Ways to occupy your kids while you clean

4 ways to occupy your kids while you clean There’s no way around it—you really need to clean. But the kids are home, and that means they’re demanding your attention each time you even glance toward that dusty bookcase. How are you supposed to complete your house cleaning routine with one child hanging off your leg, while the other thoughtfully spills her milk all over the kitchen table? Relax—we’re here to help! We’ve got four activities for kids that will keep them entertained while you restore your living space and peace of mind. Let Them Help We’ll be blunt—there are very few toddlers out there who are going to leave your kitchen squeaky-clean. But young children may be curious about what you’re doing and they never want to be far from your side, so letting them help in a limited way will give them something to do and make them feel like they’ve accomplished something. Make sure to include plenty of praise! Start small: Ask your child to put their toys back in the toy chest, or give them a damp cloth to wipe down the table with. Older children might actually enjoy running the vacuum cleaner, provided you’ve looked over the rugs and determined there’s not a LEGO or bracelet that might accidentally be sucked up, resulting in a tantrum of epic proportions. Give Them Coloring Books Back in the day, this was the end-all, be-all of kids’ activities; today, crayons are often forgotten in our world of streaming video and mobile phones. Don’t just plug your kids into the television; instead, set them up with coloring books and a new “magical” set of crayons, and let their imaginations run wild. Sidewalk chalk, watercolor paints, and stickers will also do the trick and distract the kiddos with art. Pro tip: Ask them to create something specific (e.g. draw a family picture, or fill in three slabs of concrete with color) to keep them focused on a goal while you scrub away. Send Them Outside Let your kiddos answer the call of the wild (within reason) and send them into the backyard. If you’ve got 20 minutes to spare before cleaning, set up a scavenger hunt for them, or use stencils and spray paint to craft a game of lawn Twister. Just remember to slather them with sunscreen first! Let Them Do Something Off-Limits Sometimes there’s no way around it—the weather is working against you, or one of your little ones is ill. Whatever the reason, if you want a tidy house, cleaning around your children is the only option! To that end, let them do something you wouldn’t usually permit. Let them build a fort in your bedroom using sheets from your bed, or permit them to play a game on your iPad, which is usually safely out of reach. We promise they’ll quiet right down! We hope these tips are useful for you, but if you just can’t get the kidlets to relax—or if you’d rather let someone else handle the dirty work—then give us a call at 8562133595 and ask about our service. Whether you need a hand with daily house cleaning or just want to come back to a shining home, we’re here to help!