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My chores at 6 were very simple.
Make my own bed, and at night throw my dirty clothes down the stairs, for Mum to pick up and put in the washing. Over time it became my responsibility to put them in the laundry basket (the dirty bin) myself.
From 8 or so it was my job to empty the bins in the bedroom every morning. Just wastepaper bins, but there would usually be something in there.
We would occasionally take turns drying up, but as we had to stand on a stool to reach the draining board and a chair to reach the cupboards where the crockery was kept it was not a standard chore.
From 10 I had a rabbit and had to give her food and water, let her out in the summer and of course clean her hutch.
From 11, walk the dog twice a day (I swapped this for the bins as walking her was a pleasure for me). And dry up after dinner. We started doing the washing and drying up between us consistently when Grandad came to live with us, he gave us 50p pocket money a week. I doubt that was a condition he imposed - it sounds far more likely to have come from Mum! But it really worked - we felt we were impressing G'dad with how helpful we were and the extra money was a big bonus. He carried on giving us pocket money when they got their own place and Nan moved up from London too. And we carried on washing and wiping up until we started eating separately.
From the time I started secondary school at 12 I did all my own ironing, as did my sister.
We were also solely responsible for cleaning our bedroom; which lead to many fights, some physical.
We both had paper-rounds at about this age too.
I never cooked at home.
I might make the occasional cake, but never a part or whole main meal, neither did my sister as I remember. I wish Mum had encouraged me more. She's grateful for the way I cook now as it's different than her, but I'd have liked to be able to make the English standards from an earlier age. She is happy to surrender the kitchen these days - tonight I am making ham and leek pie with the leftovers from our baked ham. I'll have it ready for when they come home from Mass.
It does depend on the child. There are five year olds in the class below who I would consider more responsible than some of the seven year olds in mine. And some who I can tell would love to "help" but would need supervision.
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