How to Involve Your Kids in Spring Cleaning

And just like that, springtime is upon us! The plants are beginning to bloom and animals are coming out of hibernation, and we are reminded of the fresh start we get with the turn of the season. It also means that it may be time to do some decluttering and sprucing up in your home and workplace. That’s right, it’s time for spring cleaning. 

Spring cleaning can be a daunting task, especially if the brunt of the work is put on one household member. However, sharing the work with your family can not only make the work go  by faster, but it can also bring you together as a team. Getting your little ones involved may seem like more effort than it’s worth, but if the chores assigned are age-appropriate, little ones can make great helping hands. In addition, when cleaning is presented as a fun activity that keeps the home healthy and safe, little ones may be more inclined to get involved.

Family Team Building

Your little one’s cleaning habits start with learning how to clean up after themselves. Putting away toys when the day is over, or wiping their placemat after they have finished eating — these are small everyday chores that are super helpful to their grown-ups. Praise for these chores can instill positive feelings about themselves; hearing “thank you so much for your help,” reminds them that taking care of themselves helps take care of the home and the family in it. Starting these cleaning practices can quickly turn into a routine, making cleaning up a part of their daily life. Even as adults, we can struggle with the motivation to clean. Turn on some music and make it fun! If cleaning is framed as a family team-building task, it can turn into a time that your family looks forward to!

Dramatic Play

If your little one has a play kitchen or home set-up, having play cleaning supplies are a great addition for this time of year, if not year-round. Items like mops, brooms, dustpans, sponges, and washcloths can encourage your little one to use them in their space, just like they see their grown-ups use them in their home.

Cleaning at Playgarden

Practical life training is part of the Montessori curriculum, so cleaning up is a task that preschoolers are learning and practicing everyday. For example, after students have finished an art project, teachers will help wipe hands if needed, then hand a wet wipe to the students and they will wipe their work-mat until their space is clean. Another cleaning technique I use in my enrichment classes is “Feeding the Froggies.” We keep rainbow balls in two green hampers that happen to look like frogs. The balls are used for ball pits, dodgeball, you name it. When it is time to clean up the balls, I say: “hey friends, it’s time to feed our froggies and they are sooo hungry! What are we feeding the frogs today?” As little ones place balls in the hampers, I ask what food it is; a red ball can be a strawberry, a yellow one can be a lemon, and so on. What really gets them engaged is that, when the ball is placed in the hamper, I make the frog sound like it’s eating. They are very quick to feed the frog once they see the ball disappear before their eyes!

For little ones that struggle with cleaning up, the key is to make it fun. They will be much more willing to help out if a task is made into a game or has a silly song to go with it. 

Chores for Toddlers

For spring cleaning this year, invite your toddler to help out in ways that are age-appropriate. For example, if you are folding clean laundry, let your little one help with matching socks. It’s an age-appropriate chore, as well as a recognition game! If they are able, let them practice folding the socks as well — a great activity for fine motor skill development.

Below are some more chore ideas to get you started:

• Putting away toys and books
• Scrubbing/wiping down surfaces
• Sorting and putting away plastic-ware
• Watering plants

Making spring cleaning a family activity encourages the members of your household to work together and take care of the home you all share. 

Happy Spring, and Happy Cleaning!