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Teaching Kids How To Clean – A Complete Guide
It is a known belief that a clean house is one without kids and a house with kids is never clean! In reality, however, it is very well possible to make cleanliness your little one’s BFF. Many parents fall into the trap of tidying up after their kids. This makes the kids feel that they can create all the mess they want as they don’t have to pick it up afterwards. Imparting good cleaning values is as important as encouraging healthy eating or physical activity. To help you get started on teaching kids how to clean, here are some things for you to be mindful of.
Why Should Kids Clean?
According to a study published by the University of Minnesota, children who help with household chores from an early age build a lasting sense of mastery, responsibility and self-reliance. In addition to this, doing chores with your kids is a great family bonding activity.
How To Encourage Children To Clean?
Kids love to make a mess but often don’t love to pick it up after themselves. The best way to convince them to clean up after themselves is to make it fun. When you turn cleaning up into a game, cubs are more likely to help you tidy up. A few ways to make cleaning fun is to let them tidy up while listening to their favourite songs or set a timer for a clean-up race.
What Are Some Essential Cleaning Skills For Kids?
If you are wondering what cleaning chores you can teach your kids, we’ve compiled a list of essential cleaning skills for kids.
1. Laundry
Children as young as 2 years of age can be involved with basic laundry tasks – colour sorting clothes or putting the clothes in the machine. As kids grow older, they can help put away clothes as well.
2. Making beds
You can teach your toddlers how to make their beds all by themselves. Giving them the freedom to choose a bedsheet of their liking and arranging their pillows the way they want them can act as an added incentive.
3. Mopping & sweeping
Mopping or sweeping a floor may seem like a simple task. But proper sweeping and mopping require time and practice. You can start small – begin with one small section of the house and slowly expand the scope as they get better and older.
4. Setting and clearing the table
Kids above the age of 4 can be involved in this basic chore. You can set all the supplies out on the counter and ask them to ferry them to the table and set it up. Similarly, they can pick up the supplies from the table and take them back to the kitchen after the meal.
5. Washing dishes
You can make dishwashing a family affair. Whether you use a dishwasher or do your dishes by hand, you can involve your kid’s help. Some tasks they can help with are scraping off leftovers, drying dishes and keeping the clean dishes back in their places.
Enlisting your kid’s help while cleaning not only teaches them important life skills but also lightens your load – that’s what we call a complete win-win!
