Cleaning can be fun? Absolutely!

There’s no use denying it - cleaning and picking up are NOT my favorite things to do. I could list at least 10 things I’d rather be doing with my time, but I have to admit that having a picked up room or clean house does feel amazing! Most of the time I can choose to clean up even though I don’t feel like it, but this is more than likely something our kids resist. Reframing the way we look at chores will help our children to begin to see cleaning tasks as enjoyable activities, provide ways for us to connect with our children, and help them learn valuable skills early in life.

My kids would tell you they’ve heard their fair share of me nagging them to get things done. “You need to pick that up.” “Put that away first.” “Those clothes need to be folded and put away.” The list could go on and on. Let’s just say none of them was very motivated to do the work with my annoying reminders constantly in their heads!

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Thankfully, over the years I discovered some better ways to motivate my kids to pick up and provide connection with them at the same time. Hopefully you’ll give some of these a try.

Helpful Suggestions:

• Use a Checklist - By writing tasks down, it gives kids a visual of what needs to be done and allows them to choose which order they want to do the tasks. It’s also a lot of fun to cross or check them off! (NOTE: This is a great tool for kids who struggle with executive functioning by eliminating the difficulty of figuring out what they need to do.)
• Picture Boards - If your child isn’t able to read, put pictures of jobs on a board and let them move the picture from the “Not Done” side to the “Done” side.
• Use Music - By picking a fun song, kids will learn to associate the song with cleaning up and it all of a sudden picking up seems like a much more enjoyable task!
• Label Bins or Shelves - “Everything has a place and Everything in its place.” By labeling bins or shelves we show kids where their toys go when they are done using them. If your child isn’t able to read yet, no problem! Take a quick picture of what goes in the bin or on the shelf and use the pictures instead of words.
• Pick Up As You Go - before moving on to the next activity, put the other one away. This helps make the cleaning up task much more manageable.

Games: 

• Beat the Clock - Set a timer and try to get the room or a group of items cleaned up before it rings!
• Same! Same! Same! - Put away items that have the same characteristics: color, things that roll, things that make noise, clothing, stuffed animals, etc. 
• Who’s That? - Cleaning is WAY more fun if it’s someone else giving the directions of what needs to be cleaned up. Try using a puppet, dressing up as a different person or character, or just use a silly voice. Your kids will love it!
• I Spy… - Sometimes towards the end of cleaning up, there are random items still needing to be put away. Play “I Spy” and see if your child can figure out which item you’re referring to.
• The Floor is Lava! - I think it’s safe to say that most young kids LOVE “The Floor is Lava!” Throw some pillows, blankets or towels on the floor. Have your kids jump around and clean up the room while avoiding the “lava” on the floor. Bonus points if you use “The Floor is Lava!” music while they play!
• Freeze! - Have your kids help you pick an awesome playlist to stream while they clean. Then, while they are busy cleaning and dancing, pause the music. As soon as the music stops, your kids have to FREEZE! until the music starts again.
• Hide & Seek - Before your kids begin to clean, hide some things around the room for them to find - clothespins, markers, coins, or anything else you can think of. Then tell your kids that you have hidden “clothespins” around the room and want them to see if they can find all of them. Make sure they keep cleaning as they look! To add to the fun, you could offer a “reward” for a clean room and finding all of the “clothespins” - a trip to the park, 10 minutes of time with just you, or making a special treat, just to name a few.

Encouraging our children to take part in household chores helps give them ownership over their things,  teaches them responsibility, and helps them contribute to the greater good of the family. They will take pride in a job well done and will build a strong work ethic. All of these characteristics will help them as they grow into adults.

Have fun cleaning this week! If there’s any way I can help you dismantle any barriers you are having connecting with your kids, please reach out - I’d love to help! And if you think of anyone else that would benefit from fun ways to connect with their kids, please send this their way!

Your Friend,
Dana