Being in quarantine is a big change for families with school-age kids. Classes were still in full swing when the lockdown started, so everyone was caught off guard. Suddenly, children had nothing to do but stay home, and they get bored quickly, which has caused problems for many parents.
However, the quarantine has also done a lot of good for families because everyone finally has time for each other. So, parents should take this opportunity to do fun activities with their children, such as doing chores. Well, kids aren’t exactly excited when they hear the word “chores,” but there are a lot of fun and creative ways of teaching them how to love doing the task. One way to do this is to develop a reward system, such as a debit card for kids.
If you want to make the most of your quarantine time with your children, here are some tips for organizing and making chores exciting and rewarding.
1. The first step is to talk to your children.
Before starting the chores, sit down and talk with your children and explain to them using the simplest words how important it is to have a clean home.
2. Have fun organizing the laundry pile.
You have to introduce the children to the laundry pile. Teach them how to segregate according to color and make them understand how important it is to do this properly. You can even do a little game and show them what happens when two shirts of different colors get mixed in the washing machine.
If they’re too young and small yet, don’t make them put the laundry inside the washing machine, but you can show them how you do it. Afterward, teach the kids how to sort and fold the laundry. Again, you can do this as a game and then reward the first to finish the task.
3. Have fun while cleaning and decluttering rooms.
After the laundry is organized, it’s time to move to the kids’ rooms. Cleaning their bedrooms is one of the easiest chores your children can do, and you’ll be surprised to learn how fun it can be. Think of unique and creative ways of doing the task. For example, you can ask the kids to pick up their toys or things according to color – from their most favorite to their least favorite. You can also play music, dance, and sing along while cleaning. Any fun activity can help make chores easier for your children.
4. Have fun cleaning the kitchen and washing the dishes
The next step is to bring the kids to the kitchen and show them what they need to do to make it clean. Assign the heavier tasks to the older kids and let the young ones wash the dishes, wipe the tables and counters, and organize kitchen things. Of course, you have to be there to assist them.
If you have a dishwasher, show the kids how to do things correctly before turning the task over to them. Maybe you can schedule their dishwashing assignments every week.
Assign points to each completed task and reward the highest pointer with his or her favorite meal.
5. Have fun cleaning the backyard.
You do not have to ask the kids to use the lawnmower, but they can help you rake leaves and pull weeds. If you have a garden, the children can take turns watering the flowers and plants. You can also schedule at least one day a week when you all go out to the garden to plant (or to tend to the plants). To make the activity fun, ask the kids to think of names for their plants, and label them accordingly.
As a reward, you and your kids can have one backyard camping night every week, complete with hotdogs on sticks, marshmallows, and hot chocolates.
6. Have fun cleaning the bathroom.
Cleaning the bathroom can be challenging, but your children can help out by doing smaller tasks. While you do all the scrubbing and toilet bowl screening, the kids can take turns in drying the floor after you scrub it, and in making sure that all bath accessories are clean and neatly arranged.
7. Have fun setting the dining table.
Preparing the dining table is one of the easiest chores for children. You can assign this task to your younger kids and ask one of the older ones to assist.
Of course, somebody should be assigned to bring the used plates and utensils to the kitchen after the meal is over.
8. Have fun preparing a simple meal.
Reward your children with a good meal. If you want them to help you, choose to prepare a simple dish like spaghetti, grilled cheese sandwich, or a homemade cheeseburger. Assign simple tasks to them, such as putting the bread in the toaster, grating the cheese, or organizing the ingredients on the kitchen counter.
9. Have fun taking out the garbage.
Taking out the trash can be a fun chore if you have a good rewards system for your kids. Put up a schedule on the refrigerator door (or any other area in the kitchen) and have the children write a check beside their names each time they take out the garbage. Whoever has the highest score will get a reward at the end of the week.
Encouraging your children to do chores will teach them to be productive while staying home.
