cleaning up with room roulette

School's out and the kids are home.  Or, the kids are always home and the schedule has flown the coop.  Or, you never had a schedule.  You know, whatever.  At any rate, I find that it is harder to motivate the kids to help me with household chores when the weather is nice.  When the grumbles are loud and the cleaning list is long, this is what I do.

Room Roulette


Materials Needed:
Ipod, radio, or mixed cd/tape-- something that will continually play music
Cleaning supplies: windex, endust, vinegar, whatever you usually use.
Rags or paper towels
Energetic Young'uns

How to Play:
Gather the children and the cleaning supplies.  Be prepared for wary looks.  Explain to them the following rules.  Decide how long you will clean for and stick to it.  You would be amazed at how much you can get done in just thirty minutes.  Turn the music on and turn it up loud.  You should be able to hear it all around your house, or at least on the level on which you will be working.  If you want to tune to the same radio station all around the house, that would work, too.  You will clean in one room for the duration of one song.  Pick things up, race around the house to put them away, and return to the same room.  Work on whatever needs attention, but everyone works together in the same area.  Dancing is encouraged.  When the song ends, the first person to notice calls out the next room (of their choice) and you all travel there together.  (Finish wiping up cleaning solution first, but let everything else go for the time being).  Continue until time is up.  Popsicles for everyone who plays the entire time!