Children of almost any age can get involved in housecleaning, and it’s great to start them out as early as you can. The littlest housekeepers love dusting with microfiber cloths or special pick-up songs. But getting your older kids to do chores can be a chore itself, so check out these 8 great tips on how to make house cleaning fun for the kids.
1. Show them how much fun it is. If you’re grumpy, they won’t find it fun either. So take a deep breath, put on a smile, and find your silly side. Take part in the tips below so they’ll stay motivated with you.
2. Try music for motivation. Choose a few great songs to liven the mood and get everyone dancing while they work.
3. If the kids are close in age, you can come up with a simple family game like Housekeeping Bingo or have a jar of chores they will randomly pull from. Adults might think of it as “getting the short end of the stick,” and you may not like having to play, but the kids often find family competition and games of chance really fun.
4. Call it a party. Every kid loves a good party! Whatever you can do to make the cleaning fun and special, do it. Have a bag or box of special cleaning gear at the ready with festive hats, kazoos, t-shirts you designed with the kids, or anything you can think of. Afterwards, take a break with a special treat they only get when the work is done.
5. Stick it to ’em. Your kids probably love stickers and markers and charts like most others. If they do, have them make a special chore chart or weekly cleaning chart that you can add special notes and thank yous and they can add stickers and check marks when things are complete.
6. Dollars for dirt. Tell the kids that any piece of loose change they find around the house while cleaning gets put into a jar for a special treat later. Hide a few coins and even dollar bills around the house so when they clean well they’re rewarded instantly.
7. Time out. Every day, during the regular nighttime routine, the whole family should do a pick-up to a timer. Whether it’s one minute or six minutes, everyone’s involved in picking up before the baths and bedtime stories begin.
8. Keep it short. In other words, keep cleaning times as short as your kids. You can’t expect them to enjoy or willingly take part in cleaning sessions that take hours. For everyone’s sake, do as much as you can daily so you don’t run into the need for lengthy weekly clea
