The temperatures are rising, and summer is right around the corner. That means more quality time with the entire family. It also means more people at home all day and increased dirt. The good news is that you can get everyone involved to keep the house clean. But kids are easily bored, so you may be wondering how to make cleaning fun for kids. Here are some ideas!
Don't Use Cleaning as a Punishment
How many times were you forced to clean as a punishment when you were a kid? It might have been your room, or maybe you were sentenced to cleaning the dishes for a week if your report card wasn’t up to expectations.
The problem with this is it teaches kids that cleaning is something to avoid. After all, no one wants to be punished, and no one wants to do activities they equate with punishment.
So, the first tip is more of a proactive "laying the groundwork" by not using cleaning as punishment. Your kids will be much more likely to help keep the place clean if they don't want to avoid the process.
Give Them Their Own Tools
Are you wondering how to make cleaning fun for kids? Get them involved with kid-sized tools! Kid-friendly versions of cleaning tools are available, from a handheld broom and dustpan or an ergonomic sweep set to a small mop. This is particularly important for younger kids who may be too small to use full-sized cleaning implements. Of course, some of those might not be functional versions of adult tools, but your kids can still clean along with you, and when they're large enough, you can let them use the adult-size version.
The Casabella Clean Water Spin Mop is an excellent choice for kids and adults alike thanks to its user-friendly design. First and foremost, its lightweight construction makes it effortless for kids to handle and maneuver around the house. The mop's ergonomic design ensures that children can easily navigate corners and tight spaces without any difficulty.
Explain Why We Clean
Do your kids know why we clean our homes? Sometimes an explanation that goes deeper than "to keep it neat" is necessary. Explain to your kids how germs spread and make people sick. Talk to them about how insects and rodents can infiltrate a home, feed on crumbs on the floor, or make nests in debris. Sometimes, it's just about helping them see the bigger picture.
Turn It Into a Game
Another great idea for how to get kids to clean up? Turn it into a game! If you can make cleaning fun, your kids will be much more likely to get involved. That helps establish a positive association with cleaning that will carry over as they age, so you're helping them build important skills for the future!
How can you turn cleaning into a game? The sky’s the limit. You just need a little creativity (and the time to participate yourself).
Cleaning Freeze
Find some fun music your kids enjoy and get set to play Freeze. Decide what cleaning task you'll tackle first and get started. Periodically hit pause on the music. When that happens, the kids have to freeze in place. They can restart when the music begins again. Anyone who doesn't freeze is "out" until the next song.
Have a Race
If you're wondering how to make cleaning fun for kids, a race is a great idea. For this, you'll need at least two comparable cleaning activities – one for you and one for the child. If you have two or more children, you can decide if each child needs their own activity or if they can compete against you together. When you're ready, yell "go" and compete to see who can finish cleaning first.
Time It (Beat the Timer)
You don't need any fancy equipment or supplies to make cleaning fun. A simple timer (like the one on your smartphone) is all that's necessary. A game of "beat the timer" encourages your kids to clean quickly to get done before the timer runs out.
Let Them Choose Their Chore(s)
Another way to add an element of enjoyment to the cleaning process is to give your kids the choice of what they're going to do. That helps alleviate the feeling that they're being forced to do something they don't like and helps teach them that they have a choice, as well. Just give them a list of options and let them decide which they will do. This also helps establish a sense of ownership.
Rinse and Repeat
As you can see, there are many answers to how to make cleaning fun for kids. The secret is to make these activities age appropriate and let your kids feel like they have some control. Whether you turn cleaning into a game or find other ways to make chores more enjoyable, you and your child will be closer when you're done, and they'll feel more independent, which is important at any age. The Casabella Clean Water Spin Mop and Upright Sweep Set are the perfect cleaning options for adults and kids alike with lightweight handling, intuitive features, and effective cleaning power.