Spring Clean: 5 Simple Ways to Get Kids to Clean with You

Written By: Parenting Contributor, Prerna Malik, TheMomWrites.com

Spring, the season for fresh starts, new beginnings, and a good, healthy round of cleaning. That’s right. Spring-cleaning is a great way to get rid of the old and make way for a fresh, new, clean look at home. This year, get the family on board and involve the kids in spring-cleaning with you. Help them see how a cleaner home is a nicer place to be in and how they can take part in creating it.

Here are 5 simple tips to get kids involved in Spring Cleaning this season:

1. Spring Cleaning=Quality Time Together

That’s right. Cleaning the bathroom together can be a lot more fun when Mom and daughter get down to it together, chatting, joking and even, singing songs.

Make spring-cleaning chores less of chores and more of fun activities that the kids will be doing WITH you. At least one to two spring cleaning chores can be parent-centric ones with smaller chores that kids can do independently.

2. Up the Motivation with Music and Fun

Keep up spirits and motivation by playing upbeat music while you clean the house. Take 5-minute breather breaks to hang loose and dance. Set timers and see who gets the jobs done the fastest. Yes, make it interesting and chances are kids will never want the spring-cleaning fun to stop!

3. Delegate and Assign Jobs, According to Age and Interests

Refrain from handing out jobs that kids are bound to hate and moan about. Instead spend some time planning out chore charts with spring-cleaning activities assigned according to age and interests. For instance, your tween who’s a gardening enthusiast would love to clean out the garden shed and wouldn’t need much assistance. Preschoolers, however, can assist an older sibling or parent in clearing out the toy chest or sorting out the linen closet.

4. Explain The Reason Behind Decluttering and Donating

Don’t just start tossing things into the “Donate” and “Trash” cartons. Explain to the kids, both young and older ones, why something needs to go – they’ve outgrown it, it no longer fits or is needed and where would it go – the children’s hospital or shelter, the thrift store and how would it help – make others happy with clothing or toys.

When children know the impact of their actions, they’ll be more likely to willingly part with their toys, clothes, blankies. In fact, you can all then head together to the shelter or orphanage to drop off the toys and clothes and the kids can actually see the result of their actions. Fun!

(Click HERE to read TheCubicleChick.com’s tips on decluttering and organization)

5. Reward Jobs Well Done

Want the kids to be on board next year as well and keep their interest alive in cleaning and decluttering? Do reward them for jobs done well. Not just material rewards {though, those are nice too!}, but also verbal praise and acknowledgment, gifts like extended curfews are welcome with teens or an extra movie during the week are also nice ways to reward spring cleaning efforts by the kids.

So, go ahead, and draw up your spring cleaning list and see which chores can be delegated and assigned to your kids and have a fun, family time cleaning and sprucing up the house this Spring!

How would YOU involve your kids in spring-cleaning? Share with me in the comments!