The smell of fresh spring air can be rejuvenating. The trees are beginning to bloom again and school is in its final stages of the year. With all those signs of the changing seasons, many of us feel an urge to clean our houses from top to bottom.

Spring cleaning, though, can feel like a momentum task when you have children. The mess can seem bigger and harder to tackle. In reality, though, your children can be great helpers to get your house cleaned.

The advantages of children learning how to clean are massive. One study found that children who completed regular household chores had a sense of mastery, self-reliance, and responsibility.(1) The children of this study started doing chores as early as 3 or 4 years old, and they saw lifelong benefits from it. Some of these benefits included good relationships with friends and family and success in academics and later in their careers.