Fun Ways to Get the Kids Involved in Organizing the Home
Mayra Kavan,
Key takeaways:
- Turn cleaning into a game for your kids
- Let them choose which jobs they want to do
- Create your own organization and deadline system on your 1THRIVE Center
- Teach your kids that every item needs a home
- Don’t forget to reward everyone!
Make organization fun for your kids with our five tips
If there’s anything kids hate, it’s being forced to do chores. If your kids do what they’re asked, when they’re asked to do it, please share your secret!
The chores themselves aren’t the worst part, however. It’s the idea that they have to do it and do it your way. No one likes to be bossed around, especially when it comes to organizing the home.
By making home organization fun and rewarding, your family will be way more motivated to do the work. They’ll feel more productive, more responsible, and respected. But it can be tough to get your bearings and know where to start.
So, here are five tips for setting up an organization and cleaning routine for you and the kids.
1. Make cleaning fun
Instead of making the task out to be work, turn it into a game! Your kids will feel motivated to clean and tidy if they feel praised and rewarded for their efforts. Give them a reason to look forward to cleaning up, rather than back out halfway through.
You could time each task, giving your kids a finish line to work toward. Or even make their tidying tasks into a scavenger hunt by giving them a list of items they need to find and put away.
For example, everything blue that shouldn’t be lying out should go in the blue bucket before the timer runs out. Every abandoned toy goes in the toy box. Every pencil or crayon – well, you get the picture.
Start your stopwatch and watch ’em go!
2. Give everyone in the family a role to play
Ask each family member what they’d like to do in the game of organization. Do they want to oversee cleaning the kitchen table? Or would they rather be in charge of keeping toys off the living room floor?
Forcing them to do something they don’t want to do will just cause arguments, so ask them to suggest something productive instead. Give them a fancy title (maybe, Executive of Sweeping!) and compliment them as they finish each task.
If they don’t want to do anything, ask them why; get to the heart of the problem, then suggest ways you could make it more enjoyable.
Teach them about responsibility without making them resent it.
3. Create an organizing system
Your way of cleaning will be different from others, so make sure your family has its own system that you can all agree on.
Write down each goal, role, and method down on your 1THRIVE Center. You could also write up a points system, tallying each achievement onto your board as you go along. Check out our free downloads for ideas.
When kids see the progress they’ve made in big colorful writing, it’ll motivate them to continue organizing. Your system should also include breaks, as you’re way more productive after taking regular time outs. And you’ll all feel happier too.
4. “A place for everything, and everything in its place”
It’s way easier to tidy as you go than it is to do a huge weekly clean up session. Teach your kids to put things back where they found them as soon as they’re done with them.
If your child loves reading, help them to organize their bookshelves in a way they find easy to navigate. And when they finish reading a book they’ve pulled out, put it right back in that same place (no not on the table!)
Show them where the broom lives, where the mugs go, and the importance of everything having a home. This teaches them to respect their possessions and living area, so they’re more likely to continue to keep it all neat and clean.
It’ll also encourage them to clean up future messes as they go, so they don’t have to spend a whole day doing it. I mean heck, their free time is supposed to be spent playing and learning, not just cleaning!
5. Give out prizes and reward yourselves
Once each family member has done a certain task or hit a certain number of points, you can reward them. With what?
Well, that depends on what your family loves. Give them a gold star sticker, some chocolate, watch their favorite movie with them, or order a toy they’ve had their eye on.
Whatever you feel is appropriate. And for yourself? Maybe a nice slice of cheesecake or a new pair of comfy PJs would do the trick. The world is your oyster!
Just remind yourself and your family that you all did a great job; this will motivate everyone to keep it up and see the fun in organization for years to come.
We have a wide array of child-friendly 1THRIVE Command Centers that the entire family can enjoy. The Taylor is the ultimate wall organizer that comes with six customizable components to help with home organization. A to-do blackboard, weekly whiteboard, file holder, corkboard, metal cups, all connected to a magnetic base. Choose the layout that fits your lifestyle and start planning out your cleaning schedule with a newfound sense of excitement!
