12 Tips of Home Cleaning Fun for your Kids

Some parents don’t mind the mess their kids make, but surprisingly kids who help clean up and get involved in housework are prepared for success later in life. The accountability and responsibility that they only learn from arranging their rooms can carry over to other parts of their lives as they grow.

But it’s often not easy to get started. Kids get distracted and controlled by their emotions instead of focusing on and thinking about tasks.

They need a little nudge.

Create age-appropriate chores

Age-appropriate housework is essential because if a child feels unable or the job is too stressful, he will do a quick check and will hesitate to help in the future. A two-year-old may not be able to clean the toilet on his own. Good preschooler cleaning activities include picking up toys and returning them to their location or helping to dispose of clean laundry. Older children can handle various jobs, such as dusting, sweeping, bathroom cleaning, sorting laundry, and more.

Don’t forget to compliment them and tell them “you like the way they clean the sink!” Or, “Stuffed animals are neatly arranged on your bed.” Children can distinguish between lip service praise and true praise.

12 ways to help your kids tidy up

1. Clean your house games- Children love games, and there are many ways to arrange the game:

• Give each child a small basket and ask them to walk around the house (or in their room) and find misplaced items on the floor, counter, or under the sofa, wherever they see clutter while setting the timer. Whoever ends up with the most items wins.

• Use color to arrange. Have your kids find whatever is blue and put it away. Repeat with all colors until everything is captured.

• Hunt down the scavenger. Tell your children to find something they can wear outside (ex: on the floor). Then ask them to find something they can eat it with (plate or fork), find something to read, etc. After they find everything, ask them to move it to its correct location.

• Make cleaning a fun challenge! Ask your kids if they can find their shoes, then put them away. Next, ask them to locate and put away their stuffed animals.

2. Establish a routine and checklist- Babies thrive on routines. When they know what’s going to happen, tantrums can stay at the door. Let your kids know the new routine early on to prepare them for it. Start writing a checklist of all the important housework you would like to do around the house. Take this one step further – create a checklist for each child and hand it over with a crayon or other writing instrument. When they complete their routines, they can check it. Sign making is fun and builds confidence and they can see their achievement.

3. Rewards- Every child loves rewards. Don’t think of it as a bribe – the reward is for a job well done. Emphasize the importance of getting rewarded for the hard work they have put in. Rewards can be a difficult topic for parents, so give rewards to your children as you see fit.

4. Visual chart- If your children cannot read or prefer visual aids, including a picture of expected chores in your schedule, this is helpful. For example, if you want your child to tidy up the bathroom, show a picture of the shower or bathtub with cleaning supplies next to it. It’s easy to create a visual diagram on a computer.

5. Speed cleaning in the evening- If it’s a busy day for everyone and the house is a disaster, take a few minutes in the evening for a quick cleaning tour. Set a timer and see how fast everyone can put away stuff. Record your time and see if you can beat it the next time you take a quick cleanup.

6. Dress up and pretended- Most kids like to dress up and pretend, even boys! Take your clothes and create a character for more fun. Imagine that you are a maid, Cinderella, or butler and use this imagination to arrange. Or pretend you’re anything else while cleaning! Don’t forget to get dressed afterward!

7. Use kid-sized cleaning tools- Buying small brooms, rags, spray bottles, buckets, or other cleaning tools that fit kids’ hands with precision make them feel included and their use can be both exciting and fun.

8. Keep tidy-up time short- Children’s attention spans are short. Cleaning takes a long time, even for adults. For babies, they need 10-15 minutes of tidying time, before they start pulling their feet and losing their attention. Do this in batches throughout the day, this way you can handle more situations with better attention to detail.

9. Play music- Music is a powerful motivator for some children. Ask them what they want to hear and take turns choosing the music. Create a playlist before cleaning (call it “clean up playlist” for easy access), so you don’t change the tune every time the song ends.

10. Give them a choice- Give children options that make them feel powerful. Ask them what chores they like to do and which chores they don’t like. Having a kid who enjoys taking out the trash makes it easier for everyone, as opposed to trying to motivate a child who doesn’t. Start by providing them with a list of chores and letting them choose which chores they prefer.

11. Have some sort of vehicle that can deliver objects- Arrange some vehicle like a small motorbike with a basket attached to the handlebars. They love to play “Scooter Arrangement” where kids search for things and put them in their basket while getting them to the right place.

12. Make it a habit- Make sure your kids get used to doing specific chores every day to make sure they stay on their minds. They will eventually do this on their own, without having to tell them and also not expecting a reward every time either.

Home cleaning is not difficult with kids.

Use the list above and choose one or a combination of tips to motivate your child. With a little practice, determination, and persistence, your kids can learn the values ​​of the organization and become a great helper around the house.

Author Bio:

Sophia James is a professional cleaner having more than 5 years in the cleaning industry currently working with Bull18 Cleaners – Best vacate cleaning, Move in move out, bond back, and End of Lease Cleaning Bulleen, Melbourne. She loves writing and sharing a variety of blogs on cleaning.