By Amber Matheson
Spring Cleaning takes on a whole
new meaning when kids enter the picture. Before I had children my window sills
actually had a relationship with my duster, and I never googled “how to get
crayon off walls.”
That’s all changed now, of course,
with the addition of two loveable but messy rugrats underfoot. My house is
definitely worse for wear, and those nitty-gritty cleaning jobs have gone by
the wayside. But with Spring Cleaning on the horizon, I wondered: Are my days
of dust-free surfaces over? Or can I have it all? Simply put, is there a way to
marry a clean home with messy children?
Then is dawned on me: games. Kids
love games! So during Spring Cleaning season, I’ll highlight some of the
coolest kids cleaning games I can find – let me know if you implement any of
them in your own home this year!
Choose Your Own Adventure
This game, from the Teaching Boys’ blog, is pure genius in my opinion – as long as
you don’t mind indulging in unhealthy snacks from time to time. Although I
guess if kale chips are the treat du jour in your home, that’ll work too. This
mom got her boys to clean for five straight hours. How did she do it?
Step One: Draw a simple blueprint
of your house.
Step Two: Let your kids pick their
favorite treats, from chips and pop to staying up late and watching movies
Step Three: You assign a treat to
each room
Step Four: Start cleaning
together! For each room your kids clean, they win that reward.
Step Five: Have a party!
Step Six: Sigh. Repeat.
What tricks have you implemented
in your home to get your kids to be active cleaners?
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