Posted by cel

Okay, so the title is a bit of a joke. A more accurate title might be – “Ways to keep your child happy and occasionally involved while you do your laundry.” Here are some tips for turning laundry into a fun preschooler activity.

* Sheet Fort: When changing bed sheets – why not give the little ones the opportunity to make forts with sheets and the living room couch before throwing the sheets in for a wash? It can keep them occupied while you get other things done, and you don’t have to dirty a clean sheet for the occasion.

*Sheet Sled: Open up a sheet on the floor, plant your little one in the middle and pull them around for a fun ride before washing the sheets. The kids think its a blast and you might as well do it with the sheets you are about to wash anyway!

Loading & unloading

* Washer basketball: Its amazing how happy my son is to load the laundry into the washer or dryer for me. Its easier with the front loaders, but they can also “play basketball” with the top loaders. Make a game and yell “score!” or “2 points” every time they “make a basket.” (I also use this technique to get my son involved in picking up his toys in the playroom and putting them away in their baskets. It works wonders.)

Folding

* Admittedly, this is a tough one. I usually have work to keep my boys from messing up my neatly folded piles of clothes. They way I have dealt with this is to give them the kitchen towels and smaller bath towels to fold. They do their messy folding and I praise them, and they are happy. Then I re-fold them when they are not around. :~)