Wednesday, January 26

Chores & Fun Go Hand-In-Hand

We all have house work, that needs to be done. But, who ever said we had to do it all alone?
Not this mama that's for sure. lol If I'm gonna have the mess of 3 cherubs I'm gonna have the help of  3 cherubs too.
How?
By making a game of it all.
here are some ideas to help you & your cherubs get started.
Before playing, Create a check list of cleaning tasks for each room in the house.
Post this on the back of the door or in a place that is out of sight but can be accessed easily; such as inside the pantry or cupboard door.
Get the kids involved in this process by having older children write the list, younger children draw & little ones color the pictures,   then place the list so it can easily be seen by all who need to se it.
Kids just have this thing for seeing things they made. If you're like me & need to braille a list, use label tape under their written words, or post your list above the kid's list.
It's a good Idea to have their lists laminated so they last longer & when you don't need them anymore, you can save them.

Games:

1.  Scavinger Hunt:
a. Hide clues in the last place each check list leads to. (IE: if the last place in the bathroom is putting the toothpaste in the holder, leave a small sticky note with the clue there for the kids to find.)
b. Have each clue lead to the next room, & in the last room place a small surprise; such as stickers, or a snack.
Additional ideas: Have children write a list of favorites & earn tokens tward things on that list, Have the clues lead to the front door for a trip to the park or icecream shop etc.

2. Relay Race of Chores:
a. Have each child choose a task from the check list for that room, (see above)
b. Upon completion of that task each child passes a simple object (such as a baton, bracelet, small sign, etc) to the next child. until all tasks are complete
c. reward the "team" for a job well done.

These games not only get the house work done, but teach reading, teamwork, and independent living skills. The best thing with out a doubt is that you & your babies will have fun doing it all.
So, whether it's everyday household chores, or a big cleaning day; let those little hands take some pride in helping mommy&Daddy make home a cleaner place.
I hope these ideas help you as much as they have helped me.
Make it a great day!

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