Help a Mom: What chores do your kids do, what age did they start?

My kids could do more around the house, but they aren't completely idle.

When asked, both clean up their toys and help set the dinner table and clear it. They help with the recycling and putting their laundry away. My eight-year-old is always more than happy to help her dad with the yard work. And if I'd let my three-year-old vacuum all of the time, she'd be beyond thrilled (and I'd let her if I didn't mind half dusty floors and banged up doors and walls).

Let me make a couple of things clear: I don't mind a messy house. If they've made a block fortress and it's not in the middle of our home's traffic pattern, it can stay up for a few days, especially if they are still playing with it from time to time. And I've never been a stickler for neat rooms or made beds.

But there are other chores that I'm sure they could help with. I bet my eight-year-old could actually wash dishes by hand or wipe down bathroom counters. I'm sure my three-year-old could dust off the coffee table. A relative already has her nine-year-old boys doing their own laundry.

So that leads me to my question: What chores do your kids do and at what age did they start?