7 Ways to Get Kids to Help You Clean

Getting kids to help clean doesn’t have to turn into a battle. Instead of handing them a long list of chores, turn everyday cleanup into games, races, music, and activities you can do together. Younger kids can match container lids or use kid-sized cleaning tools, while older kids can race against a timer or turn up their favorite playlist. It also helps to give kids small, specific jobs instead of telling them to clean an entire room. These seven ideas can help you get your house tidier while teaching kids how to pitch in.

Key takeaways

• Turn decluttering into family activities, such as doodle parties and game nights.
• Use music and dancing to make everyday toy cleanup more entertaining.
• Repeat simple cleaning games regularly so tidying becomes part of your child’s routine.
• Give preschoolers simple matching and sorting jobs, such as pairing food storage containers with their lids.
• Set a timer and turn cleaning into a family race when you need to get a lot done quickly.
• Give younger children kid-sized cleaning tools so they can work alongside you.
• Break large chores into small, specific instructions so kids know exactly where to start.

1. Have a doodle party

A great way to tidy up art supplies and spend a little quality time together is to have a doodle party. Pull out all the art supplies, grab a trash can, and just start creating some art. While you’re at it, you and your budding artist can throw away dried-up markers as you come across them, neatly stack construction paper, toss tiny, broken crayons, and nix crusty paints and worn-out paintbrushes. 

2. Do a family game night

Another way to clean up and have fun is to do a family game night, with a twist. Go through all your games as a family, tidy up the fake money and pieces, and toss any games that don’t have all their pieces. As you tidy, play a couple of rounds of your favorite games.

3. Play the Clean-up Game

A great way to get toddlers and younger children to clean up their toys is to play the Clean-up Game. Make a playlist of clean-up songs by children’s artists, then announce it’s time for the Clean-up Game. Make a big production of how much fun it is to dance, sing along, and clean. 

Be sure to play the Clean-up Game every day to turn it into a habit. Your kid will get into the fun, and whining about cleaning up will be a thing of the past. Plus, you’re setting up good habits for when they’re older.

Here are some songs to get your playlist started:

• Clean Up Song for Kids from Barney and Friends by Ms Rachel
• Clean Up Song by Ms Rachel
• Clean Up with Bluey & Bingo by Bluey
• The Clean Up Song! w/ Blue & Magenta! by Blue’s Clues
• Clean Up The House by Bear in the Big Blue House 
• Clean Up Song for Children by ELF Learning
• Clean Up Song by Gracie’s Corner
• Clean Up With Noodle & Pals for 15 minutes by Super Simple
• The Singing Walrus – Clean Up Song by English Songs for Kids
• Clean Up Time by Sesame Street

The Clean-up Game can work for older kids, too. Make the songs more age-appropriate and call it a cleaning dance party. Cleaning is a lot more fun when you’re dancing to a beat.

4. Play the Find the Lid Game

If you have a stack of containers and no idea which lid goes with which container, have your preschooler help you play the Find the Lid game. Put all of the containers and lids out on the kitchen table and work together to find the lid’s container friend. This task not only helps you sort out your containers, but it also helps your child work on shapes, problem-solving, and motor skills.

5. Have a Cleaning Race

Another game to make cleaning interesting is a Cleaning Race. Set a timer for 10 minutes and yell, “On your mark, get ready, go!” Have everyone in the family run through the house and clean as much as they can in the 10 minutes before the timer goes off. 

At the end of the 10 minutes, have everyone reconvene. Whoever cleaned the most wins. 

You can start another round to get even more done. A little mini prize for the winner, like a fun-size candy bar, more screen time, or a sticker, can sweeten the deal.

Just make sure that there’s a clear rule that you can’t just stuff toys under furniture or hide laundry behind the bookshelf. 

6. Make it kid-sized

Young kids and toddlers love mimicking grown-ups, so when you’re cleaning, make it easy for them to help. Give them their own tiny broom, a duster, a little vacuum, or any cleaning tool small enough for tiny hands to help you clean up. 

Don’t forget little rubber gloves to protect their hands. Also, be sure to only give them spray bottles that contain water since they can easily get cleaning solutions in their eyes and on their delicate skin.

7. Take away the overwhelm

Some kids will refuse to clean. It may not be because they are being disobedient. They may just not know where to start and feel overwhelmed. Instead of saying, “Clean up,” be more specific. “All of the toys need to go in the bin,” or “Pick your clothes up and put them in the hamper,” are more specific and give them something to focus on. Another example is: instead of saying, “Clean the kitchen,” say, “Take the dishes out of the dishwasher,” and then, “Sweep the floor,” and so on.

Kid clean-up FAQ

How do you motivate kids to help clean?

Make cleaning more interactive with music, games, races, and activities you can do together. Giving kids a specific job can also make cleaning feel more manageable than simply telling them to clean a room.

How do you make cleaning fun for kids?

Turn cleanup and organizing into a game. Play music, dance while putting toys away, race against a timer, match containers with their lids.

What cleaning jobs can young children help with?

Young children can put toys in bins, place clothes in a hamper, match containers with lids, stack art supplies, dust with a child-sized duster, or help sweep with a small broom. Choose simple tasks that fit the child’s abilities and can be done safely.

Why does my child get overwhelmed when asked to clean?

“Clean your room” can involve dozens of smaller decisions, and some children may not know where to begin. Give one specific instruction at a time, such as “Put your stuffed animals in the basket” or “Put your dirty clothes in the hamper.”

How can you turn cleaning into a family game?

Set a timer for 10 minutes and see how much everyone can clean before it goes off. You can also play cleanup music and dance together while you clean.

How can you get older kids involved in cleaning?

Let them choose the music for a cleaning dance party or have them compete in a timed cleaning race.

Should kids have their own cleaning supplies?

Kid-sized brooms, dusters, and other simple tools can make it easier for young children to help. Keep cleaning products out of reach, and don’t give young children bottles containing household cleaning solutions. If they’re using a spray bottle as part of the activity, fill it with water.

How do you make cleaning a habit for kids?

Build small cleanup activities into the family’s regular routine. For example, play the same cleanup playlist every evening before bedtime or have everyone spend 10 minutes tidying before a family activity. Repeating the routine can help kids learn that cleaning up is a normal part of using their things.