I wish this picture of the OXO tot mini dustpan and hand broom showed a toddler or banana for scale instead of a full-grown mom looking for a kid helper to clean up around the highchair. But I am glad they cut her face off because you know she’s sick of crawling around down there. Or stepping on questionable bits of detritus as she moves UP and DOWN from her seat refilling and answering special requests during every meal.
So, here’s the tip: Get your little one to start helping around the house while he still thinks it is an amazing display of big kid power and before he starts to resent your intrusion onto his well-deserved free time.
Stock up on adorable kid-sized cleaning supplies or hack the ones you have and let him go to town!
1. Kid-sized hand broom. This one by OXO is cute, mod, and does the job for about $5.
2. Hacked Swiffer. Take out the middle segment(s) of your swiffer to make it child-sized. Don’t lose them. A Swiffer Sweeper is about $23 to get started. You can buy a gajillion cloth refills for about $10.
See Audrey’s sons take toddler sweeping to the next level with Swiffer Hockey. And you know your little one wants to be like the big kids, so you might need to show this video for next level cooperation.
3. Dust Busting. Once my toddler got over the sound of the dust buster, he loved the feeling of power of cleaning up ALL the playground sand from his shoes. I won’t say that he fills his shoes on purpose to make a mess and clean it up, but I also wouldn’t put it past him.
This cordless Dustbuster with a charging dock is the one we bought; is the best-selling one from Black & Decker and costs about $50. I’d say its been worth it for us.
When my eldest son turned two, all he wanted was a kid-sized broom, shovel, and rake. I only wish we had thrown a mini vacuum into the mix instead of waiting a few more years! Carpe Diem.
What are your best tips to get toddlers to clean up and pitch in?
