8 Tips to make Cleaning fun for kids
It’s no secret that it can be difficult to motivate kids to clean up after themselves, but with a little bit of thought and effort, you can encourage your children to keep their environment neat and tidy. Cleaning is Fun!
Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Make Cleaning a game
Model the behavior you expect to see from your children. If you want them to clean up after themselves, make sure you clean up after yourself, too. Show your children that Cleaning is something everyone can enjoy. Tackle a messy room together and make cleaning up into a team effort.
Children naturally love games, so make normal tasks more fun by turning them into games. For example, you can turn cleaning up into a race or a challenge. Keep score, offer rewards or allowances for finishing quickly and efficiently, and try to keep a positive attitude throughout
2. Offer Incentives to clean
Offer rewards and incentives to help keep your kids motivated to clean up. Reward your kids for every job they complete successfully or come up with a rewards chart that builds up to a bigger prize after completing certain tasks (e.g. extra screen time or a special treat).
3. Break cleaning down into manageable tasks
For the bigger jobs, it can be helpful to break it down into smaller, more achievable tasks. A messy room can be overwhelming for a child, so divide the tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. Assign specific, simple tasks, such as “put away all your books” or “sort the laundry,” and provide praise and rewards when they’re completed.
4. Set clear rules for an organized environment
Make sure your children know exactly what you expect of them and that there are consequences for not following through. It’s important they know the house rules and understand the importance of keeping their environment tidy and clean.
Organization is key when it comes to helping your kids stay motivated to clean, so create an organized environment that’s easy to keep tidy. Give each of your children designated spaces to put their belongings and make sure they have easy access to cleaning supplies.
5.Focus on the positive
Rather than shouting at your kids for not cleaning up, focus on the positives and acknowledge them when they do the right thing. Make sure your children understand why cleaning up is important, why it’s a family responsibility, and how it will help them now and in the future. Talk to them about cleaning up, ask for their input, and work together to come up with positive solutions.
6. Clean-up to music
Playing upbeat music can be fun and motivating when you are dealing with tasks that might not be viewed as fun. Try making music your helpful motivator. For example, tell your child to pick up as many things off the floor and put them in one big pile. See how many things they can pick up within that time. For the next song, have them put all the things they’ve collected back where they belong. Here is a fun playlist to get your started:
Teaching children to clean up after themselves is a valuable life skill that will help them develop life-long cleaning habits and serve them well as they grow older. Cleaning up doesn’t have to be a chore. With a little guidance and a few helpful tips, you can get your kids motivated and enthusiastic about cleaning up and keeping their environment neat and tidy.
Did these tips work with your kids? Tell us on our Facebook page, Our Berg Life.