Getting Your Kids Involved with Spring Cleaning

Introducing chores to your kids can be as much of a chore as doing the actual work, but involving your kids in housework and spring cleaning can benefit them greatly. Engaging in housework will teach your kids responsibility and contributing to chores will help your kids realize that they play an important role in running the household. Kids will also learn about organization and self-discipline, which are essential to many aspects of life.

When kids work on chores together - either with siblings or their parents - it helps them learn to compromise and collaborate on tasks. They can assign themselves different roles and it will help them learn to be flexible and take responsibility. Your kids will gain confidence and grow self-esteem from their ability to accomplish tasks around the house.

Tips for Spring Cleaning:

• Promote teamwork. On their own, chores can feel like a sentence, but working alongside you or a sibling, the teamwork and camaraderie can motivate them or make a chore more bearable.
• Don’t wait until they are done to praise or thank them. Encouraging your kids as they work on a task can build positive momentum and will boost their self-confidence.
• Don’t tie chores to money because it is important for kids to associate chores as a contribution to something bigger—helping the family run smoothly and responsibly. Instead, motivate your kids with a healthier experience, like going to their favorite restaurant, engaging in a fun family activity, or watching a new or favorite movie.
• Delegate chores on a list or divide jobs between “teams” to make them feel more independent and capable. Having a healthy competition to see who can accomplish their jobs the fastest can be a fun way to finish the chores.
• Make it fun. Make up your own games to complete chores, or play an audiobook or some upbeat music.

For more tips to make spring cleaning less of a chore, visit Spring Cleaning: 13 Fun Ways to Get Your Kids Involved.

Some chores need to be assigned based on your kids’ ages - not all chores are appropriate for every kid to be assigned. You’ll know best which chores your children are able to complete, but below is a guide to get you started:

Ages 2 to 3

Note: These tasks will require supervision.

• Put toys away
• Put clothes in hamper
• Dress self
• Help feed pets
• Help clean spills

Image by Donne Ray Jones via Flickr

Ages 4 to 5

Note: Kids can start following a chore wheel.

• Make their bed
• Help clear the table
• Water flowers
• Wipe baseboards
• Pull weeds and plant seeds
• Unload utensils
• Dust
• Empty wastebaskets
• Purge clothing and toys
• Strip the bed linens
• Wipe down walls and cupboard doors

Ages 6 to 7

• Sort laundry
• Clean kitchen counters
• Set and clear table
• Sweep kitchen floors
• Help pack lunch
• Keep room tidy

Image by David D via  Flickr

Chores for Ages 8 to 9

Note: Kids can start working independently with a chore chart.

• Make personal snacks
• Vacuum
• Put away groceries
• Load dishwasher
• Put away laundry
• Take pet for a walk
• Help make dinner

Ages 10 to 12

• Fold laundry
• Clean light fixtures
• Learn to use washer and dryer/ Do laundry
• Clean kitchen
• Help clean and vacuum car interior
• Reorganize books, movies, and video games
• Take care of houseplants
• Help maintain appliances like light bulbs, vacuum bag
• Mow the lawn

Chores for Ages 13 and Older

• Babysit
• Make meals
• Help paint
• Can supervise younger siblings
• Rearrange room
• Clean bathroom
• Sew/iron clothes
• Dog sit
• Shampoo the carpet
• Organize closets
• Deep clean appliances
• Responsible for maintaining own car

Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a bore. Engage in age-appropriate chores and encourage your kids to help out!

Tips for Packing School Lunches

There’s no ifs, ands, or buts, about it: kids’ eating habits are notoriously fickle. With how busy parents can get, it can be easier to stick leftovers in a paper bag than it is to craft a meal of perfectly balanced portions. Luckily, we have many ideas for packing a healthy school lunch for kids.

Find Balance

Aim for a balance between vegetables, fruit, starches, and dairy. Protein is also an essential component for anyone’s diet. Besides the traditional lunch meats and nuts, experiment with fish, beans, and hard boiled eggs to add variety.

Make these lunchbox classics:

Ham and Cheese Roll Ups

Bite-sized Taco Salads

Cheesy Baked Chicken Fingers

Avocado, Tomato, and Chicken Wraps

Pizza Crescent Roll-Ups

Try Something New

Add a new ingredient to an old favorite. Try different kinds of bread or switch out sandwich bread for a tortilla or pita pocket. Try avocado, hummus, honey mustard, or cream cheese instead of mayo. Incorporate leftovers into a dish for a new meal experience.

Try these new recipes:

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Pâté

Zesty Turkey Pita Pocket

Zucchini Corn Fritters

Meatball Mini Sandies

Mini Frittata

Switch up the Presentation

Use different ideas to present food to your kids. These don’t have to be elaborate ideas. Try dicing veggies or making fruit kabobs instead of serving them whole. Use cookie cutters to make fun-shaped sandwich bites. Experiment with different lunch bags or bento boxes to create a homemade and healthy ‘lunchable.’

Try out these recipes:

Frozen Fruit Sticks with Passionfruit and Lime Drizzle

Club Sandwich

Applewiches

Peanut Butter and Jelly ‘Sushi’

Butterfly Snack Break

Get the Kids Involved

Encouraging your kids to get involved will give them a more active role in their diets. Plan some time once a week to involve them in meal planning. Have them choose an item and a piece of fruit and help them assemble their lunch. Make this as regular a routine as you can—it’s a great way to spend some time together as a family.

More Lunch Hacks

• Freeze PB & Js overnight, put it in a lunchbox in the morning, and it will be thawed and ready to go by lunchtime
• Use drinks as ice packs. Freeze water bottles, Capri Suns, or juice boxes. This way they will be refreshing for a lunchtime sip, and it will free up room in their lunch boxes for more goodies
• Use empty Mio bottles (or similar small bottles) as condiment dispensers for less mess. This will also ensure that salads won’t be soggy by lunchtime
• If you use sliced apples, prevent them from browning by wrapping it with saran wrap or a rubber band
• Make a snack station in your pantry and fridge. Assemble healthy, kid-portioned snacks and kids will have an easier time finding afterschool snacks and assembling their own lunches

Lunch doesn’t need to be boring for your kids or stressful on you. Find a happy balance that works for the both of you. For even MORE school lunch ideas, check out this printable list for School Lunch Box Ideas.