Kids in the Kitchen

Kids love to help out in the kitchen...but don't let the help stop with the creating process. Keep it going with cleaning! Kids can help out with most cleaning tasks in the kitchen. Here is a list, sorted by age, to get your kitchen elves busy with:

Toddlers (with your help of course)

• Swiffer the floor
• wipe off cabinets
• learn to put silverware away

Preschoolers

• Wipe down fridge, dishwasher and oven
• Unload the dishwasher (plastics, cups, pans)
• Learn to sweep and scrub the floor
• Learn rinse and load dishes

School Age

• Unload the whole dishwasher
• Learn to hand wash dishes
• Wipe off counters
• Clean out sink

Any other kid-friendly kitchen cleaning ideas out there?

I use a vinegar solution for cleaning so I don't need to worry much about my kiddos inhaling fumes or overusing a chemical. But if you use cleaners that contain chemicals, make sure you stick close by when your child is cleaning.