Getting kids to do jobs around the house is often a challenge unless there is some fun in it. Fortunately, there are some interesting and entertaining ways to make cleanup time, an event to look forward to.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre and proud mum, discusses how to encourage kids to complete their jobs in a fun way.

Grab a small bucket and add some paper towels, a sponge, a cloth, a small dustpan and broom and some vinegar and water in a spray bottle and suddenly kids have their own cleaning caddy. Allow them to personalise their cleaning caddy with their name and some drawings. Then, when it’s time to cleanup, let them use their own cleaning caddy and watch as they take responsibility for the job ahead.

When making the bed, pretend the pillows, cushions or soft toys are balls and let the kids toss them to you as you place them on the bed. “Have the children organise them by size or colour before they pass them,” says Kylie. “Or, better still, let them have ownership over how they arrange them on the bed,” she adds.

Encourage kids to organise their toys and belongings based on size, colour or types of toys. This supports their learning as well as keeping things tidy. Extend this to the kitchen and let them organise their cutlery, cups, plates, and bowls when they put them away after a meal. “Teaching kids that everything has a place and should be put away after use, will become a life-long habit,” says Kylie.

Similar to cleaning up after playtime at their play centre, cleaning up after a play session at home can be a fun activity. For added fun, put on some music for 5 to 10 minutes and have a race to see who is quickest at tidying up in the given time.

Create a job list that provides each member of the house, adults and kids, with their list of jobs. Jobs completed can result in a gold star, or sticker. Whoever has the most gold stars or stickers at the end of the week, can receive a special treat or a prize, and can also be given the title ‘job master of the week’.

These exciting tips are just a few of many exciting ways to incorporate fun into completing jobs about the house. “Getting kids into the rhythm of cleaning up helps them become independent and proactive as they get older,” says Kylie.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au.Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA Group

We develop our muscles through strength and endurance training. Similarly, we develop our minds through exercises that support our ability to process tasks, concentrate and manage our emotions.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, informs on focus-building exercises during play and how these can positively assist children undertake their day-to-day activities.

“Promoting a well-focused mindset in children should start early, particular during their first five years of psychological and mental growth,”says Kylie. ” Building a child’s mental focus through key emotional control will immediately improve their concentration on tasks that can positively affect their future in both schooling, and the working world, if regularly practiced,” Kylie adds.

Focus-building exercises that can assist children include: Mind-body integration, memory and concentration games, story-based games, puzzles and mazes.

Mind-body integration: Mind-body exercises strengthen the neural connections between the brain and body. Mind-body exercises include meditation, relaxation exercises, breathing activities and guided imagery. Enabling children opportunities to have quiet times where they can relax is important. Playing quiet music or undertaking a guided imagery session can support relaxation and improve self-control. Teaching them to breathe deeply, especially when they are upset or hurt, can promote positive emotions.

Memory and concentration games: These help to improve a child’s memory retrieval and stimulate other parts of the brain. Regularly memorising sequences of visual and auditory stimuli exercises the brain circuits and strengthens neural connections and ultimately improving memory function.

Story-based games: A good story book and a good imagination are all that’s needed to support a child’s language and creative development. Parents can read a short story and give the child a quiz on the story. Alternatively, read a paragraph or two from a story and then ask the child to come up with what they think might happen next. Or for an extra twist, ask the child to come up with their own ending. These games assist in building a working memory and improving concentration. They can also help in the development of logic and a good sense of humour.

Puzzles: Puzzles of all types are excellent for a child’s development. “Puzzles allow for memory recollection as well as visual and mental improvement in understanding how to structurally compile a puzzle’s image,” says Kylie.

Mazes: Finding your way around a maze is a perfect exercise to improve concentration, planning, sequencing, processing speed and visual-motor integration.

“Utilising these focus-building tools will assist children undertake day-to-day activities, and will help them master their ability to concentrate effectively without any distractions,” says Kylie.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au.Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA Group