Clean Sweep

Overview

Did you ever notice how almost every fairytale princess starts her life as a housekeeper? Cinderella, Snow White, the new Rapunzel from Tangled... Why not work that into your next event, with this silly take on housework? Played either as a personal challenge or team relay race, the results are always the same: a clean floor and lots of giggles.

Age

Preschool, School-age, Tweens

Number of Players

1, 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 10, 10 to 20

Team Division

Teamwork! (divide into teams)

Competitiveness

Either/or (can be played either way)

Difficulty

Easy peasy (fun and simple)

Indoor or Outdoor

Either

Space Needed

Small (a clearable open space the size of a 1-car garage), Medium (a clearable open space the size of a 2-car garage)

Noise Level

Semi-rambunctious

Mess Factor

Dustpan, please

Prep Time

5 - 10 minutes

Game Time Length

5 - 15 minutes

Supplies

Assorted detritus (things that can serve as “dust”: puff balls, cotton balls, little balls of wadded up paper, tiny toys, Legos, etc.), at least one piece per player

Painter’s tape (for indoor play)

Sidewalk chalk (for outdoor play)

1 small broom per team (make sure the broom is sized so that it can be used by your smallest player)

Setup

1. Divide your group into even teams.
2. Make a square (either by drawing with chalk outside or taping with blue tape indoors) that is approximately 3 feet by 3 feet, with one square for each team, at the far end of your playing area.
3. Designate the starting spot for each team, directly across from one of the squares, as far from the square as possible (you want space in between the starting line and the square). Mark this with tape or chalk.
4. Spread the “dust” throughout the playing field.
5. Line up your teams, one behind the other.
6. Hand each team a broom.

How to Play

The object of the game is for each player to sweep one piece of dust from the floor into their team’s square. The team that can do it the fastest is the winner.

1. On “Go!” the first person from each team takes their broom and sweeps one piece of “dust” from the playing area and into their team’s square. The “dust” must cross the line and stay in the square.
2. As soon as the piece of “dust” is in the square, the player runs back to their team and hands off the broom to the next player.
3. Play continues until each player has gone once.
4. The team that is sitting down with the broom lying across their laps first, wins!

Variations

1. Place a bunch of “dust” in the playing area, and have teams keep rotating through until there is no more “dust.” To determine the winner, count the number of pieces of dust in the square.
2. Use colored puff balls, and assign each team a certain color.
3. Make it a scavenger hunt/game:
a. Gather a series of items, with one for each team (for example, you have three teams, so you will need three army men, three paper clips, three erasers, etc.).
b. Type up a list of the items in a specific order, and give this to each team’s leader.
c. On “Go!” the team leader calls out the first item on the list. The first player must run onto the field, find that item, and sweep it into their team’s square. The second player must do the second item, and so on.
d. Play until all the items on the list are gone.

Tips

1. Use items for your “dust” that do not roll too easily -- little balls and beads are not a good idea as they will simply roll out of the square, frustrating your players.
2. Make sure players are safe when running back to their teams with their brooms.