Ways to make chores more fun with less complaining

Ways to make chores more fun with less complaining

Kids Chores

Let’s be honest- many people (kids and adults) do not enjoy doing chores, however, everyone must help to clean as their contribution to the household. Here are 10 recommendations on how to make chores more enjoyable for you and your children:

  1. Play beat the clock  - If your children are older (elementary school age), make it a race to see who can complete a certain chore fastest. If they are really looking for a challenge, try to beat mom!
  2. Create a high energy playlist – Music always makes anything better- whether it is a long car trip, studying or cleaning. A playlist with catchy pop music that you can sing and dance to makes mopping the floor a bit more bearable (use the mop to pretend it’s a microphone).  
  3. Hide treats and stickers for your children to find – While your children are helping to dust, let them know that you have hidden items for them to find. This will make it a bit more fun to clean and may make your children clean a bit more thoroughly too.
  4. Listen to podcasts or audiobooks- Podcasts can make the time go by as you are able to listen to several episodes or chapters while you clean.
  5. Offer Incentives- After cleaning up, go visit the park for a walk or go play. Maybe go get ice cream. Having fun after working hard is best.
  6. Binge-watch TV – If you have a MOUNTAIN of laundry to fold or dishes to wash,  watching TV can make the time pass quickly. Maybe watching a few episodes of “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” will give you the energy and knowledge to finally declutter your closet or your children’s playroom.
  7. Create a chore chart -  Having a chore chart will help you and your family to remember what tasks need to be completed daily/weekly to keep the home clean and tidy. A chore chart can allow family members to rotate certain tasks so that one person is not solely responsible to take out the trash or vacuum.
  8. T-E-A-M-W-O-R-K – Working as a team is an efficient way to tackle cleaning. The best part is that your child sees you working side-by-side. You are able to demonstrate that teamwork is a great way to approach any task.
  9. Go Outside! – Not all cleaning has to happen indoors. Children are able to assist with helping in the garden by pulling weeds, planting seeds and watering plants. This is also a good way to take a break for a snack or to get hydrated too.
  10. Clean up to get the WiFi Password – With older children, it can be difficult to get them off their devices to clean up their room. Try changing the WiFi password. Once they have completed their chores, they may have the password to access the internet again.

What things have you tried with your family to make a chore more fun?

 

Sources: www.parents.com – 8 ways to motivate kids to do chores