Giving children chores doesn’t just instill them with a sense of responsibility, it makes them part of the family team while serving a developmental purpose. Is there practical value in it? Not really. Kids’ chores are generally easy and poorly executed. That said, there’s profound value in teaching children how to think about work and manage expectations — skills that come in very handy later. Those expectations should vary with age, however, which can be confusing if parents are looking to strike a balance between real work and a simple lesson in responsibility.

That’s why Fatherly built this guide to giving your children chores. We broke a sweat learning everything we could about chore charts for kids, chores apps, and especially age appropriate chores so you can help your kid get the most out of some light yard work.