With the holidays coming, many families and friends want to tidy up their spaces for visitors and parties - and your nieces and nephews may need a little motivation and a big helping hand. Helping your siblings and friends get their kids' rooms cleaned up is a great holiday gift for them. And it's a great gift for the kids, too. After all, a niece or nephew is bound to find that super important thing they couldn't find before Auntie saved the day!

Ready? Set... Clean!

WAIT!

First, take a "before" photo so the kids can show off the change with the "after" pics!

And Go!

Hula Hoop It. Toss a hula hoop - or a smaller circle, like an embroidery hoop or an open Frisbee - on the floor. The kids have to pick up everything inside the circle. Throw two and see who is faster at picking up and putting away the mess inside it. Repeat until the floor is cleared. This technique works really well for those who are easily distracted by everything.

ABC’s. Make a game out of it. Go through the alphabet and see if your nieces and nephews can find something that starts with each letter. More than likely, you will have a few letters that don’t apply, but you can ask them what kinds of things would start with that letter to help build their imagination.

Musical Cleaning. Put on a fun song or two and see how fast you and the kids can dust, vacuum or make the bed. Or, have them clean really quickly while the music is playing, until you press PAUSE! The kids have to freeze in their spot! The child who stays frozen the longest gets an extra treat at the end!

Help Others. Help your little ones declutter to make room for new additions. Ask them if there are three or five toys or games they no longer use or clothing they have grown out of. (But, ahem, keep that sweet little plush you gave them for their first birthday!) This helps to teach nieces and nephews about donating unwanted toys and clothes to charity so another child who can use them. Put unwanted items into a bag or box for charity and deliver it together.

Reward Yourselves. After taking the time to clean up, it’s time for a treat, such as Grandma's cookies, snuggling up with Auntie to read a book, or taking a walk. Congratulate yourselves on a job well done!

Bonus Reward: Speaking of Hula Hoops and the holidays, treat yourselves to Alvin and the Chipmunks singing the Hula Hoop song!




Photo: spass
Published: November 3, 2016