I’m trying to get my kids more involved with cleaning around the house but they obviously don’t find it exciting. I’ve tried a few things like making it a game or playing music but they still lose interest pretty quick.
Looking for ideas that are actually fun for kids AND help get real cleaning done - not just busy work. My kids are 6 and 9 if that helps. What has worked for other parents?
My child has found that spraying mirrors and windows with cleaner is surprisingly satisfying. There’s something about watching the streaks disappear that really clicked for him. We began with bathroom mirrors, and now he even asks to clean the sliding glass door.
Another thing that has worked is letting him use the handheld vacuum on couch cushions and car seats. He treats it like he’s operating some kind of machine, which he technically is. It takes longer than if I did it, but he’s genuinely excited about helping.
We’ve been doing a cleaning race with my 5 year old where I set a timer for 10 minutes and we see who can clean up the most stuff in their area. She gets so competitive about it that she forgets it’s actually work.
Another thing that surprised me is how much she loves using the microfiber cloths to dust surfaces. I think she likes seeing the dust come off. Sometimes she’ll even ask to help dust the coffee table.
What kind of music do you play? I’m wondering if certain songs work better than others for keeping kids motivated.