Tidy Room Tips for Kids
By Madison Rodriguez
Do your kids hate cleaning more than eating broccoli? The process of encouraging a child to clean can not only be mentally taxing for the child, but for the parent as well. Look over these five tips to ensure that your children will clean their rooms – and maybe even enjoy it!
1. Collaborate with the Cleaning – The best way to get your child to start cleaning is to help them. Not only are you setting a good example for them but, you are making the large task of cleaning their room seem less overwhelming.
2. Section Off Tasks- A messy room can be stressful for even the most organized adults, so make sure to help your child focus on specific sections of their room. First, suggest they make their bed and if they are under 5, they will probably require some help from you. Next, move on to picking up toys and put them away in a specified bin. If there are clothes on the floor, teach them to gather them up to take to the dirty clothes hamper. Even if this is not done daily, separating each task will still help the process move quickly.
3. Offer Incentives- If you offer children a reward for cleaning their room, they might be more motivated to do the work. How about a special dessert, or 15 minutes of extra screen time? The incentive may vary depending on the household, but the outcome will be the exact same… A clean room!
4. Provide Your Children with Proper Storage- With toys, clothes, shoes, and decorations, a child’s room can be easily cluttered. By providing kiddos with a place to put all of their things, you are making it easier for the child to understand your expectations as a parent for a tidy room. For example, all toys must go in the toy bin, and all dirty clothes must go in the laundry hamper.
5. Make It a Game- Children often find cleaning their room a rather dull task. Set a timer when your children are cleaning so they can see how fast they are completing the tasks. Keep score, and show your child their improvement. This might encourage healthy competition within your child, and make cleaning fun!
We know all of this sounds easier than it is to put into practice. Hopefully, implementing these five tips will help you both. And who knows? Maybe someday, they will even clean without being asked!
