Kids and Chores. It just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Over the years my kids have learned that chores are just a part of life, a part of helping the family and making their contribution. We don’t pay for chores in our house. If our kids want to make some extra money, then they can ask to do additional jobs. They happily do their regular chores, and we rarely have to force them, simply because they know they don’t get to do anything fun until their chores are done. They also carry the responsibility of the lives and well being of the animals, which keeps them in check. (I oversee the care of the animals, but they “think” they carry this responsibility, which I think is important)
Currently, our 8 year old’s chores are to milk the goats each morning, feed & water the goats each morning, unloading the dishwasher each morning, then she is also responsible for keeping her room clean. In the evening she gathers the eggs. On the weekends she gives her dog a bath and does all her own laundry from start to finish. Lydia also helps plan the meals and goes grocery shopping with me. (although I don’t think she counts this as a chore, the girl loves food!)
Currently, our 10 year old’s chores are to milk the goats each night, feed & water the chickens, fix any problems with the goat/chicken pens, assess/look for signs of chicken predators, load the dishwasher each morning, then he’s responsible for keeping his room clean, and feeding & watering the dogs. He also mows the front lawn twice a month. On the weekends he gives his dog a bath and does all his own laundry from start to finish.
Paid jobs in our household are to rake up leaves, pick up fallen branches in the yard, clean the car, do the parent’s laundry or the towels laundry, organizing things like DVDs or the game closet, any other spring cleaning-like jobs, etc. They also do jobs for the grandparents to make money (although we think those grandparents pay way too much – wink wink)
Age-Appropriate Farm & Outside Chores:
Ages 2-3:
- Gather eggs
- Brush goats
- Pick up sticks in yard
- Pick up rocks in garden
Ages 4-5:
- All of the above, plus…
- Feed small animals
- Bottle feed animals
- Plant seeds
- Water garden
- Sweep patio
Ages 6-7:
- All of the above, plus…
- Water animals
- Rake leaves
- Weed garden
- Wash the windows
- Hang laundry on clothesline
- Sweep the porch/garage
- Unload/load dishwasher
Ages 8-9:
- All of the above, plus…
- Harvest fruit & vegetables
- Feed larger animals
- Milk goats
- Shovel snow
- Paint a fence
- Give small animals a bath.
Ages 10-11:
- All of the above, plus…
- Milk cows
- Organize tools
- Give animals baths/trim hooves of small animals
- Mow lawn
- Scrub & clean animal feeders
- Wash car
- Give large animals a bath.
Ages 12 & up:
- All of the above, plus…
- Trim hooves of large animals
- Help deliver baby animals
- Trim yard
- Till the garden
- Maintain bicycles
What chores do your children have? Would you add anything to the list?
P.S. If your kids are interested in learning how to urban farm, check out my our Urban Farming Class for Kids {taught by kids}!
Click on the image to see their class!
I do pretty much all the chores as a 14 year old. I absolutely love animals so I love having to look after them. I think I got that from dad. My sister doesn’t do any outside jobs and barely any inside. We have an aviary full of birds and up to recently dad fed them but I’ve taken over that job. I also incubate the duck eggs myself without assistance as well as peacocks, geese and turkeys when needed. I’ll also incubate the chook eggs when we get another rooster.
Great post by the way. I feel like I’m really late to the post but I’ll let you know anyway.
As a twelve year old I also feed our heifers and check cows
Thank you for this post! I often forget how many chores I had to do as a kid. Our nine year old son does house chores that we do not pay for such as vacuuming the house, feeding the dogs, doing some laundry (especially folding his own clothes,) washing windows, testing the pool chemicals weekly, rolling out the garbage cans to and from the street on pick up day, and helping with the weeding, but we can definitely add more to that list all thanks to you!! We have 14 chickens, 2 bunnies, and 3 Shepherds. Our son has a fish and he is solely responsible for it but I think he can start contributing more to the other animals like collecting eggs.
We have 6 goats, 9 pigs, 2 rabbits, a few chickens, 2 horses and a donkey. My 10 and 11 year old are currently responsible for feeding and watering these animals. Because of my back problems and recent back surgery, they have had to do these chores without my help. They also share the responsibility of the laundry and cleaning the kitchen. My husband believes that I am asking too much of them. What does your’s think?
do you pay your kids for picking up rocks/sticks or doing barn chores
We have regular chores, and then we pay only for extra jobs at $5/hr 🙂
🙂
I just found your blog on Pinterest. I am doing some research for a book about kids visiting a small farm in the country, and I found this post immensely helpful. Thank you. 🙂
Hi DaNelle!
I LOVE this! My daughter is nine and loves to help out on the farm. Through her 4-H group, she recently learned how to trim our goats hooves herself – SCORE! 🙂 I will be sharing this list with her – and she will actually be excited!
Thanks again!
Mel
Wow, trimming goat hooves is hard work! We just did it and I was sweating!
Yep! On the list to do this week! I shared your list with her and she loved it! Thanks DaNelle!
Wow! I’m amazed…. I am totally not expecting enough out of my children.
Sheesh.
Who taught you this?
And I am assuming you are overseeing your children (when they were younger) planting, weeding, etc to make sure it was done correctly?
Blessings,
Janet
Each of the chores we require just came naturally, and our kids don’t make a big deal about them:)
Great topic! We don’t have kids yet, but I truly believe “chores” are not paying jobs. Family is a unit and everyone pitches in; everyone has a part they can do to help to keep things running smoothly. It teaches kids so many great life lessons.
Danielle, it is so encouraging to see how well you raised your children to incorporate chores into your family life in a fun and loving way. It gives me hope that one day I cold follow your example 🙂
Some of my favorites are bringing in firewood in winter/watering porch plants in summer, and picking up dog poo from the yard so it doesn’t get stepped on.
Hi DaNelle,
I am a transitioning Waldorf School Teacher and now call myself a Farm-Based Educator. I currently am developing an aftercare program where children learn to cook meals for the families. In the summer I work as a cook at a Farm Camp, (you can check out Farmwise). There the children clean up from the morning work and for about 1/2 hour after lunch the participants are vacuuming, washing toilets, sinks, sweeping, doing dishes etc. I think your post is spot on but remember there is nothing wrong with teaching children to clean the toilets. Thanks for bringing this out for the world to see that kids can do many things.