathroom sink | Once a week | 10 minutes | Sink and tap wiped, toothpaste gone, mirror splashes wiped |
| Change your bed sheets | Once a week | 15–20 minutes | Old sheets in the laundry, clean sheets on, pillows in cases |
| Take the bins to the curb | Once a week | 5 minutes | Bins out the night before pickup, brought back after |
| Rake the leaves | Once a week in fall | 30 minutes | Leaves raked into a pile and bagged |
| Make breakfast | Weekends | 15–20 minutes | A simple breakfast made, counter wiped after |
| Get up on time with your alarm | School days | — | Up with their own alarm, no wake-up call from you |
| Read to a younger sibling | Twice a week | 15 minutes | A book read aloud, sibling chose it |
| Wash the dishes | Daily | 15–20 minutes | Dishes washed and rinsed, on the rack |
| Vacuum your room | Once a week | 10–15 minutes | Floor cleared first, then vacuumed |
| Help cook dinner | Twice a week | 30 minutes | Their part of the meal done, plates out |
| Fold the laundry | Once a week | 20 minutes | Clothes folded and put away |
| Take out the trash | Twice a week | 5 minutes | Bag out, new bag in |
| Homework before screens | School days | Varies | Homework done and packed before any screen time |
A few practical notes. Raking only applies if you have a yard and a fall; in a warmer place, swap in another outdoor job like sweeping the porch. Reading to a sibling only works if there is one, and if both kids enjoy it. If you have a cat, cleaning the litter box is a common job at this age too, with gloves and a good hand wash after.
If your 10-year-old likes paper, you can print a chart for a 10-year-old and have them write their chosen days on it.
How do you teach a 10-year-old to clean the bathroom sink?
Bigger jobs go better when you teach them in parts, the same way you did with smaller ones.
- Show. Clean the sink while your child watches. Name each part: clear the counter, spray, wipe the bowl, wipe the tap, rinse, dry the tap so it shines.
- Split it. Let them do the easy parts, like clearing the counter and drying the tap, while you do the rest.
- Watch. Once they've done each part a few times, let them do the whole job while you stay nearby.
- Hand it over. Agree on what "done" looks like, and check with a quick look rather than a white glove.
Use a mild spray or a damp cloth with a little dish soap. Bleach and strong bathroom cleaners stay with an adult. Bed sheets work the same way: start by stripping the bed together, then hand over one step at a time. Fitted sheets are hard at any age, so expect a few lumpy corners.
What's realistic at ten, and what isn't yet
Realistic:
- Two or three bigger weekly jobs on days they chose
- Getting up on their own with an alarm
- Making a simple breakfast for themselves, or for the family on the weekend
- Noticing when a job they own needs doing
Not yet:
- Using strong cleaning products such as bleach without an adult
- Cooking a full meal at the stove alone, which most families save for later
- Remembering a weekly job with no reminder system at all
- Doing a big job perfectly the first few times
Mistakes parents often make at this age:
- Adding big jobs all at once. Three new weekly jobs in the same week usually ends with none of them done well. Add one, let it settle for two weeks, then add the next.
- Redoing the job in front of them. If you remake the bed after they've made it, they learn that their work doesn't count. Point out one thing to fix next time instead.
- Keeping the same rewards as at six. A sticker doesn't motivate many 10-year-olds. Bigger jobs can work toward bigger goals they choose themselves.
Points, money and bigger goals
Ten is often when kids start asking for real money. Bigger jobs make a natural link.
- Keep the basics unpaid. Making their bed and clearing their plate are part of living in the family. The bigger weekly jobs can be the ones that earn.
- Save toward something real. Ten-year-olds can save for a month or more. A goal they picked, like a game or a day out, keeps them going between paydays.
- Use a calculator, not a guess. If you're not sure what to pay, our allowance calculator suggests a weekly amount by age and shows how much of it could come from chores.
- Praise the effort. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to praise effort and initiative, not just a perfect result.
For more on whether chores should earn money at all, see our guide to allowance and chores.
FAQ
How many chores should a 10-year-old have? Many families settle on three or four short daily jobs and two or three bigger weekly ones. Less is fine if your child also has a lot of homework or activities.
Can a 10-year-old clean the bathroom? Many can clean the sink and wipe the counter with a mild spray. Toilets, showers and strong cleaners are usually a better fit a little later, or with you nearby.
Should a 10-year-old make their own breakfast? A simple one, yes: cereal, toast or yogurt and fruit. Using the stove depends on your child and your kitchen.
Where do I start if my 10-year-old has never done chores? Start with the earlier jobs first. Our list of chores for 9 year olds covers the dishes, vacuuming and helping cook, and links back to the basics from there.
Weighing a paper chart against an app? Our honest look at chore chart apps and paper charts covers both. KudosNest, a family app we are building, suggests chores by age, puts weekly jobs on the days you choose and lets your 10-year-old tap Done; you approve, and they swap points for rewards you set. It's on Google Play for Android now; the iPhone version is coming soon.
Sources
- Chores and Children (Facts for Families No. 125) — American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2018
- Chores and Responsibility — American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org), 2024
