How to Involve your Kiddos in Spring Cleaning
Stepping out and smelling the crisp fresh air in the morning hours of the day….
Watching small blades of green grass peeking out from below a blanket of yellow. Feeling the soft rays of sunlight hitting your face in the early hours of the morning through till the last light of the late evening. Listening to the excited chatter of squirrels and happy songs of birds. We are blooming with signs of spring!
During this time of transition,we tend to have an unending to-do list that we keep adding to. Most of it involves a whole lot of “spring cleaning” - both in and around the house and a general desire to make changes in our daily life. So, where do we start? How do we involve our little ones in this “spring clean”? What are some things to prepare ourselves for this seasonal change?
With everything that we are about to talk about, your biggest win will be to involve your kiddos in the process. You’ll see that from season to season, they will automatically know that they are a part of this process and it becomes an activity or event, rather than a chore or a “must-do” on a list. You can make things fun by taking the time to talk about products, talk about processes and providing interesting facts or tidbits that will generate questions or interest.
Purging
Let’s talk about this!
It can be super overwhelming. Where do you start? How much do you do? How far can you take it? Here’s our advice around it. Start with a list. Make a list of all of the areas of the house you would like to clean. Then prioritize. Which one do you want to start with? For us, we like to start with the place that’s least emotional - like kitchen supplies, or bathroom supplies.
Here’s our list:
bathroom supplies (needless cleaning supplies, outdated and expired lotions, soaps, etc…)
kitchen supplies (overstock utensils, scratched teflon pans, unused pots or gadgets)
supply closets (extra/old towels, worn bedsheets/pillowcases, worn out mops/brushes)
clothing closets (we usually purge outgrown or worn out clothes/socks while changing over seasonal clothes and make note of what we want to look for to purchase for next season so we don’t over purchase!).
“The Rest” - you know what this is… all of the little things that get thrown into little corners and little baskets, and random drawers. The good news is, by the time you get to this, you are ready to just finally get rid of most of it! :) No more little baskets of randoms!
Kids will love:
putting things in to the donate/giveaway pile
pulling things out of drawers and closets
organizing and sorting items
Seeding
If you’re a planner, this is the time to start most of your seeds! Those little tiny buds and sprouts will soon be ready to head outdoors into your garden. Don’t forget that most seeds will take 2-4 weeks to germinate and get to the right size to transplant outdoors.
Tips and Tricks:
be sure to read instructions on light, watering needs and timeline.
involve the littles in looking and studying different seeds and guessing/logging what the plant will look like as it grows.
you can plant your garden in so many ways:
right into the ground in your yard - somewhere that gets great sunshine and space!
in well drained garden troughs/pots/planters
you can hang half cut PVC piping along your fence and make shallow troughs for smaller plants and herbs
Kids will love:
planting and playing with dirt
watching and observing plant growth
watering, tending and watching their garden flourish
Deep Cleaning
Open up those windows and doors, pull up your sleeves and get moving! After a whole season of sealed windows and doors, there is a lot of dust to clear. Here are a few top deep clean needs:
Here are a few top deep clean needs:
dusting (all of your trim, baseboards, window sills and shelving)
floors (hardwood and tile can use a good scrub - we usually do one really good clean on our hands and knees! I know - it sounds awful, but it’s so worth it. Your floors will be so shiny and happy!)
countertops/tabletops and sinks (vinegar and baking soda go a LONG way to clear sink residue)
Kids will love:
finding all the spots that you can’t see, but they can!
watching a science experiment take place while cleaning (baking soda/vinegar)
doing something alongside YOU!
If you’ve been used to hibernating indoors over the cold, frozen winter season, it’s sometimes tough to get back into the swing of things and get outside. However, fear not! Just like any habit, getting started those first few times is the hardest, and once you start spending time soaking in some real vitamin D, your body will crave it and appreciate it quickly. Here are some ways that we get going, when the going gets tough! :)
Dressing for the weather
With a change in season, comes change in dress code as well. As parents, we know our own habits, but here’s a quick list for adjusting to any type of weather we might encounter on our outings with the littles.
Our Spring backpack list includes:
windbreaker
thin gloves
a vest (if it gets chilly suddenly)
extra socks/pants
adventure pack (small notebook, crayons/colours, small shovel or digging tools, small bag for small collected items)
sunglasses/hat/sunscreen
Kids will love:
packing for themselves and bringing a few extra special objects each trip
feeling prepared and being able to help themselves when the time arises
Yard Work
This is an extension of the indoor preparation. However, this can include all of the florals and plants around the outside of your house. This is also an opportunity for you and your littles to create and build an outdoor play space.
This can include:
a mud kitchen
ropes course
sand box
vegetable patch
climbing wall
outdoor art station
swing set
Kids will love:
helping to choose and learn about different flowers and how they interact with other garden plants or insects
having choice and feeling responsible for and tending to “their” plants in the garden
having an outdoor play space with more flexibility in space and materials to use.
Exploration
With more consistent weather, (especially in Canada), it’s much easier to plan for a full day outside with the kiddos! This is a great way to make it a habit to be outside for at least half the day. Make sure you read your kids, and whether they fair better in the morning hours or in the afternoon to be outdoors. This may or may not affect their energy levels and, of course, their ability to regulate.
Some suggestions for outdoor activity:
bike rides
short hikes
long walks (with lots of change in scenery, landscape, rest stops, etc…)
park/field days
mini road trips with a park, river or forested area to explore
A few YB favourites in Calgary and surrounding area:
Fish Creek Provincial Park (nice bike and walking trails, accessible beach option, food options)
Bowness Park (boat rentals, nice pathway, train ride, cafe)
Shouldice Park (accessible park, picnic areas)
Confederation Park (nice walking/biking paths, large area, natural playground)
Prince’s Island Park (river walk, large green space, downtown access)
East Village and River Walk (open space, food options, playground, bike lanes)
Bragg Creek Provincial Park (nice easy hiking trails, bike trails, rocky beach)
