5 Cleaning Chores Kids Can Do Around The Home

Parents of Australia; school holidays have arrived!

And while the fortnight may have started with the best intentions, school holiday boredom has likely reared its restless head.

But what if I told you that you could keep the kids entertained and get some help with housework in one carefully crafted move?

How do I motivate my child to do chores?

We’ve found 5 chores the kids can help you with – there’s just a few things to remember first.

• Make it age appropriate. Keep practicality and safety in mind when assigning tasks. Start with basic chores and keep it simple for younger children. Give jobs like cleaning vanities, emptying the dishwasher and vacuuming to your older children.

• Keep it Fun. Time to give the kids an Oscar-worthy performance about the fun of cleaning. Make it into a time or task-based game, with prizes for winning. Don’t pit the kids against each other though; working as a team to achieve a goal will teach them valuable life skills.

• Mix it Up. Doing the same task over and over can be boring. Switch up the jobs and give the kids responsibility for finishing them (once good instructions have been given). They may surprise you!

• Be patient. It may take some time (and letting go of ‘perfect’ cleaning) in the beginning. Give lots of encouragement and praise!

   

5 House Chores for Kids

1. Laundry Patrol

While most kids are too young to put a load on, they can certainly help hanging it out if you use portable racks. My toddler loves helping with this. The clothes often need straightening and there’s an occasional sock found in the pot plant but it’s a fun job.

Older kids can learn how to fold and put clothes away too. Timing how quickly they can get clothes to the right person’s room makes it an entertaining way to get a boring task done!

2. Toy tasks

This will give your kids a little pride and ownership in their belongings. Set up the toy area in categories so that everything has a place – get the kids involved in this organising. This will make putting things away much easier!

It’s also an opportunity to have them let you know what toys they aren’t playing with anymore. You can ‘rest’ the toys (put them into storage and swap them out down the track) or send them to an op shop.

3. Doggie duties

It’s usually the kids’ choice to have a pet so get their help with looking after it. Washing out bowls, vacuuming dog hair and assisting with bathing are fantastic ways to get them involved.

Give them the messy jobs, too. My 4-year-old nephew puts himself on ‘poop duty’ whenever he goes to his grandparent’s, grabbing his plastic equipment and hunting for mess to shovel and put in the bin. He loves it and Nanny and Poppy are happy to oblige!

4. General cleaning

Most kids love to mimic mum or dad, so don’t be afraid to hand the mop or vacuum over for them to get to work. Older children will enjoy using spray bottles too – provide them with a colourful cloth and you’ve got a dusting assistant!

5. Space ownership

As your kids get older, it’s important to make them feel like their bedroom is their own space; they’re more likely to keep it tidy. Involve them in decisions about their bedding, wall colours or items of furniture.

In my research, I found a blogger who undertakes ‘surprise inspections’ on her child’s room, offering a treat if the room is free of dirty clothes and toy, and the bed made!

How do you encourage kids to do chores?

Set aside an hour a week for the whole family to get stuck into the chores. You’ll be surprised how much can get done with everyone chipping in.

Set up a jar system. Write chores on small pieces of paper, fold them up and pop them into one jar. Have the kids create their own ‘Chore Jar’, which they can pop the completed chore tickets into. Once they have a certain amount of tickets, they get a prize. Lots of fun, and definitely something in it for everyone!