What Room Am I?-The Cleaning Game

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” -Dr. Suess

Are your dishes overflowing? Do you find your mortgage payment hiding in your couch?Are you concerned about a family of mice hiding under your 7 loads of laundry? Is World War III a possibility when your kids hear the words"clean up"? Are you sick of it?

You are not alone, you are not hopeless.You can take back your home with fun, children, and a few silly rhymes. Im going to show you how! 

  I created a little game for my friends children when I came to her house to "hang out". Here are the items you will need:

Timer (preferably one the child can see/hour glass)

Ruler

Markers

Pen

Posterboard or whiteboard(in this case you want your dry erase markers;-))

Stickers that shows your childs favorite interest(fairies,disney cars, and elmo were ours)

Large Index cards(bonus for colored ones)

A rhyming mood(or the internet)

Optional-a great after work incentive(ours was finger painting)

I like lists...I hope you do too:-D

1.Think of the rooms in your house you want done.

2. Think of the things your children leave lying the most.

3. Come up with riddles that include clues.

 Example(from yahoo):

At last, we two are all alone
A common drudge, a common throne
I'll scrub you 'til you shine like new
Wipe off the pee, scrape off the poo
And when I'm done I'll flush away
The evidence and then I'll say
To no one but this wat'ry hole --
You'd think they'd get some in the bowl...

4.Make chart- Kids names vertically, rooms horizontally(or vice versa)

Mine looks like this:

Then you are all ready to start-our "rules"were this(all rules flexible for different households of course):

a. Read the card and have them guess the room.

b. Assign each their task.

c. Set the timer.

d. Do the task.

e. Put stickers in appropriate spot.

f. Continue until all tasks are complete.

Our rule was that stickers get put on together so all must complete their task-it helps them to encourage/work together.It is up to you if you want to only allow stickers if the task is done within 5 min-but we only gave tasks we knew could be done within the time frame since the children were young (ages 4 1/2 and 2 1/2).

The thing I love about this is that anyone can do it,its pretty much a variation of different games put together,and it involves one of my favorite things- a little of the Dr-Dr Seuss that is;-). I think they enjoyed it.

Finishing ideas/options:

-If you use a white board and you want to use stickers, tape strips of paper so the kids can take them off and keep them in a "sticker book".

- Have children pick tasks out of a hat to avoid sibling bickering over who got the"better" chore.

-Create teams for those children that like sibling rivalry.

- Have them race daddy or mommy to complete the task before them.

Your possibilities are absolutely endless! Just remember that you need to have fun yourself, kids feed off of other peoples enthusiasm and energy-so keep it positive!

Tips: -If you have a ruler that you do not want maker on the side of,wrap paper towel tightly around.

         -DO NOT buy those colored makers! (bright poster makers-more like dried out highlighters)...thats all:-)

"Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”

Approx age:2-8 yrs

Like my pictures? my friend Carolyn did them-you can find her site on my side bar under favorite things.