Many lists discuss the best chore apps for kids, but when it comes to chores in our household, my wife and I are big proponents of the “divide and conquer” approach. We make lists, assign tasks, and get things done, feeling that it’s better for us to do them instead of trying to get the kids involved. However, research from The Center For Parenting Education suggests otherwise: “Research indicates that those children who do have a set of chores have higher self-esteem, are more responsible, and are better able to deal with frustration and delay gratification, all of which contribute to greater success in school.”
That makes sense to me, but the reality of it is that getting kids to do chores and participate in family “work” can be pretty tricky and often ends up in some form of argument or bribery. As parents, we have hectic lives, and completing chores regularly seems like an impossibility. But that is where kids can find the greatest benefit of doing chores: Structure.
According to Forbes.com, “Structure helps parents and their kids. Kids feel safe and secure because they know what to expect. Parents feel confident because they know how to respond, and they respond the same way each time. Routines and rules help structure the home and make life more predictable.”
So, how does one create that structure and get their kids motivated to help out around the house? One word: Fun! There are a ton of apps out there that gamify, reward, and motivate your kid to be involved in the household chores (and even their school work and learn about finances!).
Here are 12 apps that you can use to assign chores, follow progress, and reward the entire family!
Chorsee
Chorsee is, in a word, Simple. It doesn’t get bogged down in complicated processes; it’s laser-focused on chore management, allowances, and tracking in a very easy-to-use interface. It doesn’t require an external bank account for allowances and is entirely customizable to whatever schedule your household runs on.
Features:
- Manage all chores for your children from a single view.
- Add as many children, allowance, and chores as you want.
- Chores can be one-time tasks and reassigned at any time, or they can be repeated on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule.
- Children can choose one of 16 avatars or a photo to personalize the app.
- Chores can have photos to help children understand what needs to be done.
Platforms: iOS, Android/Web
Homey
Homey is a bit of the flip side, in that once you link it to your bank account, it allows parents to create and track chores and tasks for their children, as well as manage allowances and rewards. It does this not only to ensure everyone gets paid, but also to teach kids about money and financial management. It allows kids to create “Savings Jars” so they can see how close they are to that goal of paying for a new toy or game.
Features:
- Set recurring or one-time chores for the whole family.
- Distinguish chores that are responsibilities, jobs that Kids can earn money from.
- Direct transfer allowance to bank account (US only).
- Set “Saving Jars” with financial goals.
- Homey syncs across all devices in the household.
Platforms: iOS, Android/Web
S’moresUp
S’moresUp offers chore management, individualized profiles and schedules, as well as reminders when tasks are due or have been left unattended for an extended period. What’s cool about this app, though, is that it allows the family to communicate with each other through “Family Campfires.” If you aren’t ready to let your kid take the plunge into full-on IM or texting, this is a fantastic feature.
Features:
- A highly customizable chore management system allows parents to enter all their household chores.
- Provides a comprehensive chore-reward management system.
- Provides a collaborative family planner for scheduling appointments and events, keeping everyone informed and on task.
- “Campfires” create a safe environment for learning and practicing proper social media etiquette.
- S’moresUp allows for a profile for everyone in the family so that if they are old enough, they can all manage their chores.
Platforms: iOS, Android/Web,
Joon
Joon is terrific and the first app on the list that attempts to turn chores and routine into a game. Joon is focused on helping kids with ADHD, ODD, Autism, or even just kids who have trouble with organization. As your kid progresses in the game, their tasks will become habit, and the fun game aspect will keep them focused. It’s not only one of the best chore apps for kids, it’s also one of the most fun.
Features:
- Specifically designed for kids with ADHD, ODD, and Autism
- Assign tasks as “Quests”, then the video game does the rest.
- Your child chooses a virtual pet to feed, wash, and grow. To take care of their pet and play the Joon video game, they must first complete the tasks you’ve assigned them.
- Joon reminds your child to stick to their routine. No more nagging from your end.
- Choose from an extensive list of research-backed activities to help your child build essential life skills that teach independence.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Amazon Fire Tablets, & Web
BusyKid
BusyKid is a chore app that’s baked into a banking and financial education app. With Busykid, a chore chart streamlines the process from chore assignment to payout, with a focus on saving, and for older kids, investing. You can even order BusyKid branded Prepaid Visa Debit Cards for your kid to monitor spending.
Features:
- Children can earn an allowance by completing chores tailored to their age and schedule.
- Children and teens learn how to invest from a young age, unlocking limitless potential.
- Use BusyPay and load money directly to a BusyKid child account.
- Promotes a balanced financial lifestyle, and that includes being charitable.
- Parents receive alerts for any money transactions and card issues.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Sweepy
Sweepy helps you keep your kids and home clean and organized. It uses game mechanics to engage your kids as they follow a house cleaning schedule that you create. You can include the whole family and turn it into a weekly competition! The app even generates a daily schedule, so everyone knows what they are supposed to do each day. It also offers a visual chore chart with points for completing tasks, which can be redeemed for rewards.
Features:
- Tracks the cleanliness of each room in your household.
- Prioritize the tasks that users need to focus on.
- Automatically generates a daily cleaning schedule for each member in your home.
- Sweepy synchronizes between devices.
- Kids stay motivated by seeing their progress towards the top spot in the leaderboard.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Neat Kid
NeatKid is designed for kids aged 5-8 years old and enables parents to schedule chores, homework, and other household tasks as to-do lists. Parents can set the “difficulty” of a task (ie, how many points the kid will earn by completing it), and the more tasks completed, the more rewards the kid can bank. Parents are free to decide how kids can redeem their points (Such as Toys, screen time, etc.) via special Reward Charts, and earning the points teaches kids independence and responsibility. It’s the best chore app for kids in the younger age range.
Features:
- Easy, kid-friendly interface and setup.
- Set tasks for your child aged 5-8, from family chores to homework, with customizable repetition options.
- Create to-do lists and set their difficulty by choosing the number of points awarded for each completion.
- A reward chart makes tracking progress fun and motivating!
- Kids learn independence, discipline, and responsibility.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Nipto
Nipto turns everyone in your family into a player, and the game is chores. Players accumulate points by doing household chores, and a winner is chosen every Sunday evening to receive their reward. Parents and kids can manage their accounts and also team up and share chores and points.
Features:
- Add personalized household chores for each player.
- Competitive or personal goal game modes.
- Reminders for essential chores.
- Participation and task tracking.
- Additional points can be awarded as a “Thank you.”
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Chap
Chap is another app that keeps it simple. It offers alerts for due chores, rotating assigned tasks, and more, all in a simple and easy-to-use interface. Users can create preset routines, and the Admin can set rules, monitor progress, and see data from all the users in clear graphs and timelines. Users can accumulate points, and the Admin can assign rotating or shared chores to help build teamwork. Its calendar view makes keeping up with things easy for both users and admins when it comes time for them to cash out their points.
Features:
- Get started quickly with preset routines designed to suit various lifestyles.
- Parents have the power to set rules and monitor progress.
- Real-time data, such as charts and timelines, to keep up with who’s doing what.
- Foster teamwork by assigning and rotating chores among family members.
- Parents can customize the app to their unique household dynamics.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Choiceworks Calendar
Visual aids are invaluable for younger children or those with learning challenges. The Choiceworks Calendar is great because it is based on pictures, so any kid can work it without having to worry about a whole lot of reading. The app helps kids learn what is happening day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month throughout the year. It takes the abstract concept of time and time management and breaks it down visually, allowing kids of all ages to work through their calendars. It’s one of the best chore apps for kids who prefer or need a visual platform.
Features:
- Easily create a visual calendar of upcoming events or chores.
- Add your images using your photo library, camera, or the preloaded image library.
- Multiple personalized calendars for use with multiple children or in a classroom setting.
- Animated counter for the number of days until an upcoming event.
- Speak the daily schedule out loud with a child’s or adult’s voice.
Platforms: iOS
Habitica: Gamified Task Manager
Have a gamer or RPG enthusiast in your house? With Habitica, your kid can create an avatar and then add tasks, chores, or goals you’d like them to work on. The app uses retro RPG elements to gamify your kid’s tasks and goals. Habitica is also helpful for kids with ADHD and doesn’t have to be limited to just chores. Creative projects, self-care, studying, and fitness tasks can all be created, allowing your kid to level up their pets and gear with everything they do. If your children respond well to gamification, this may be the top choice among our best chore apps for kids.
Features:
- Automatically repeating tasks are scheduled for your daily, weekly, or monthly routines.
- A traditional to-do list for tasks that only need to be done once.
- Color-coded tasks and streak counters help you see how you’re doing at a glance.
- Inclusive avatar customization: wheelchairs, hair styles, skin tones, and more.
- Challenges offer shared task lists you can add to your tasks.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Tody
Tody is a smarter to-do list for managing household cleaning routines, but with a twist. It visualizes dirtiness to motivate your child to clean up, while also promoting cleanliness so they can see their progress. There are no alarms or deadlines. Today puts your family in control of the cleaning, and family members can even sync cleaning plans across devices and users, as well as claim credit for the work they’ve done.
Features:
- Gain flexibility by managing cleaning tasks by indicators of actual need rather than arbitrary dates.
- Today visualizes dirtiness to motivate cleaning and visualizes the effect of cleaning to enhance satisfaction.
- No deadlines, alarms, and notifications (optional).
- Sync plans across devices and users, and check in to claim credit for their actions.
- Effortless and intuitive setup of a customized cleaning plan.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Now that you’ve hopefully found the best chore app for your family’s needs, check out our list of the best money apps that teach kids about finances.
