The September school holiday period is a great time to get the kids involved in spring cleaning. If you’re kids are kindy, preschool/pre-prep or prep age, these ideas are perfect for them to get involved in. I find my girls love to help around the house if they know they are ‘helping’ me. Little kids love getting out the broom or mop and practicing cleaning the floor or pretending to sweep. If your kids aren’t that way inclined why not encourage them by getting involved with them. Kids love to do what their mum is doing. If your kids are a little older, you might need to find some sort of motivation or initiative that will get them to help you. Here are 5 ways to get your kids involved in spring cleaning.

Draw pictures in the dust using their fingers. If you haven’t done the dusting for a while, why not encourage the kids to draw using their finger in the dust? Once complete, give them a microfiber cloth to ‘wipe’ away their design. The next picture can be drawn on the next piece of dust covered furniture. Before you know it, every surface in your home will have been dusted.

Bake together. For some reason kids seem to get hungrier during the holidays. At the start of the week, why not bake some biscuits or slices that they can have as snacks while they are on holidays? It’s will keep the pantry reserves replenished for a little while.

Get the kids to empty the cupboards and shelves so you can methodically go through what you do and don’t use. In the kitchen think the container and Tupperware cupboards or the cooking cupboard with the saucepans and lids. Obviously don’t encourage the crockery cupboard. Move on from the kitchen to the play room and do the same there. Allow your child to empty the cupboards for you and you can methodically spring clean the mess.

Let the kids loose in their bedroom or playroom and find toys they can sell or donate to others. These toys could be baby toys or toys that they have grown out of or no longer play with. Explain to the kids that this will make room for Christmas presents to be put away at the end of the year. Any money from the toy sales can be used towards a treat during the holidays or can be saved to be put towards Christmas.

Get the kids outside to check all their outdoor equipment and make sure if it is fit for playing with. Tell the kids to put their inspection hats on. Unroll out tee-pees and crawling tunnels and get the kids to use a magnifying glass to find possible damage. Anything that is broken or mouldy can be fixed or chucked away.

How do you get the kids to help you with spring cleaning or is it a job you prefer to do with little help from others?