Spring cleaning time is here and it is time to spruce up your home. Many people dread this time of year as they think about all the work involved. The good news is that you do not have to do everything yourself. You can turn spring cleaning into a fun family event that everyone participates in. You can get your kids to participate in different chores. Most little kids like to feel helpful and they will enjoy being part of the spring cleaning activities. You can look for creative ways to involve your toddler, just make sure that you give him age-appropriate tasks.

The earlier that you start encouraging your child to pitch in, the easier it will be to get him to embrace chores as part of life in the future. It is a good idea to look for tasks that can be accomplished within a short time for the young one. Keep things fun and your kids will enjoy the sense of responsibility, collaboration, and accomplishment. When you have many hands on deck, you can accomplish the spring cleaning in no time! The following are some ways to involve your toddler in spring cleaning.

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5 Dress For The Occasion

The first step in the spring cleaning process is dressing. You will need to ensure that the kids are dressed appropriately for cleaning. Make everything fun and make the kids feel like they are playing dress-up. Make sure that you have rubber gloves for everyone, including your toddler. A cute apron with a picture of your toddler’s favorite character will thrill the child. Contrary to what most people think, most toddlers enjoy cleaning and keeping things in order. Dressing for the occasion will help him to feel his role is important.

4 Come Up With A List

Before you start, come up with a list of everything that will need to be done. This will make it easy to allocate tasks to everyone. Using words and pictures, you can create a fun and colorful work plan. The list will allow everyone to understand what they need to do. It might seem overwhelming when you see all the chores that you need to accomplish but the list will help to ensure that you have some order. Assigning your toddler the task of collecting toys and putting them in the right place will help him to feel a sense of accomplishment. When it is all done, he can put a checkmark on the list.

3 Assigning Tasks

The best way to involve your toddler in the cleaning process is to assign him tasks that he will enjoy. These have to be things that he can actually do without constant supervision. Moving small items from one place to another or arranging his toys are things that he might enjoy. You can make him feel like he is doing “big boy” tasks by asking him to decide where everything should be stored. Have everyone choose the tasks that they would like from your list. Assigning tasks that the kids dread will only cause grumbling and unnecessary delays.

2 Turn On Some Music

Working to music will help to make the atmosphere much more fun and relaxed. Get your toddler to choose some of his favorite tunes. The music will keep everyone in an upbeat mood. You can use music to turn cleaning into a game which will ensure that everyone gets enjoyment out of the tasks. Keeping the toddler energized and in a good mood will help to make sure that you get some work done without worrying about ways to distract him. You can even have a contest that involves music and different chores.

1 The Sorting Game

Ask your toddler to organize books, games, toys, and other items according to use. Create designated storage space for all items and ask the child to choose what goes where. You can also ask him to sort them according to who they belong to. The child can enjoy playing detective trying to find out who owns what. You can also encourage him to sort the items according to which room they go to or where they are used.

As you involve your toddler in spring cleaning, remember that he is still young and may not get everything exactly as you want it. His tasks may take longer to complete than they normally would and you may need to redo some things. Remember, it is all about having fun and spending time together. Your child will also learn responsibility in the process. Don’t forget to praise your little one for his willingness to help.

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Sources: education.com, themommymix.net, parents.com, maidtoclean.com, rasmussen.edu.