Using toddler energy for a cleaner house…
March 19th, 2007Here are some simple chore ideas to keep your toddler busy & productive, while making your house cleaner…..
- Feeding pets. Put the food in the dish for them (or have them measure out dry food under supervision if they are old enough not to eat it), then have them take it to the spot and put it down for the pet.
- Making the bed - they can pull up the covers and put the pillow in the correct place (although the tucking usually requires help).
- Setting the table - if you give them dishes one at a time, they can set them on the table (nothing sharp, of course).
- Scraping their plate into the sink/garbage after meals (supervised so that the food ends up in the correct place, of course).
- Cleaning up their room/their toys (made easier with baskets and shelves).
- Putting items in the trash when asked (this is a huge favorite at our house).
- Helping to bring in the groceries (small, unbreakable bags & items, of course).
- Putting their dirty clothes into the hamper/baskets (Lil’ Duck takes this a step farther and puts OUR clothes into the hamper as well).
- Helping to bring the laundry to the washer, putting it into the washer, into the dryer, out of the dryer & putting it away. Lil’ Duck can put folded towels on shelves, socks into drawers, etc. and LOVES to push the laundry baskets around the house of course.
- Putting shoes on the mat/on the shoe rack/in the basket. Lil’ Duck takes all our shoes and puts them in the bucket on the patio for us after we come in from doing errands and such.
- Putting their sippy/dishes in the sink when they are done (something that saves a lot of nasty discoveries later, trust me).
- Helping to dust/wipe down surfaces with a damp rag. Lil’ Duck likes to help clean the windows with a damp rag (just water, I keep him away from the cleaners of course) as well.
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Hi - love your blog - you really are a fount of creativity…
Using toddler energy for a cleaner house
Here are some simple chore ideas to keep your toddler busy & productive, while making your house cleaner…..
Gotta get them working early!!!
My oldest son (5 almost 6) loves helping me clean. He loves doing the dishers, cleaning mirrors (with vinegar) and windows, wiping down walls and tables, but ask him to pick up toys and get ready for a showdown.
Warmest wishes
Danielle a.k.a. taureandevi.blogspot.com
thanks im going to keep this article and use it as Daniel gets older
He likes to help pass me washing and pegs as im hanging it on the clothes line
He also likes to play with the vacum cleaner pretending to vacum the floor
I love it when the kids are helpful. Though sometimes it times twice as long when they want to help.
Great ideas! I’ll see if I can interest Bug in bringing in groceries next time we go…
My son helped with everything until he became a teenager. Then, for a while, I was able to get him to do the yard. Now, nothing.
I do remember him sweeping the carpet with a carpet sweeper his grandmother gave him. He also liked to dust.
Here from BCs carnival. Its been a while since I was here. Have a blessed Sunday.
My daughter loves to help clean. Although, sometimes she makes more of a mess that way. Oh well, at least she tries!
Here from the Carnival of Family Life
Oh good…I’m not the only one putting the kiddos to work!
Here via CoFL
Congratulations.
This post has been nominated for a Hot Stuff Award at GNMParents.
Voting closes Friday.
Good Luck
Those are some great suggestions. What a great way to teach them the importance of cleaning up after themselves and getting a cleaner house out of it!!
Here via the carnival of family life.
Great advice! My kids are grown now, but I get my grandgirls to “help” whenever they visit. They love it.
Excellent tips, I have saved them for future use. It’s never too early to teach responsibility.
Lots of wonderful suggestions here. My little ducklings are all grown up now, but I have a grand-duckling to pass these along to.
Congrats on being featured in the first TT Carnival!
Congrats on being featured in the 1st T13-Carnival - loved your post (as usual
)! I´m looking forward to share my work with Luis someday. His 1st birthday is on April, 26th 
Hey, darling! Yep, you made it to the Carnival (me, too). I loved this post the first time around — I think that kids who help with the house care about it more. Of course, I’ve yet to see that happen around here, but I’ve got hope!
Congrats for making it into the Thursday Thirteen Carnival. Hope parents who don’t let their children help try a few of these. They could start with the groceries, even keep an extra bag in the car to put a few lightweight items in, just for them to carry if all the bags are too heavy.
Thank you!!
great ideas! I am going to put some of these into practice!
Here via the TT carnival but I come by all the time anyway.
[...] Duck gives tips on Using toddler energy for a cleaner house… I always suggest using a toddler to clean the house. You just attach a handle and push them around [...]