Whether you’re building an outdoor deck or just replacing some old tiles in the bathroom, home remodeling projects can be a great way to bring the family together. All it takes is a little creativity and a willingness to let your kids get their hands dirty. Here are four ways to make your renovation a fun one.

Get Everyone Involved

Instead of banishing your kids from the remodeling site, invite them to participate with age-appropriate tasks and helper duties. For example, young children might be put in charge of clean-up activities like sweeping, wiping down surfaces and throwing away garbage in a garbage bin, like those from Kingston Skips. Older children might be allowed to assist with caulking, painting or weather-stripping. Teens can be taught the ways of the sander.

Go Shopping Together

Shopping for materials is half of the fun of a remodel, so bring the kids along when it’s time to hit the hardware store. Let them help with the list-checking and price-calculating, and make it a group effort to hunt down the right screwdriver or perfectly match the wallpaper samples. Not only will it be a unique family bonding experience, but it will also teach everyone a thing or two about being smart, thrifty and self-reliant.

Get Them Their Own Tools

It’s no secret that building things is good for child development. For example, the benefits of block play include everything from better spatial recognition to improved fine motor skills. If you aren’t quite ready to give your five-year-old a hammer and nails, however, consider investing in a child-friendly toolkit that will allow them to work side-by-side with mom and dad without the dangers of grown-up power tools.

Honor Their Contributions

This is especially important if you’re remodeling a communal space that will be used by the entire family. By allowing your children to choose the wall color or decide where the furniture goes, you’re sending the message that their thoughts, ideas and preferences are just as important as ones from their parents and siblings. It can be a big boost to their self-esteem as well as a fun way to engage their imagination. Better yet, they’ll be reminded of their pride every time that they use the remodeled room.

These are just a few ways to bring the family together with a home remodeling project. Everyone will reap the benefits of a bigger, better living space, but if you play your cards right, renovating your home can be just as fun and family-focused as occupying it.