Thursday, June 18, 2009

Kids Chores - Cleaning Buckets Help


Having kids helping you can be a chore in itself. Making it fun can help to make it easier to have them help you.
Using colors can help to encourage them. It can also help to encourage us!

I make each child a cleaning bucket. It puts them in charge of something and will make them feel more responsible.
You can make it very simple.
Find a fun colored bucket or basket with handles of some kind.

Everyone is going to feel better about picking up a bright colored bucket instead of dirty grungy gray or black one. You can find them for very little at a dollar store and I have seen them at Target in the Dollar section.
For younger children or children who may not be as responsible to handle a spray of some sort...these wipes are wonderful. They can clean the bathroom, kitchen and even dust their rooms with them.(I wouldn't use them on real good wood though) You can also spray a rag yourself with a dust spray prior if you don't want to purchase these. They may be a little extra expense, but it is not like you are using them full time for your cleaning.

The older kids can have a bigger carrier with more cleaning supplies.
Having the cleaning supplies ready and accessible can make it much easier and actually encourage them to clean.

For us: I suggest that you keep several cleaning items in each room you use them. If you keep your windex, toilet bowl cleaner and comet downstairs in the laundry room..and your upstairs bathroom needs a quick clean up...then it more than likely won't happen as often as if the cleaning supplies were accessible.
I suggest keeping in each bathroom:
*mirror cleaner
*toilet bowl cleaner
*sink and shower cleaner
*rag or sponge
*paper towels

Make yourself a fun bucket! We can have fun cleaning too can't we?

4 comments:

Kristia@FamilyBalanceSheet said...

I like this idea. My 3 1/2 year old likes to "help" and I don't want to discourage her just because I want to get chores done quicker. I am going to find a fun bucket for her today when I am out runnng errands.

Thanks.

Grace Brooke said...

My almost 5 year old would LOVE to have her own cleaning bucket! Great idea, Sandy.

Grace Brooke

JOY said...

Great Idea! I'll try anything to get my kids to help clean! Thanks!

na said...

Those are great tips! I agree that they need to help out also.