How to Involve Children in Spring Cleaning

One of the best ways to teach your children how to clean is to involve them in spring cleaning. While the chores may take a little longer, you'll get time with your kids and an opportunity to make cleaning fun, both for them and yourself!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• rags
• bucket
• gentle, nontoxic cleaning supplies
• bags or boxes

1. Give your children tasks suited to their age level. Young children can help dust the bottom of furniture or wash floors or toys. (Sinks full of bubbly water are always fun!) Older children may be ready to take on chores you assign.

2. Have them work with you. For example, as you're washing the walls, have them wash the bottom portion.

3. Children can clean their own rooms. Go through closets, clothing, under the bed, and wash and put everything away neatly.

4. Have them sort through their toys. They can choose out ones they want to give away or sell at a garage sale. Then they can organize the ones they keep.

5. Make cleaning a game! Have races in picking up. Strap cleaning rags on your feet and skate around hardwood floors. Whatever you do, make the job fun, and your children are sure to get into it!

Tips & Warnings

• When working with children, a job can take twice as long. But remember, you're teaching them how to clean so that they can do it themselves one day.
• Avoid having children use chemicals. Dish soap and homemade cleaning solutions without bleach or ammonia are generally safe.

Resources

• eHow Spring Guide

[dalady]

on 4/17/2009 Love it! It's suprising how eager the little ones are to help ... My son is just over the moon if I ask him to help me dust! Of course he's only 6 LOL

[ThenAgainMaybe]

on 4/16/2009 Good ideas to get your kids involved in cleaning! RRC

[cherold598]

on 3/28/2009 It's a good idea to get children involved in spring cleaning early. Great tips.