Spring cleaning improves your life and your health. Are your kids excited to help you clean? If only! Don't toss away the hope for help just yet; it's possible to make cleaning fun! Yes, I said fun! Give spring cleaning a playful twist, and your whole family will move and laugh while airing out your house and prepping it for summer.
1. Turn Up the Music
Music energizes and moves us, reports The Sport Journal. That's why you'll want to unleash some of your favorite cheery, zippy tunes on high volume as you clean! The beat will keep your kids energized, and they'll have fun singing along. To mix things up a bit without losing the fun factor, switch tasks every 20 minutes or break for a dance fest after every third song.
2. Make it a Family Competition
There's nothing like a competition to give chores a fierce, heart-pounding edge! Create teams, compete individually, or pit boys against girls. Set up a scoreboard and see who can clean the most rooms, finish the most tasks on a list, or gather the most recycables first. The winning team chooses the evening meal, family movie, or a fun activity to enjoy as a reward for working hard.
3. Skate While Dusting
Dust bunnies trigger medical problems like allergies and asthma reports the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Catch all those pesky puff rabbits by equipping your energetic little ones with dusting mitts on their hands and feet. Send them scurrying all over the house; they'll wrangle the dust into submission while playing and moving!
4. Play I Spy
How often do your kids ignore the misplaced objects all over the floor? Play I Spy, and your kids will miraculously see all kinds of objects. Challenge them to find expired foods, broken pencils, or objects that start with each letter in their first names. In no time, your floor will be able to breathe again, and your children won't even realize they're cleaning. There are endless variations of this game to try!
5. Put on a Fashion Show
Cleaning closets and dressers is an essential part of the spring cleaning routine. Turn this chore into a awe-inspiring and creativity-sparking activity while supporting local charities by putting on a fashion show! You and your budding fashionistas can model clothes and family judges will vote, giving everyone an opportunity to have a little fun while reducing clutter.
6. Goods for Doing Good
Do your kids hoard their belongings? Pay them a quarter for every gently used toy, garment, collectible, or book they donate to charity. If you'd rather not provide money, try offering a few minutes of screen time or credit towards a new toy they've been hankering for.
7. Take Active Breaks
When you plop down after a vigorous bout of cleaning, it can be a struggle to get back into the groove. Maintain momentum and keep moving during breaks. Dance around the house, walk the dog, or play a quick basketball game instead of sitting. You'll get more cleaning done, burn more calories, and create a culture of movement in your family!
8. Treasure Hunt
Hide small treasures and clues in various places around the house, such as at the bottom of laundry baskets and in cluttered closets. Your kids will be eager to uncover these surprises as they tidy up and dig out the goodies.
9. Beat the Timer
Start your mean, green cleaning engines! Set a timer, and the whole family can race each other and the clock to see how many toys they can pick up or whether they can dust all the living room furniture before the timer beeps. The winner can choose the next break-time activity.
10. Celebrate When It's Over
Now that your spring cleaning tasks are completed, celebrate! Take a walk, watch a movie, or go out for dinner. Your kids are more likely to participate actively if they are eager for a promised reward after a job well done!
This spring, transform the dreaded annual cleaning ritual into a playful, supercharged experience for the whole family! Your kids will enjoy the activities, and you can all work together to give your house the deep cleaning it needs.
Find more about the author: Kim Hart
