Chores your 9 year old can do. A complete list of chore ideas that your child can learn to do when your child is nine years old. Find out what chores they should already be able to do and what to add on this year.
As your child grows from a child to a tween, or preteen, your child will also grow in ability with chores. This post discusses chores a 9 year old can reasonlbly be expected to do.
>>>Just getting started? Read A Beginner’s Guide to Teaching Kids To Do Chores
Chores Your 9 Year Old Can Already Do
Before you add any new chores to your 9-year-old child’s list, make sure he can do these chores. If not, incorporated these first.
- Wash dishes by hand, including drying dishes
- Be a gopher
- Help make dinner
- Pull weeds
- Help in the garden
- Care for pets: food, water, and love
- Pick up a room
- Wipe down a sink
- Clean a bathroom counter
- Wipe the outside of a toilet
- Empty trash cans
- Wrap gifts
- Bush hair
- Shower independently (with the exception of washing hair if it is long)
- Fold laundry and socks
- Put laundry away
- Dust
- Sort laundry and dirty clothes
- Set the table
- Clear the table
- Wipe the kitchen table
- Clean own room
- Yard work, including rake leaves
- Dress self
- Brush teeth
- Pet care
- Vacuum
- Make own bed
- Make a sandwich
- Warm up canned food
- Unload the dishwasher
- Load dishwasher
- Clean sinks
- Sweep–if the broom is too big, consider getting a kid-sized broom
- Use a dustpan
- Empty garbages
- Make own lunch, snack, or a simple meal
- Base moldings or baseboards
- Clean up and organize books
- Learn to buy groceries
- Mop floors
- Watch younger sibling
- Organize toys
- Take hamper to and from bedroom
- Load washer and dryer
- Groom nails independently
- Wash own hair
- Practice for hobbies and interests (musical instrument, sports, arts, etc.)
Previous Ages Chores Posts
For more details on the chores listed above, be sure to see my posts for all previous ages.
9-Year-Old Chores
Once your 9 year old tween can do the chores listed above, it is time to start to teach new chores and give new responsibilities.
As you add chores and responsibilities, remember to add them slowly. These are things to add over the course of the year your child is 9, not throw all upon your child the week of the 9th birthday.
When introducing a new chore or responsibility, it is wise to introduce it slowly:
- Explain what the new chore or responsibility will be
- Have your child observe you doing the job
- Have your child try it out with your supervision
- Have your child do the job independently. You check after it is done. Correct anything that needs to be corrected.
- Move toward independence so your child does the job without you checking on it.
This process can take place over days, weeks, or even months.
Here are some age-appropriate chores for a 9 year old.
Clean Mirrors
Ability-wise, your 9 year old has been able to do this, but most bathroom mirrors are high enough that you need a certain stature to be able to reach the top of the mirror. Even at age 9, your child might need a step stool.
Clean Outside Furniture
During this year, have your child learn how to clean your outside furniture and patio furniture. Not only will you be teaching the method and technique, but you will also be teaching what type of cleaner to use to do this job.
Clean Up After Self
Your child has been able to clean up after herself to some extent since she was two. Age 9 is a time to start to have that be the standard that si followed.
Did you use a dish? Clean it up. Did you get out of the shower? Make sure the towel is hanging up and your dirty clothes are picked up. Did you splatter toothpaste all over the mirror when you brushed your teeth? Wipe that up. Did you create spills? Clean that up.
There are definitely personalities that naturally clean up after themselves and others who leave a wake behind themselves. This may be easy for your child or exceedingly difficult.
Help Make Dinner
Continue to have your child learn kitchen skills. I like to have my kids help me with family meals. I prefer one at a time while they are learning–it is just easier for me to focus on one child.
I just have them with me and give htem little jobs. It might be cracking eggs or measuring ingredients. It might be stirring. It might be grabbing ingredients or tools. It might be chopping things up.
There is a lot they absorb and pick up on as they help you. As they get older, you can give them more and more independent responsiblities.
If you have been having yout child help for a while, your child can probably make a few dinners all alone. If so, give your child the chance to do so!
Learn to Bake
If you bake at your home, your child has probably already enjoyed helping you out with baking. Choose something to teach your 9 year old to do independently this year.
Wash the Car
Your child can start to learn to wash the outside of the family car and clean the inside of the car this year.
Dust Pictures and Wall Hangings
Now that your kiddo is taller, you can start to add some dusting of the pictures and othe things you have hanging on the wall. Just like with the mirrors, you might need to use a step stool at times.
Clean Bathroom
At this age, your child can have an entire bathroom that is their responsiblity. They might still need some checking after they are done. I don’t have a 9 year old cleaning the inside of a toilet yet. So it won’t be 100%, but it can be most of it.
Self-Care and Hygeine
Continue to help your child be independent for getting ready. As your child gets older, they will NOT want you involved in the shower at all (you might already be there). Make sure they are proficient without you before that point.
They will need to be able to effectively wash their hair and body. As they get older, they might start to get oily. Tweens and teens are knowing for being oily. Some are more oily than others.
If your child has issues with oily hair, be sure to look into shampoos that help with that. It is helpful to wash with less shampoo two times in a row rather than just one large amount one time.
>>>Read: How To Care for Your Child’s Hair
You also want to make sure your child has using deodorant as part of the normal routine of getting ready (once it is needed).
>>>Read: Deodorant and Children
Improve on Chores
Think through chores your child does to help around the house and improve on them. Does your child help in the kitchen? What is the next step to learn there?
Think about chores unique to your home, family, lifestyle, and culture and build on them.
Conclusion
Remember to introduce new chores slowly over time. This will help it not be too overwhelming.
There are so many benefits to your child knowing how to do chores and contributing to the work needed in the home.
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