Kids' Activities: Little Lines Cleaning Sketch

When your kids need some motivation to clean up a big mess, little lines will do the trick!

ADDED June 12, 2009

Length: As long as it takes to clean the house up!

Parental Involvement: Supervising and encouraging the clean-up.  And a little drawing.

Kids Should Be Able to:  Follow through, clean up the mess the made. 

 

Being a parent is definitely the best experience I've ever had.  My kids are constantly challenging and amazing me.  And one way they both challenge and amaze me is with their ability to make giant messes.

"How did all these toys get out?  In such little time?"

"Has any room in this house been spared the toy tornado?"

"Your mom put me in charge of clean-up time.  And you guys got more toys out just now?"

Yes, children are truly amazing.

What's more, if you ask young kids to pick up a large mess, they get easily overwhelmed and/or distracted.  You'll find yourself demanding and pleading that they continue picking up.  And sometimes you'll just give in, and pick up the mess yourself.

Well, we've got a suggestion that might help:  our Little Lines Clean Sketch.

When your house is so messy that it's in danger of being declared a federal disaster area, get out some paper and crayons.  Tell your kids that for each item you see them put away, you will draw one little line on the paper.  When everything's all clean, they'll get to see what drawing all the little lines have made.  So, one object picked up, one line made on the paper.  It's simple.

And what can you draw with lots of little lines?  Well, pretty much anything.  In our house, we've drawn a face, or the first letter of our son's name.  You could also draw a house, a tree, a maniacal monster from outer space -- anything.

You're saying, "But wait!  Shouldn't my kids clean up because they know it's the right thing to do?"  Or, "Shouldn't my kids clean up simply because I've told them to?"  Our answer is:  well, yes.  Yes, they should clean up because it's the right thing to do, or because you told them.

We also think that you all should earn much more money, be given many more compliments, and be the toast of the town.  Oh, and we think that we should get those niceties also.  But in reality, that's not always the case.  You've got to be practical, and do what works.

The Little Lines Clean Sketch does indeed work!  I've got the sort of spotless, kind of well organized house to prove it!  So next time the kids have left your house looking sloppy, get out the pens and paper!

What do you think?  What kind of results did you get with this?  Please let us know!

art supplies needed,

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