Spring Cleaning With Kids

Spring is here! We’re all enjoying the extended daylight hours and season’s warmer weather. We’re planting flowers, airing out the patio cushions and checking the umbrella for mildew.

In many parts of the country, though, it’s not quite warm enough to move outside - yet. In the meantime, use cooler days to brighten up the indoors with a “Spring Cleaning” plan that gets the kids excited about this annual rite of home purification.

Kids? Excited about cleaning? You’re probably thinking there must be a typo here. Nope, no typo. Yes, it really is possible, even probable, that your kids will not only get excited, but motivated and moving, too!

The secret? A fun game plan that starts with - well, a game. So to increase the odds of cleaning success in your home, two of my favorite cleaning games (one you can play with your younger kids, the second with the older ones) are described below. If helping out is a new concept in your home, you’ll definitely want to take the fun approached. It’s worked wonders for my three kids.

First, however, you’ll want to gather your cleaning supplies so you’re ready for the kids and the fun and the cleaning to begin. And create a chore chart for the family so everyone will know exactly what they’re expected to do.

Not sure how to get started - or to divvy up the chores? Calling a family meeting is a great way to introduce a new cleaning plan and give everyone in the family a chance to choose his or her chores.

Below I’ve broken down spring cleaning chores so that they’re age-appropriate for your children. Here’s how the kids can help you bring spring indoors.

Seasonal chores for kids under age two:
☀ Pick up outside toys

Seasonal chores for kids ages three to five, previous chores plus:
☀ Put away outside toys and games and all their pieces in the proper boxes or bins
☀ Water plants

Seasonal chores for kids ages six to nine, previous chores, plus:
☀ Take indoor plants outside for a gentle washing
☀ Rake leaves
☀ Help with planting
☀ Sweep the patio and porches
☀ Wipe clean patio table and chairs
☀ Easy yard work such as weeding
☀ Help wash the car
☀ Fish surface litter out of the pool (with a grown-up’s supervision, of course)
☀ Help test the pool or hot tub water
☀ Help balance the pool or hot tub pH
☀ Help clean the pool strainer baskets
☀ Hang up pool towels

Seasonal chores for kids ages 10 to 13, previous chores, plus:
☀ Clean the patio and patio furniture
☀ Plant plants and bulbs
☀ Debug plants
☀ Weed gardens
☀ Harvest vegetables
☀ Mulch plants
☀ Vacuum the pool once a week
☀ Scrub the pool sides occasionally
☀ Clean refrigerator coils
☀ Clean dryer exhaust vent
☀ Polish silver

Seasonal chores for kids ages 14 to 17, previous chores, plus:
☀ Wash exterior windows
☀ Mow lawn
☀ Yard work such as pruning with small shears
☀ Clean the garage
☀ Check the pool or hot tub filter
☀ Maintain the compost pile
☀ Clean closets and drawers; put away seasonal clothing
☀ Turn mattresses
☀ Vacuum drapes
☀ Clean out fireplace and tools

We’ve Got Games
To get the family cleaning party started:

“Grimy to Glamorous” When it’s time for a spring cleaning session, have the family don sweats and labor the day away dragging rags and pails. In the evening, the family puts on their “night-out” best and heads out to dinner and a movie, something everyone enjoys together. Looking forward to a magical family outing makes even the longest list of chores palatable, especially when they’re done together.

“Bop While You Mop” Turn on your favorite upbeat music while you clean. Watch your kids howl as you sing along to Kanye West and do the Bump with the vacuum, the Macarena with the duster. You get the picture - a smiling group making short work of housework. Fill the house with positive energy, not grumbling. We rotate the DJ duties in our home to keep the peace. And we judge the results (say, a floor) not the mopper (a child), and everyone pitches in to make it a winner.