Spring is the time to sweep away the winter and welcome the warm breezes. While many parents find it easier to tackle the job alone, spring cleaning is a ritual in which children, even very young ones, should be included.

Children ages two to five can help by picking up their toys and putting them away. Spring is a good time to sort toys and books and decide which ones can be donated. If your child has anxiety about parting with her belongings, she can save this work for nap time or reward her generosity by giving her “big boy” or “big girl” replacements. You can also help by trying on summer clothes and donating items that are too small.

Children this age are also excellent at dusting. Remember, you are not looking for perfection, just participation! Show them how to sort items for recycling, such as newspapers, cardboard, plastic, and aluminum, and create a designated recycling center in your home to make this job easier. They can also remove their own dishes from the table and put them by the sink.

Children ages 6 to 10 can help by cleaning cabinet fronts, emptying trash cans, folding and putting away clothes, or cleaning sinks. These children can feed the pet, help prepare meals, set or clear the table, and empty the dishwasher.

Older children can also help younger siblings with their jobs. This will allow them to be leaders and establish a sense of teamwork in your home.

By the time kids reach the age of 11 to 16, they are ready to vacuum, mop, or even scrub toilets (sometimes the “dirtier” the job, the more engaging it can be!) This age can also bring out walking pets, preparing meals, loading the dishwasher, doing laundry, and even doing some ironing. Remember not to assume that because they have seen you do these jobs that they know what to do and what not to do. Be sure to give them a lesson on how to use the dishwasher and what detergent to use. You may have to show the kids more than once and it wouldn’t hurt to post a quick reference guide where they can get answers quickly.

Children in middle school and early high school should also be encouraged to do jobs in the neighborhood. These kids make excellent babysitters, lawnmowers, or dog walkers.

The teen years are often when kids take their first “real world” job. But that doesn’t mean they stop participating in family chores. Older children can help with big jobs, like rolling up rugs to take outside, filing papers that have accumulated on kitchen counters, taking clothes to the dry cleaners, or bringing items donated to Goodwill or The Salvation Army. If they are good drivers, they should also be asked to bring younger siblings to sports practices or home from school.

Remember the satisfaction you get when you check off an item on your to-do list. Give kids that same feeling by creating their own to-do list. Whether you get a solid chore chart or simply print out a job list from your computer, your kids will feel a sense of accomplishment as they complete their chores.

Children should participate in routine cleaning because they are part of the family. But other jobs are better rewarded with an allowance. Only you can decide an appropriate amount. You can also reward a job well done with a special treat, like a late bed, a favorite dessert, or an outing. Chuck E. Cheese offers a printable chart of the clean room on his website, www.chuckecheese.com In true mouse marketing style, they offer 10 free tokens for kids who bring in signed sheets.

Establish a routine and stick to it. And make it fun. If you bark orders, you teach children that cleanliness is a punishment. If you talk about how much you hate cleaning, your kids will hate cleaning too. Instead, use chores as a team building tool and remind your family members that they are all part of the clean team. Set a timer and challenge your family to beat the clock. Create a light environment by turning tasks into a game.

It is important to teach children that all family members should help. While it’s sometimes easier to do it yourself, remember that you’re teaching your kids skills they’ll need as adults.