Spring Cleaning Made Easy and FUN for Kids

Spring cleaning can be a big task for many households, but finding ways to work together as a family and get the kids involved not only cuts the time in half but also teaches kids about responsibility, organization and working hard. 

Sometimes kids will want to help parents out with tasks that are a little more than what they can manage, so making a list of age-appropriate jobs for your children to help with is a great way for them to be involved in completing household chores. But—what makes spring cleaning even better is making it fun for the kids. They don’t see it as “cleaning” when these jobs can be turned into a game and something they genuinely enjoy! 

Some ways to get your kids motivated and on task for spring cleaning: 

Make it a scavenger hunt 

List tasks for your kids to do—or in this case—hunt for. For example, have them find items to donate -clothing/toys, items to store away in seasonal totes or simply things to be thrown away. Have them check off furniture to be dusted, items to be organized and socks to be matched. What is so great about a scavenger hunt is that kids will enjoy checking off the tasks, but you can also customize it based on your children’s age or what needs to be done within your own home. 

Beat the clock

Kids love racing against the clock, but be careful they don’t rush through or the chore might not actually get done. Make it clear in order for one to win, they must complete their task and work their very best in doing so. This is a great way to get kids moving, too. Whether it’s cleaning underneath their bed, wiping down baseboards or windows in their rooms, or picking up items around the house, it keeps them engaged. If you have more than one child, they can work as a team against you (the parent). This also encourages teamwork – an older sibling helping a younger sibling. 

Draw or roll a task 

Another great way to keep your kids on track is to list the chores on paper and place them within a jar, or number them and use a dice to roll. Each time they complete a task, they can go draw a new one or roll the foam dice to see what needs to be done next. This makes checking off their list a lot more fun! 

Listen to music 

Something about playing music while cleaning keeps the motivation going, and it’s a great way for the kids to get their wiggles out while dancing and singing as they help around the house. You feel like a team, even if you are working independently on a chore or in different rooms. Sing together and take a dancing break in between.