Kids make big messes and they make them quickly! To maintain order in our home we've implemented 10 ways to get our kids to help clean up.
1) Reduce
Simply having fewer toys available to play with means fewer toys to have to clean up. Reduce the number of toys you keep out at any given time. You can store toys under beds, in closets or even in the garage and rotate them out every few weeks or months. Rotating toys also keeps the kids excited about what they have to play with.
2) Permanent Homes
Give everything a permanent home so it's easy for children to learn where things go back.
3) Keep it simple, silly
Group like toys together so it's obvious where the toys go. Keep stuffed animals together, lego's with lego's and so on.
4) Label
Label everything so it's clear where it belongs! Use pictures for younger, non-reading, children and words for older children.
5) Songs Help
As much as most adults hate 'Barney' his clean up song works! Sing the clean up song or any version of clean up song you make up while cleaning up so the kids learn that cleaning up is fun!
6) Make it a Race
Kids love racing around doing just about anything, so why not turn clean up into a race?!? See who can pick up 10 toys first or who can get their side of the room cleaned quicker!
7) Reward
I'm not saying reward them with more toys or even candy or money but verbally reward them! Praise them for getting the job done and give lots of hugs or high fives! The better they feel once the job is done the more likely they are to do the job again next time!
8) Do it often
You can either implement a 'one at a time' rule where the kids can only have one toy/type of toys out at a time. When they're done playing with it they must put it away before moving onto the next toy. Or, you can just have clean up time occur more often. Set a timer to go off every 30 minutes, less or more depending on your kids mess-making abilities, and when the bell dings they have to stop and pick up. Less mess = quicker, easier and less overwhelming clean up!
9) On their level
Keep toys that are age appropriate at their level. Toys that have smaller pieces, that make bigger messes or that require more adult supervision at higher levels. If it's lower it's easier to put it away.
10) Join in
Finally, have them join in on organizing the toys. If they feel the ownership of finding "homes" for their toys they will be more likely to put them back where they belong.
Do you sing the 'Barney, Clean Up Song' with your kids or a song you made up?
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