Daily chores for kids can be a struggle. And you have to admit that cleaning is far from the concept of fun.
Children always have something better to do even if this “thing” is simply lying on the sofa doing nothing.
If you want to make your kids believe that cleaning can be fun you must act as if you enjoy it – try to show them your own amusement from this usually boring activity.
Take a look at the following suggestions which can help get your kids involved in chores without all the whining and complaining.
Make Chores A Fun Learning Experience For Kids
Add Music
Play some fun music! Dancing and singing while you are cleaning makes the process more entertaining. If you have a daughter, make her feel like a princess – Cinderella, perhaps.
Turn Cleaning Into A Game!
Make cleaning a game. Split the children into teams and set up a goal. After achieving each goal, the best team receives points. When you finish cleaning, you sum up the points and the winner gets a little something. And of course, enjoys the sweet feel of being the best!
Don’t Go Overboard
Don’t give all tasks at once. Rather, introduce the chores one-by-one.
With this strategy the chance of accomplishing everything is much higher and the cleaning duties won’t become overwhelming.
You can give your kids a small reward after each step, within reason. Sometimes verbal praise will do the trick. For example say something specific like “thank you so much for bringing all those dirty dishes to the sink. That helps make clean up so much faster giving me more time to spend with you!”.
And as children get older they should learn that helping out around the house is part of being in a family. That should be the reward itself.
The Sock Mop
Put old socks or clothes on your feet or buy mop slippers to sweep/wash the floor. Make it look like a contest and pretend to be skiing.
Thus you will kill two birds with one stone – you will have happy kids at home and a tedious job done quickly.
To Do List
Give your kids an age appropriate to-do list or chore chart for each day of the week and define time for getting things done.
When it becomes a routine, reduce the amount of time given, so they will be challenged with the new old schedule.
The purpose of this is to avoid your kids getting bored and to show them that the faster they finish with their duties the sooner they are free to do whatever they want to.
Involve Your Pets
If you have pets, involve them, too.
We all have watched funny videos with pets helping with cleaning or simply running around getting crazy because of the vacuum cleaner or the mop.
Encourage your kids to think of fun ways their pets can help with the cleaning.
Mission (Im)Possible
Make cleaning chores and duties a mission which if finished on time, could save the world.
This world may be the wonder world of free time where your kids are obliged to do nothing else, but have fun.
If they want to save this world they need to complete the mission called “Clean efficiently”. Play dramatic music in the end to make it more entertaining.
Make Your Own Cleaning Products
Teach your kids how to make homemade cleaning products and create their own commercials.
Show how every product works – fast and easy.
After you finish cleaning, Cleaners Camden Town suggests you can give rewards in different categories for the best commercials and give your kids prizes.
Get Creative
Pretend the vacuum cleaner is a hungry dragon who eats dust and dirt and it needs to be fed everyday or it will eat the house during the night (assuming your kids aren’t afraid of monsters).
You can play with the flexible hose as if it is jumping around trying to escape.
It’s Important To Get Your Children Involved In Chores
While having kids at home is absolutely amazing it should not be an excuse for a messy house.
Don’t sacrifice the clean, fresh and tidy home environment just because your little ones are creating chaos everywhere by carrying around dolls, racing cars, soft toys, crayons and all possible play sets.
It is not, indeed, impossible to get kids involved in tidying and cleaning.
It might be hard in the beginning but you shouldn’t give up.
It is normal for children to be reluctant when it comes to cleaning.
So, stop dreaming of magic and miracles performed by fairies and get your little ones on board with household chores. Soon they will find tidying can be a fun game and will learn precious skills.
Implement our little tips and tricks into your cleaning habits and you will be astonished by the results.
You could further develop our ideas or create new ones. Just use your imagination!
Hopefully we have helped you in your small everyday battles to make your kids willing to assist you in cleaning.
Author Bio
Reece is the owner of a small cleaning business called Cleaners Camden Town. She is also a mother of two small children. Cleaning and keeping her home tidy is a daily struggle. Having help is always good, even if it’s small.
