Make Housework Fun
TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-1212 -- More Projects »
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Make your child a personal cleaning kit, complete with bucket, rags, spray bottle, small apron and gloves and nontoxic cleaning supplies.
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Child psychologist / family activities expert Dr. Bra Vada Garrett-Akinsanya shares her ideas on encouraging kids to help around the house.
- Sock puppets or bath mitts are also great for cleaning windows. Have children pair up and have one child can clean one side of a window, while another cleans the opposite side. They can mimic each other's movements.
Give children hand puppets (figure A) or just plain socks to use for dusting. Make a contest out of it--whichever child has the dirtiest sock after dusting the house gets a small prize.
Hide small toy prizes (figure B) in clever places around the house for your child to find while cleaning. Underneath cushions and behind knickknacks are good places. Before they begin, tell them how many prizes there are total so that they have a range in mind.
Insert rolled-up pieces of paper with chores listed on them inside balloons (figure C) and then blow up the balloon. Have the children pop the balloons to find out which chore to do next.Instead of leaving children a chore list out on the counter for after school, try this technique: Write chores on small pieces of paper, wrap them inside squares of aluminum foil and bake inside muffins. Make sure you label the container of muffins as "chore muffins" so everyone knows the foil is inside.Play musical chores. Set up a portable stereo in the room being cleaned. Designate a chore to each child. Play the music and let them go to work. When the music stops, the children must switch chores. Repeat until the room is clean.Have the kids use a feather duster. The brightly colored feathers make it more interesting to do the chore.Hold a contest to see which child can get the most laundry in a basket in 30 seconds. Award a small prize to the winner.
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