Let’s be honest, tidying up or doing chores isn’t usually on the list of a child’s favourite things to do. But what if we told you there are easy ways to get your kids involved with the housework – ways they might actually enjoy and get behind! Keep reading for Helpling’s top tips to help get your kids involved with housework.
Tidy up your room in 10 minutes
You might not believe it, but any child can tidy their room with this step-by-step plan and it really only takes 10 minutes. The time limit turns the activity into a game, which kids will find more exciting. Do it a few times with your child until they get the hang of it. Once they have tried it a couple of times with your assistance, they should be able to do it on their own!
Step 1: Remove everything from the bed, straighten the duvet/blanket, and put the cuddly toys in a cosy place. (2 minutes)
Step 2: Divide any items out in the bedroom into four categories: clean clothes, dirty clothes, rubbish, and toys. (2 minutes)
Step 3: Put the clean clothes back in the wardrobe or drawers. (2 minutes)
Step 4: Put dirty clothes in the laundry basket. (1 minute)
Step 5: Take rubbish to the bin. (1 minute)
Step 6: Put toys in the toy boxes. (1 minute)
FINISHED!
Reward system
Research shows that rewards work well to change children’s behaviour. There are plenty of reward charts you can download and print from the web, or if you fancy getting creative you can make your own! Whenever your child succeeds in tidying up their room, you can add a tick or sticker to their chart. Then you can agree with your child on a nice reward when the card is full (or for example when 5 cards are full).
You can even include other chores, not just tidying their room. Larger chores like setting the table or clearing the dishwasher could score them extra points!
Handy storage methods
To make room tidying easier for your kids, don’t underestimate the importance of storage spaces and storage boxes. They come in all shapes and sizes. Transparent storage boxes are handy because you can immediately see what’s inside, but they do look a bit messier. At Ikea, they sell cool cane baskets, which are handy for bigger toys or cuddly toys. You could even use some simple collapsible crates to hold a lot of toys in as well.
Whatever storage solution you use, try and encourage your child to put their toys back away after playing with them. This keeps the house looking and feeling tidier for longer!
