Welcome a warmer season and all its new adventures with a clean and tidy home! Tidying doesn’t have to be a bore though—together with your kiddo, an afternoon of chores can turn into special moments to cherish. Here are tips for getting little ones involved in spring cleaning, and keeping it fun! And in classic Battat style, we’ve highlighted plenty opportunities for learning along the way.
1. Out With the Old!
Growing kiddos outgrow their belongings quicker than the seasons change, which means abandoned toys and clothes are aplenty in the home. To avoid accidentally throwing out a forgotten favorite, go through your child’s things together with them! Spread out their toys and clothes, then ask them to pick out their absolute favorites and explain why—kids can practice expressing an opinion while parents can learn more about their preferences! For the remaining items, ask your little one to think how they might be better put to use for a lesson on sharing. Encourage them to think of friends or community members who might enjoy outgrown toys, and consider passing along or donating them.
2. Sort, sort, sort
After getting rid of outgrown toys, reduce future messes by organizing with your kiddo! Before getting started, sit down together with your child and brainstorm categories to sort the toys into. Get their thinking gears going by asking them how they can separate their toys—maybe they differentiate them by color (red vs. blue), by type (trucks vs. learning toys), or location (outdoor vs. indoor.) Once you’ve picked them out, label some bins, and sort, sort, sort! Allowing little ones to pick categories and sort out their toys themselves will give them a boost of confidence. Plus, if they know exactly where each of their toys lives, they’ll less likely be misplaced.
3. Clean & Learn
Don’t stop the tidying fun—get your kiddo involved in the rest of your spring cleaning chores! Think of some kid-friendly tasks: maybe they can help dust furniture or match socks together. Patience is key here—it might be easier for you to complete a task yourself, but there are so many benefits of cleaning together with your child. Along with giving them a sense of accomplishment and teaching them responsibility, chores can help build developmental skills. For example, sweeping a duster across a big table can improve gross motor skills while sock-matching can promote concentration. So put on your kiddo’s favorite tunes, make sure to take some dance breaks, and clean away!
How do you get your kids involved in household chores? Let us know @battattoys.