Snow Day

Rather than sitting the little ones in front of unlimited cartoons or, for the older ones, a Netflix marathon, why not entice them to help out around the house? By making chores a chance to connect with mom or dad, children can learn responsibility without even realizing it. (Older children might require bribes, but that’s a whole different blog.)

Start little ones with simple tasks such as throwing out their own garbage, putting their own laundry into the correct laundry bin, or sorting recyclables. Sorting requires multiple steps, which 2- and 3-year-olds are just learning. Show them chores can be fun with a game of laundry toss, sorting clothes by colors.

Home Organization Services

Honor the increased mental and physical abilities of children ages 4 and 5 by delegating simple cleaning tasks to them, such as sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, even polishing doorknobs or silver with nontoxic materials (when was the last time you did this?!).  Laundry toss can become a game of sorting by colors or even initial letters of the items (socks in the s pile, for example). Children can water plants, feed and groom pets, even help entertain younger siblings by “reading” books (maybe making up stories or describing pictures, or, for the very precocious, actually reading aloud).

For older children, encourage them to bake something then to clean up after themselves. Or enlist their help sorting through clothes or books, or other chores that are saved up. Make it fun by working together and you will be more likely to obtain their participation.

Children of all ages can be prompted to help clean up their own toys, books, clothes, and other items. Reward them with snow cones made with freshly scooped snow the children can find, drizzled with fruit juice or flavored drink. If there isn’t enough fresh snow, as appears to be the case this winter in the New York area, or if you’re in Paris,

New York area

where snowfall typically disappears within 24 hours, you can use a blender or food processor to chop some ice. If you have an ice shaver, even better, but not necessary. This fun task can even be delegated to children! Have them don an apron and be snow cone chefs. When the treats are ready, a snow-day picnic on newly cleaned floors or rugs will showcase the results of their hard work cleaning. You can also slow down and call a family board game day to celebrate a clean home.

Snow Cone
Photo courtesy of and copyright Free Range Stock,
www.freerangestock.com: Chance Agrela

And while you are inside on your snow day, A Votre Service! will ensure your Hampton property is plowed and salted or sanded. Our Property Management Service can also check for dangerous conditions such buildup of ice or snow on roofs, tree limbs, or gutters, and can check inside for leaks, frozen pipes, and functioning thermostats.