Chores are a necessary part of family life and a big part of ours, especially with 5 children. In this series, I am going to offer some advice on chores for kids and what are the best ones to assign them, based on age and ability. You can check out the first post for 5-year-olds here and 7-year-olds here. Read on to find out what chores a 9-year-old can do all on their own…
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Having a larger family can be a blessing and a curse. There are always more hands for helping, but there are also more hands for dirtying. So teaching our children to be a part of the clean-up, as much as they are the mess, is important.
After reading the book Cleaning House, an account of one mother’s year-long journey to stymie her children’s feelings of entitlement, I realized that doing too much for our kids can be an easy trap to fall into.
Parents always want the best for their children, even better than they had it themselves, and it can lead to an unrealistic and unsustainable situation. We want to raise independent and responsible adults, so we need to start that training when they’re young.
My 9-year-old is the oldest and, not surprisingly, mommy’s little helper. She has always been eager to know what I was doing and to mimic it. She is good with her siblings because she is empathetic and likes to get everyone together to play, and she is also responsible, so I can trust her with bigger chores.
Not every child is the same, despite being the same age, so I mention her characteristics because they play a part in the chores I assign her. You may find the list below would work perfectly for your 9-year-old, or that a few of the chores just wouldn’t suit their personality.
Take what works and leave what doesn’t. My hope is that this list is a jumping-off point for you as you teach and guide your children to become more responsible and helpful members of the family. Oh, and make your to-do list just a little shorter. Every mom could use a helping hand or two.
Here are 15 chores your 9-year-old can do all on their own…
- Sewing and mending. Your child may not be darning socks, but they are perfectly capable of repairing torn seams on clothes and and replacing buttons. Instead of letting repair projects get dusty in a basket in the corner of your bedroom (or is that just me?), show your 9-year-old how to do it. Most kids love doing things with their hands, and this should be no exception.
- Plan meals. By this age, your child should have a firm grasp on basic food groups and what foods belong to which group. Allow them to create a meal plan. You can look it over, make corrections or changes where needed, and then prepare the grocery list. This also gives your child more of a say in what they eat, which can help get a picky eater to be more adventurous. (Sign up here to receive a meal planning printable as part of my homemaking toolkit!)
Grocery shopping. They’ve already made the grocery list, so now they can go to the store. You’ll probably still land up being there, but you can stand back and allow your 9-year-old to pick out what you need, look for sales, compare unit prices, and add up the costs to stay within budget.
- Prepare meals. I admit that watching my 9-year-old use a knife scares me a little, but that has more to do with my fear than her skill. Correctly taught, your child can prep the components of a basic meal, cook, and plate it. The most important thing to remember is that with safety instruction and an example to follow, a 9-year-old can handle more than a PBJ sandwich. Just watch.
- Dust fragile items. If you’re like most parents, you probably have a high shelf or cabinet reserved for more delicate things, like glassware and figurines. You can make use of those smaller fingers by allowing your 9-year-old to dust up there, confident that they can be careful enough for the task.
- Pack bags for trips. I’ve tested this out and my daughter did a great job. If your child can dress themselves, they can pack for themselves, even toiletries. And if you’re worried, do a last-minute check to make sure they have their toothbrush.
Pick vegetables and weed the garden. This can save you a lot of time once you show your child what to look for. It can also teach them exactly where the yummy foods on their plate came from, and they can be proud of their role in the harvest.
- Clean bathrooms. Your 9-year-old can clean tubs, toilets, and sinks by now, so go ahead and give it over. This was always a hard one for me because I like them done a certain way, but a little training makes an able apprentice.
- Shovel snow and rake leaves. Your child can take care of these outside chores, since they are more aware of how to do a thorough job and are strong enough to do a good one. They may even be able to clean up their own mess when they decide to jump in the leaf pile.
- Watch younger children. Reading to, playing with, and otherwise occupying younger siblings can give you a little quiet time to take care of other things in the house or just relax for a few minutes.
Load, start, and unload the dishwasher. Your child should be able to rinse dishes, stack them in the dishwasher correctly so they get clean, add the detergent, and start it. They can also unload and put away the clean dishes, all without your help by this point. This goes for laundry, too.
- Care for pets. Let your 9-year-old take on more responsibility with your pets. They can feed, walk, brush, and clean up for (most) pets. Giving them the job of caring for another living creature is a great learning experience for a child as well.
Spring cleaning. Your child can be a great help during spring deep-cleaning. They can clean out fridges, air sheets, dust fans, and shake out rugs with the best of them. Trust me, it’ll make the whole experience go so much faster.
- Paint walls. Attention to detail makes it possible for most 9-year-olds to help with things like painting. They’ll be able to use even strokes, avoid drips, and touch up with a brush in smaller areas. Your roller arm will thank them.
- Basic repairs. Filling holes, passing wrenches, gluing frames, and other basic repairs and assistance can be done by your child at this age. If they are good with their hands and creative, this may give them the chance to discover skills they otherwise wouldn’t.
I hope this list has helped give you some ideas on chores for your 9-year-old. Allowing our kids to be active and helpful members of the family doesn’t burden them, but instead gives them a sense of pride, accomplishment, and belonging.
And it has the added benefit of making your day just a little bit easier. I’m always up for that, how about you?
What are some chores that your 9-year-old does around the house? I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments.
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