While kids can be a major hindrance to keeping a home neat and tidy, there’s no reason they can’t support the cleaning efforts of the family. Many kids are ‘born’ cleaners and love organizing and being tasked with responsibility. The right cleaning activities can make younger children more inclined to try to help and will give them a confidence boost as well. Here are some cleaning activities to try with younger kids:

Toddlers

• Start a cleaning game where all toys have to be put away and make it a race to see how can finish faster.   Another tip is to make it a song, the daycare my kids go to have a great clean up song and now we sing it at our home as they clean up as well.  .’
• While cleaning, have little tykes assist and be a mini-helper.  Children love to imitate older adults—take advantage of this by having them dust once you move any delicate items.
• Purchase them their own cleaning kit and break it out every time there is a need to clean. Kids love having their own tools. Kids Cleaning Set

Preschool Age

• Start teaching them how to fold clothes and make it to a fun game (how many items can be folded in X amount of time?)
• Teach them how to set the table and be sure to compliment them on how great it looks.
• Kids will learn by taking care of living things—have them be responsible for tending to pets and plants.

Elementary Age

• Set-up a cleaning system or schedule for their bedroom and have a weekly check.  At this point they are ready to start taking ownership for their own spaces.
• If your a family that makes beds, this is a good time to ask them to start making their beds every day as part of their normal morning routine.
• You can start having them help you clean at this point and you can give them 100% safe products to use such as vinegar and water for cleaning the bathroom area and baking soda for scrubbing.
• Try one of these clever cleaning game ideas for even more ways to get kids in on the cleaning action.