Get the kids involved! Ways to incorporate “play” into mindful cleaning practices

We all know that a household is made up of many family members and not just the designated parent who is responsible for cleaning and organizing. 

Those of us with kids know how hard it can be to get our young ones to keep their spaces organized, contributing to the serenity of the household. One of my greatest recommendations to parents is, do not feel like you have to do this alone. Let’s make straightening up fun for our kids with positive reward systems that will encourage them to maintain a space that is calm and enjoyable for everyone.

Ready, Set, GO!

One tip I always share with parents is to invest in a fun timer and see how quickly the kids can put the playroom back together. At Shore Simplicity, we pride ourselves on sustainable solutions; things that don’t just look pretty for 2 weeks and go back to the way they were.  This is a combination of labels and making zones; the Montessori style.

We have a rule in our house that a room should be cleaned up in 10-15 minutes, with everything put away and back into their homes.

As part of our services, we put these programs in place to help families create sustainable organizing practices in their homes. For families with preschool-aged kids who are pre-reading level, we will print pictures of each type of toy and label the bins with the photos. For instance, we’ll print the Barbie emblem or the Pokemon emblem, or a magnet, so a three-year-old knows where their items go. 

Experiences over Stuff

In an effort to keep clutter to a minimum in general, we often suggest switching to an experience-based gift for kids over a material gift, and encourage that of grandparents too. We know that’s the tough one. Try something like “For every month you keep your playroom clean, maybe at the end of the month we go out for an ice cream cone.” Perhaps next month you take them to their favorite amusement park or arcade.

We’re going for an experience reward for up-keeping their end of the deal.

Donating is Fun :)

Now parents, we’ve introduced you to our various donation channels, and if you have not had a chance to read about them, you can check out the full list here. On the same token, you can encourage your kids to donate their toys as well. Kids can be so resistant to letting go of those stuffed animals. However, when you tell them that their stuffies they go to dog rescue, where the dogs are scared because they’ve just come from really bad situations, and they will get your stuffies and get to pick their favorite one, that’ll be the one they sleep with, they start to turn around and feel more compelled to give their toys to an animal in need.

Another great story we’ve shared with kids is of the police canine dogs who have just come from scary situations and they’re anxious due to what they just went through, and their toys will be the one thing that will make them feel better and safe after a stressful day. As soon as kids hear this, (and trust us, it’s all true!) they begin opening up their hearts and say “I think I can give away one more.”

Try to make this a monthly or yearly habit in your household and bring the kids to the shelters or police stations to drop off their gifted stuffed animals. Keep them involved in the donation process, and try to make it fun for them to keep your house a little more clear. You’ll be surprised at how much they love to play a part in grown-up stuff.