Spring Cleaning Day on the Prairie

This post, about spring cleaning on the prairie was completely unplanned by me! Spring cleaning, on the prairie or otherwise, fills me with horror! But as I was taking photos for this week’s post, I noticed something hanging on one of the hooks by the stove.

It was a handwritten list.

I’m not sure it was meant for publication, but here it is:

SPRING CLEANING DAY

• Wash clothes
• Sharpen pencil (!)
• Clean upstairs
• Clean downstairs
• Collect dry clothes

And then every single item was scribbled out and replaced with one big word written in bold, triumphant handwriting:

EVERYTHING

My children crack me up.

But as I stood there smiling at their ambitious (and slightly overwhelming!) list, I realised we had unintentionally stumbled into the perfect homeschool lesson topic: spring cleaning day on the prairie. One question remained: Could I make spring cleaning on the prairie fun for the children (and me)?

Catch Up! If you haven’t read all about our first week on the prairie, I would encourage you to go and read my Little House in the Big woods post. This covers everything we did from making nightdresses, to prairie cooking and making button strings. It also gives you a good idea of everything we achieved with our own little house on the prairie renovations!

Why Study Spring Cleaning Day on the Prairie?

When we think of spring cleaning today, we may imagine decluttering closets, washing windows, or organizing toy bins. But a true spring cleaning day on the prairie was something entirely different.

For pioneer families, spring cleaning wasn’t optional, it was essential.

After a long winter:

• Soot coated walls from wood-burning stoves
• Bedding needed airing after months indoors
• Floors required scrubbing
• Clothing needed thorough washing
• Food stores had to be checked for spoilage

There were no washing machines. No vacuum cleaners. No grocery delivery if something ran out.

Every chore required time, physical strength, and cooperation.

And yes… probably a master list that looked suspiciously like “EVERYTHING.”

Check out week two! Last week we focused on Farmer Boy. This is the second book in the Little House on the Prairie book set. During the week we did lots of prairie cooking (hasty pudding, making a sour dough starter and some prairie bread) and also made some button lamps, a prairie ladder, and some peg hooks. Gary and the little ones did some gardening in our prairie garden and we tried to make some more of our rag rug.

What Did Spring Cleaning Look Like on the Prairie?

A traditional spring cleaning day on the prairie often included:

🧺 Laundry… the Hard Way

Clothes were washed in large tubs with heated water and lye soap. Items were scrubbed by hand and wrung out before hanging to dry in the fresh spring air.

🪣 Scrubbing Floors & Walls

Dirt floors or wooden planks were scrubbed with homemade cleaners. Walls stained with soot were wiped down carefully.

🛏 Airing Bedding

Mattresses, quilts, and rugs were carried outdoors to be beaten and aired in the sunshine.

🪓 Repairing & Sharpening Tools

Spring meant planting season. Tools needed sharpening and repair, perhaps explaining why “Sharpen pencil” made our list. Even children understood preparation mattered!

🥕 Checking Food Supplies

Root cellars and food stores were inspected. Anything spoiled was discarded.

This wasn’t just tidying, it was resetting the home after surviving winter.

Check out week three! We focused on The Little House on the Prairie. This is the third book in the Little House on the Prairie book set. During the week we did some of prairie cooking (soda biscuits) and also made some curtains, hay sticks and a hammock net. Gary and the little ones did some gardening in our prairie garden and we tried to make some more of our rag rug.

Character Lessons from a Spring Cleaning Day on the Prairie

Studying spring cleaning day on the prairie opens up rich discussions beyond history:

• Work ethic – Chores weren’t optional. Everyone contributed.
• Gratitude – We see how many conveniences we enjoy today.
• Stewardship – Families cared deeply for what they had because replacing items was costly.
• Teamwork – Spring cleaning was a family event.

And perhaps most relatable to us homeschool parents… sometimes the list feels like “EVERYTHING.”

Week four we focused on ‘On the Banks of Plum Creek’ and the children learnt about herbal medicine, stained a rocking chair for the corner of the house, made some baskets and began a productive Little House vegetable garden. And lastly, we made some home-made yogurt and a blueberry pie.

Turning Spring Cleaning into a Homeschool Lesson

You can easily turn spring cleaning day on the prairie into a full mini unit study for your homeschool.

1. History Connection

Read from Little House on the Prairie or other pioneer stories. Discuss how daily life differed from today.

Discussion Prompt:
How long do you think it would take to wash clothes without electricity?

2. Math Integration

• Estimate how many gallons of water laundry required.
• Calculate how many loads a large family might have.
• Time how long it takes to scrub a small surface by hand.

3. Science Exploration

• Study how soap works.
• Compare homemade lye soap to modern detergents.
• Discuss how sunshine naturally disinfects fabrics.

4. Writing Activity

Have your child write their own “Spring Cleaning Day on the Prairie” journal entry from the perspective of a pioneer child.

Encourage sensory details:

• What does the soap smell like?
• How does cold water feel on your hands?
• What sounds fill the cabin?

During week five, we focused on By the Shores of the Silver Lake. We made signs for over the front door and inside the cottage, wove our own baskets, Thomas began building a stove for the cottage, made some molasses popcorn balls and a very tasty prairie chicken with home grown green beans.

Hands-On Activities for Spring Cleaning Day on the Prairie

Here are practical, meaningful activities that bring the lesson to life:

🧼 Wash Something by Hand

Let children wash a few small cloths in a basin using warm water and simple soap. Compare the effort to using a washing machine.

🌬 Air Out Bedding

Hang a blanket outside for an hour. Notice how it smells afterward. Discuss why prairie families valued sunshine.

🪵 Scrub a Surface

Assign a small area (like a baseboard or chair) to scrub by hand.

📝 Make a Pioneer Chore List

Have your children create their own version of a spring cleaning day on the prairie list.

Then — just for fun — let them scribble it out and write “EVERYTHING.”

🧺 Try a No-Electricity Hour

Turn off electronics for one hour and complete simple chores the old-fashioned way.

During week six our focus was on The Long Winter. We made a tea towel and dish cloth, did some prairie cooking and made butter, bread, and jam. Thomas also completed the Little House stove and Lillie made a table cloth.

Comparing Then and Now

Create a chart with two columns:

Prairie Spring Cleaning	Modern Spring Cleaning
Heated water on stove	Washing machine
Handmade soap	Store-bought detergent
Beating rugs outdoors	Vacuum cleaner
Entire day (or week!)	Few hours

This simple visual reinforces gratitude and historical understanding.

In week seven, during our time with The Little Town on the Prairie, we focused on prairie dress up for all five children, we made some cod balls, fresh lemonade and prairie biscuits and held a prairie party. Thomas made a sink unit to go in our own little house whilst Charlotte made a tea towel and dish cloth to go with it.

Reflection Questions for Your Homeschool

Use these during morning time or family discussion:

1. Why was spring cleaning especially important on the prairie?
2. How do you think children felt about helping all day?
3. What chore would be hardest for you without electricity?
4. What modern tool are you most thankful for?
5. Why do you think families worked together instead of assigning everything to one person?
6. How does doing hard work together build family unity?
7. If you had to write your own list today, would it say specific chores or “EVERYTHING”?

Last week was week eight, and we were reading ‘These Happy Golden Years’. During this week we focused on how laundry was done on the prairie. We made ourselves a laundry bag and matching peg bag. We used our new play stove to ‘boil’ the water and after we used our very new and exciting purchase of a wash board, completing out laundry day by pegging out everything on our washing line!

A Gentle Reminder for Homeschool Moms

That scribbled list by the stove made me smile — and also pause.

Sometimes homeschooling feels like spring cleaning day on the prairie.

There are lessons to teach, meals to cook, laundry to fold, and little hands asking questions in between.

And some days?

The list really does say “EVERYTHING.”

But just like prairie families, we work together. We teach diligence. We model perseverance. And we build something lasting, not just a clean house, but capable hearts.

So this spring, why not turn your cleaning day into a history lesson?

You may just find that your children learn far more than how to scrub a floor.

And if they rewrite your list in giant letters?

Smile.

They’re learning.