How to Motivate Kids to Clean Up

Chinese New Year is around the corner and spring cleaning is an absolute must-do – which is something kids may not be so thrilled about. Yelling or begging them to clean up may be your method of persuasion, but such methods can be counterproductive. However, fret not! We show you some cool ways on how to motivate your kids to see cleaning as a meaningful activity rather than a dreaded chore.

Start simple and small

Overloading little children with an exhaustive list of to-dos is unrealistic. Start with simple, age-appropriate chores like sweeping, mopping, wiping the table or placing their toys back into their toy box. Slowly build up by adding an additional task as they get used to their routines.

Provide age-appropriate clean-up tools

A regular broom stick can be awkward for little hands, so invest in suitable kid-sized cleaning tools like a toy dustpan, which allows kids to clean up easily and gives them a sense of ownership. Let them decorate their tools and take pride in them too!

Give incentives

Knowing what motivates your child to complete a task allows you to take advantage of that and steer them in the right direction— whether it’s through a sticker chart, inviting friends over or being rewarded with ice cream!

Use visuals

Loud, colourful visuals are a great way to help kids organise their items according to colour, size, shape or type. Using stickers to label stuff, drawing instructional steps or sorting out toys by colours are some ways you can make tidying up easier for your tots.

Do up a fun checklist

Are your kids constantly getting lost or distracted while doing their tasks? Do up a checklist of chores with visual aids and simple instructions that look enticing! You can even plan out and create a roster of duties between siblings in order to avoid unnecessary confusion and arguments. Check out how this mummy did it:

Clean as a whole Family

Cleaning can be an opportunity for family bonding as everyone engages in their tasks together. By participating with your kids in cleaning, not only do you set yourself as a fine example, you also get to guide them through the  don’ts and dos of cleaning, thus cultivating good habits in them.

Utilise cool hacks

Some cleaning techniques can be a hassle even for grownups! Thankfully, there is a plethora of videos that show how to turn the tedious into something easy. Check out these cool hacks that even kids will love and can get creative with:

Caution: Not all hacks are child-safe. Ensure that an adult is there to supervise at all times.

Turn cleaning into a game

Put on some music, organise a friendly competition between siblings to see who cleans the fastest, or encourage your tots to toss their dirty laundry into the basket like a basketball player! Be creative in turning the mundane into a fun activity!

Encourage and praise where necessary

Kids take immense pride in what they do even with the smallest of tasks. Be patient and refrain from berating them if mistakes are made as it can discourage them easily. A good word from Mum or Dad can go a long, long way.