Summer means no school, and for most teens, it means an abundance of free time. That is a good occasion to involve your child in household chores, make them more responsible and teach them valuable life skills.

Read also: How to Live With Teens and Have a Clean Home

Outdoor tasks are perfect for your teen for summer.

Summer Chores List

Warm weather often means more opportunities for outdoor chores. And summer vacation is a great chance to assign more tasks. Here are some summer chores ideas for your teen:

  • Washing windows
  • Mowing the lawn
  • Trimming the bushes
  • Help with garden projects – spreading mulch or building a stone wall
  • Weeding the garden
  • Washing the car
  • Vacuuming the car
  • Cleaning outdoor furniture
  • Getting outdoor furnishings and accessories out of storage
  • Collect unwanted things to donate or sell at a garden sale
  • Wash outdoor items and sports equipment

Besides seasonal tasks, there are also a few more types of chores you could give your teen. And if you need some help to keep your home in a good condition you can take advantage of our summer home cleaning offer.

Learn also: How to Spend a Cool and Stress-Free Summer at Home

Teach your teen to clean and tidy up their bedroom and they will thank you later.

Chores Teaching Teens to Take Care of Their Belongings

Motivate your teenagers to keep their personal space and items clean. That may include cleaning their bedroom and keeping their things organised when they’re in the shared areas of your home. These chores should help your child recognise the importance of taking care of their belongings. Here are some tasks that teens could do:

  • Making their bed
  • Fold their clothes and put them away
  • Change bed sheets
  • Organise closet and shoes
  • Sweep or vacuum their bedroom
  • Tidy up their bedroom and put away their belongings

If your kid is not yet a teen you can still involve them in helping maintain the house. Here are some chores you can give to your younger children.

Taking care of the family pet is a great task that will teach your teen responsibility and empower them.

Regular Chores Teaching Responsibility

While all household tasks instil responsibility one way or another, preparing a chore list that includes caring for others – be it people, pets, or plants, will give your teen a chance to be in charge. These types of chores will show your teen you trust them and that you expect them to do a good job. These chores will also empower your teenager because there’s someone or something that relies on them. Consider including at least 3 of these tasks on your teenager’s chore list:

  • Watering the plants
  • Feeding pet animals
  • Walking the pet or cleaning their litter
  • Bathe the pet and wash pet’s toys and dishes
  • Brush the dog/cat outside to reduce shedding inside
  • Babysit their younger siblings
  • Make lunch for their siblings

Read also: Summer Chores Checklist for a Carefree Summer

Some chores will help your children adapt easier when they move out on their own.

Chores That Help Teens Become Better Flatmates

Sooner or later, your teen will move out to their own place, and the following chores will help them become better roommates and neighbours. Give your child a variety of household tasks. Consider making siblings swap duties from time to time to make sure everybody knows how to do each chore.

  • Vacuum the floors – living room, bedrooms, hallways, and stairs
  • Sweep and mop bathroom and kitchen floors
  • Dust living room, bedrooms, and kitchen
  • Vacuum the furnishings
  • Tidy up the living room and other shared areas
  • Sort out items for recycling
  • Taking the trash out
  • Help cooking dinner
  • Wash and hang out laundry
  • Wipe the kitchen counters
  • Wash the dishes or empty/load the dishwasher
  • Clean the bathroom – sink, toilet, counter, mirror
  • Remove expired food from the refrigerator
  • Organise the food in the kitchen cabinets
  • Sanitise surfaces, countertops, shelves, etc.
  • Help tidy up the garage

Work together with your teens on identifying the best chore schedule. Give your child daily tasks, as well as more significant responsibilities to do on weekends and school vacations. Use the home duties as a way to help younger adults become more responsible, but make sure they don’t take too many chores so they could still have enough time for doing homework and having fun.