The Cleaning Games

The Cleaning Games

August is right around the corner and we all know what that means; it’s time to get the kids ready to go back to school and do a little cleaning to get the house in order before class starts! With family vacations and other activities planned, it’s likely that you’ve neglected some cleaning that you’ve been meaning to get to, but that hasn’t stopped you from enjoying the summer weather and having a little fun (and let’s be honest, we all deserve a little break from our routine every now and then).

Some people might try to tackle this alone. Others might just neglect it completely. Luckily, you’re not going to be alone in this cleaning endeavor because you have your whole family to help you out, and you know that you can make it fun for the kids (or at least more fun than it has been before)!

Getting the little helpers going can be difficult, but make it a game with a little incentive and those nimble hands will be cleaning in no time! Kids love games and playing pretend, so why not use that to your advantage? Give them an apron, child-sized rubber gloves, get ready for a little imagination and see where it takes you!

That doesn’t work? Put together a chart of all the chores that need to get done and make a reward system. It could be something as simple as adding an extra hour to play time or boosting their allowance for each chore completed. You know your kids best, so come up with a reward system that is targeted toward them to get the most out of your cleaning games.

Sometimes the really little ones might be overwhelmed by cleaning an entire room, or might not be able to do really big tasks. If you can turn picking up toys and organizing them into bins educational, you and your child both win. Simply asking them to “put all the big toys in one bin” or “put all the red toys in this basket” all help on some level with developing your child’s basic skills. Kids are always learning, so why not make cleaning educational, fun and efficient.

Let’s not forget to have realistic expectations for your kids. They don’t all develop at the same pace so be patient. Praise their good work and give them positive encouragement. The happier you seem with their work, the more likely they are to do a better job!