Is it hard to get your kids to help with cleaning around the house?

Here’s how to make cleaning fun for your children.

Let’s face it. Chores can be very boring – especially for kids. But it’s important to start teaching your kids from a young age that cleaning up is a very important skill to have. It also helps your kids to be more independent as they get older.

So the big question that most parents ask is how they can get their kids to actually clean up without having a huge meltdown?

How Can I Get My Kids To Clean Without Any Argument?

Honestly, I have never really had a problem with getting my kids to help with cleaning. And I believe part of that is because I have always tried to make it fun and exciting to help out with cleaning.

So if you are struggling to get your kids to get off the couch and start helping out with the household cleaning then give these tips a try. They have never failed me yet.

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1. Kid-Sized Cleaning Supplies

I am not sure if there is a single kid out there that hasn’t wanted to be just like mom vacuuming the house. Kids just naturally want to be doing big things like we adults do and cleaning is a perfect thing for them to pick up from us.

But using our adult-sized cleaning tools and supplies can be a bit difficult for our little pint-sized munchkins. That’s why I purchased kid-sized cleaning tools for my kids to use that is a perfect fit for them.

This set is perfect for kids to have just the right tools they need to help out with cleaning up the house.

2. Crank Up The Music

I don’t know about you but anytime I am listening to upbeat music I just want to get moving. That’s why music is so beneficial to listen to when you are cleaning and getting your chores done.

By listening to music why you clean you are much more likely to keep working until the job is done and to keep moving at a steady pace.

It’s the same way for kids. If you can get their favorite upbeat songs playing while they are helping you clean it will make the job just that much easier for them to enjoy.

3. The Floor Is Lava

One fun way to get my kids to pick up their toys and everything off of the floor is by playing a game kinda like “the floor is lava.”

So basically I go and start getting the vacuum cleaner and they have to get everything picked up before I get back. And if they don’t have everything up I tell them that the vacuum will suck it up.

Now, of course, I don’t actually suck any of their toys up and I believe that they know that but it puts a little pep in their step so that they get moving quickly.

They love to pretend that the vacuum cleaner is a monster that will suck them up so they have to stay off of the floor until I am done with the vacuuming.

4. Give A Treat Or Reward

Nothing gets kids listening like offering a reward or a special treat for when they are done with the cleaning. I know for my daughter who is 7 years old, offering her time on her tablet is an awesome reward to work for.

Whereas my 3-year-old loved a reward of playing “Super Smash Brothers Brawl” with Daddy on the Nintendo Switch.

But if you would rather have an edible sweet treat or maybe some computer time for your kids that is great also. It’s really about making the reward desirable to your kids. So whatever will make them want to work is the best.

5. Race Against The Clock

Sometimes just setting a timer for 10 – 15 minutes is a perfect way to get my kids up and excited to try to get everything picked up and tidied up before the timer goes off.

Now, this isn’t the best idea for deep cleaning but is a perfect idea for just picking up the house to make it look presentable.

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6. Find Chores They Like

There are always those chores that we absolutely love or are pretty easy for us. And if we could choose to do one chore we would definitely pick that one right?

Kids are the same. They have the chores that they love to do and the chores that they just plain hate. So if they are really great at loading the dirty laundry into the washing machine and moving it to the drier than GREAT! That’s one less thing you have to do.

And if you have kids that like different chores, then split them up and have them each working on different chores to help you out without them being too bored.

For example, my daughter loves folding towels with me so I will usually give her a stack of towels for her to fold all by herself.

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7. Encourage Friendly Competition

Another great way to get your kids up and moving is to have a little friendly competition to see who can clean up their room first.

Of course, if your kids are a little too competitive this may not be the best of ideas because you don’t want this to turn into a fight. But if they can do it nice and friendly this may be a great incentive for them to clean up quickly.

8. Make A Chore Bowl

Since cleaning can be boring sometimes try making some creative ways to distribute the chores amongst everyone in the home.

I found this idea online and am totally excited to try it.

You just simply write all of the chores onto little strips of paper and then fold them up and put them in a bowl. And when it’s time to clean up everyone can draw a chore from the bowl to see what task they have.

9. Checklists

Do you make a checklist for cleaning and other household chores that need to be done?

I do. I feel like if I don’t write it down I will never remember it.

So I make a daily checklist of everything that needs to be done that day and my 7-year-old can read now so she can help with checking things off of the list and also helping with them.

And every time she checks something off of the list she gets so excited to move onto the next one until every task is completed.

10. Using A Picture Checklist

So of course, not all kids can read so another way to make a checklist for those kids is by using pictures of different chores. Just keeping a laminated copy of the picture checklist on the refrigerator is a great way to keep the kids that can’t read yet involved in cleaning.

There is also this Melissa & Doug Chore Chart that is perfect for little cleaners. 

Most kids love this and will follow the pictures to clean up.

11. Keep It Short And Sweet

My kids definitely have a short attention span and would not like to be cleaning all of the time. But little spurts of 10 – 20 minutes seems to be a great sweet spot for most kids.

So try to keep the cleaning time as short as possible to keep it fun.

12. Do Not Redo Their Work

Every mom goes through this when their kids help out with the cleaning. It’s when your 7-year-old loves folding the towels but maybe doesn’t do it the exact way you would to make them fit perfectly into the linen closet.

And although this may seem harmless do not redo your children’s work. I know it may be tempting but trust me they will start to feel unappreciated for what they have done to help.

Or they may feel insecure or that they didn’t do a good job. And that’s the last thing you want.

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13. Always Show Your Appreciation

Everyone loves getting praised when they do their chores – so be sure to show your appreciation for the cleaning that your kids do – even if it’s not perfect.

Feeling your appreciation and knowing that you are so grateful really helps them to feel loved and to appreciate cleaning up even more.

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What Household Chores Can My Kids Do?

Parents often worry about keeping the chores and cleaning age-appropriate so I wanted to give you some ideas by listing all of the chores and cleaning that my kids that are 3 years old and 7 years old are able to do.

And many of these tasks can be completed by a younger toddler as well.

• Loading the dirty laundry into the washer or switching them over to the drier
• Folding clean laundry
• Dusting around the house
• Picking up the toys in his or her room
• Wiping down the kitchen table
• Sweeping and mopping the floors
• Unloading the dishwasher
• Putting folded laundry away
• Vacuuming

So what are your parenting tips for making cleaning fun for your kids?