My First Cleaning Kit

Ages: 2 years and up

Make the most of toddler possessiveness with an "All mine!" set of downsized supplies. To do so, find a plastic pail or a small shower caddy your child can easily carry, then fill it with helpful, harmless tidy-uppers: a clean sponge, a clean rag, a spray bottle filled with plain water, a mini dustpan and broom, and our fabulous sock duster (see the Sock-it-to-Dust Puppet in this article). Then give your child some drudgery-free ideas for using them:

No diapers!

At least not for this. . . . With your supervision, your child can clean off her low table and chair with a fresh diaper or wipe.

Get wet.

Or maybe just a little damp. Offer a clean sponge and a spray bottle filled with water, and invite her to clean the table and glass doors.

Make noise.

With your help, a small child can use a handheld vacuum to clean up crushed crackers or linty stairs.

Play copycat.

Let your kid repeat after you: dust a low surface and let her dust next to you; water the plant, then hand her the watering can.

Boogie!

Put on some fun music -- let your child select it -- and have a just-for-two dance party while you tidy up.