Cleaning Can Be Fun! Teaching 2 To 11 Year Old Kids How To Clean

Children can be messy and unruly when they play in their room and sadly, this is something that can not be avoided. The best way to deal with the situation is to educate and teach them through examples why cleanliness is important. This can be done by allowing them to help you around the house whenever you clean the house and you can demonstrate how you arrange their toys neatly or how you place books back on the shelf. However every age group of children will require different strategies of teaching so you need to apply the right strategy to successfully teach them to clean their rooms.

Children Ages 2 To 4

Children between the ages of 2 and 4 love to play games, but little did they know that simple chores can be turned into a game. You can not go wrong by getting your tot to clean his room through a fun game, after all no little child will turn down the chance to a play a game with mommy and daddy. Dirty clothes and the laundry basket can easily become a game of basketball, while picking up toys can become a game of race the clock.

Teaching And Cleaning Suggestions -

• Talk to your child as you teach him through games
• Educate your child about the importance of cleaning his room every day
• Never forget to make the task fun and exciting
• Install or place shelves and other compartments in reachable levels for your child
• Use an assortment of small compartments for different types of toys and book

Children Ages 5 To 8

This age group consists of young elementary students who love to be challenged and show their parents that they are capable and responsible. You can challenge you child to a game of seeing which one of you can clean faster without rushing. While you clean the kitchen, your child can clean his room, but be sure to remind him to be careful to avoid any hurting himself or breaking anything otherwise he loses. Children in this age group of 5 to 8 also love to get simple rewards for their efforts. Such rewards can be a trip to the park or his favorite meal for dinner. Just ensure that the rewards are simple opportunities or treats that your child will enjoy.

Teaching And Cleaning Suggestions -

• Transform cleaning into a challenging game
• Offer rewards once in a while when your child completes the task according to your specific requirements
• Be very consistent with room cleaning tasks

Children Ages 9 To 11

Children between the ages of 9 and 11 already understand what responsibility is and what is needed to successfully complete all their household chores. Some parents even give allowances each week for the chores completed, but you can refrain from it if you have different views about allowance and household chores. Nevertheless, your child must already know at this stage that cleaning his room is a part of his household chores. Place bins and other storage applications in a specific space which will help make the cleaning process easier. However, he may have plenty of toys and other items that have been outgrown so remove these from his room and place them in storage in case he gets a little brother or sister any time soon.

Teaching And Cleaning Suggestions -

• If you do not use clear storage crates or containers, make sure that you have them labeled
• Have an assortment of storage bins for all his toys, books and other items
• Offer a weekly allowance or a non-monetary reward for completing his chores and cleaning his room

Citations:

• Photographed by : sideshowmom

Featured images:

•  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://mrg.bz/MWUkBO

Valerie East is a mother of four and a freelance writer specializing in housekeeping, home improvement and storage solutions. She offers tips on various housekeeping issues and how to improve small living spaces. She also recommends US Storage Centers for any type of storage needs.