Spring Cleaning With Kids

With spring just around the corner, we're all looking forward to extended daylight hours and the season's warmer weather.

We're planting flowers, airing out the patio cushions and checking the umbrella for mildew. In many parts of the country, though, it's not quite warm enough to move outside - yet.

In the meantime, use cooler days to brighten up the indoors with a plan for spring cleaning with kids that gets the kids excited about this annual rite of home purification.

Kids? Excited about cleaning? Spring cleaning with kids? You're probably thinking there must be a typo in there! Nope, no typo.

Yes, it really is possible, even probable, that your kids will not only get excited, but motivated and moving too.

The Secret To Spring Cleaning With Kids: Get Game

The secret to spring cleaning with kids? A fun game plan that starts with - well, games.

So, to increase the odds of successful spring cleaning with kids, two of my favorite cleaning games (one you can play with your younger kids, the second for older ones) are described below.

If helping out with cleaning is a new concept in your home, you'll definitely want to take the fun approach. It's worked wonders for my three kids, the oldest of whom is now 13 and does his own laundry.

First however, you'll want to gather your cleaning supplies so you're ready for the kids and the fun and the spring cleaning to begin. Get a fun, colorful chore chart for the kids, like this one with sticker stars they can add themselves after completing a chore.

Below I've broken down spring cleaning chores so that they're age-appropriate for your children. Here's how the kids can help you bring spring indoors.

Spring Clean With Kids Chores for Under Age 2:

Pick up inside (and outside) toys

Ages 3 - 5:

Previous chore plus:

Put away outside toys and games and all their pieces in the proper boxes or bins

Water house plants

Ages 6 - 9:

Previous chores, plus:

Take indoor plats outside for a gentle washing

Rake leaves

Help with spring planting

Sweep the patio and porches

Easy yard work such as weeding

Fish surface litter out of the pool (with a grown-up's supervision, of course)

Help test the pool or hot tub water

Help clean the pool strainer baskets

Ages 10 - 13:

Spring cleaning with kids.

Previous chores plus:

Clean the patio and patio furniture

Debug plants

Weed gardens

Clean refrigerator coils

Polish silver

Ages 14 - 17:

Previous chores plus:

Wash exterior windows

Mow lawn

Yard work such as pruning

Maintain the compost pile

Clean closets and drawers; put away seasonal clothing

Games for Spring Cleaning With Kids

We've got games to get the cleaning party started:

"Grimy to Glamorous"

When it's time for a spring cleaning session, have the family don sweats and labor the day away, dragging rags and pails.

In the evening, the family puts on their "night-out" best and heads out to dinner and a movie, something everyone enjoys together.

Looking forward to magical family outing makes even the longest list of chores palatable, especially when they're done together.

"Bop While You Mop"

Turn on your favorite upbeat music while you clean. Watch your kids howl as you sing along and do the Bump with the vacuum and the Macarena with the duster.

You get the picture - a smiling group making short work of housework. Fill the house with positive energy, not grumbling. We rotate the DJ selection in our home to keep the peace. And we judge the results (say, a floor) not the mopper (the child), and everyone pitches in to make it a winner.