ParentingGrade SchoolKindergartnersPreschoolersToddlers11 Comments
How to get kids to clean up? This is a simple secret you can do today to get your kids to clean up on their own.
I am always amazed at how quickly our playroom, or the kids bedrooms, can go from clean to chaos!
It’s so easy for them to get out all the toys, but putting them back is another matter altogether.
Sometimes all those toys overwhelm me and I have 30+ years of practice cleaning up. It’s no wonder that there are occasionally tears from my children when they are asked to clean up.
It can be hard to know where to start and even harder to for them to know what it means to be finished.
How often have you had a child tell you they were done cleaning only to find the results lacking? A mish-mash of toys shoved onto shelves along with a clean sock, a dirty sippy cup, and a toothbrush?
It’s easy to wonder how can they think they’re done.
Unfortunately, their lack of experience in sorting and organizing makes this a tough skill to master.
Also find 10 ways to keep messy play clean
Now, I have to tell you before we go any further that my house will never be featured in some popular house magazine. Nor will I ever be elected to the ‘clean house hall of fame’.
My house is full of people all day long. There are dirty dishes in my sink, piles of laundry waiting for me in the garage, and toys all over the floor in the playroom.
That being said, I have spent a lot of time over the last 12 years helping my kids pick up. One of the best ways I have found to help them be more self-sufficient is using pictures.
How to Get Kids to Clean up:
Pictures help kids easily identify where things belong. They help them know what it will look like when they are done and can empower them to work by themselves.
My youngest child is two and a half, and is showing signs of being ready to start cleaning up on his own. So, I resurrected this idea from when my older children were little. (The last time I did this I cut pictures out of toy catalogs and glued them to index cards).
Label Bins to Make it Easy to Find its Spot
I started with labeling the bins on the playroom shelves.
I took pictures of what was inside each bin and created a label by printing it out and attaching it with clear packing tape.
(I started with clear self-adhesive paper, but it didn’t adhere to these particular bins.)
What Does ‘Cleaned Up’ Look Like?
I took pictures of what the shelves in our playroom look like when they are tidy. This is used as a model for what it means to be done cleaning up.
Make a Clean Up Book to Read
Lastly, I made a little book to read with my little one about cleaning up. He loves to take it out and read it to himself.
How to Adapt for Older Kids
This idea works great for older kids as well. I found a use for it with my 10-year old who seems to put the dishes somewhere new each time he unloads the dishes.
I took pictures of the cabinets with the dishes put away and attached them to the inside of the cabinets (this time the self-adhesive paper worked, it’s much easier to remove than tape).
Last tip? Make cleaning up fun! Find 11 ways for preschoolers to help clean up!
What is your favorite tip for helping your kids learn to clean up?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
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Sarah says
These are great tips- I love the idea of teaching my kids to get involved with cleaning! I’m a single working mom with three kids and I feel like my house is always a mess. Lately, I’ve just been hiring professional maids, carpet cleaners, and even organizers to help me manage the mess. Now that school is starting in a few weeks, I want to get in the habit of having my kids help me tidy the house and clean up their messes by themselves.
Kapree says
I would love to see more pics of the book you made! I love that idea.
Lucy says
It makes perfect sense…I did this with my son’s dresser drawers back in the early 90s…he’s 29 now! It helped him a lot and kept me at least a bit sane. I label everything in my kindergarten classroom as well. Words with pictures help in so many ways!
Mercedes Day says
I love this method of attaching pictures to the various bins to help kids clean after themselves. I think it is important that they grasp the concept of organizing their toys in their early days so that they can translate these skills into good habits later on.
Amy in Ukraine says
Thanks for the post! I also labeled our toy bins with text/clipart and that helped not only the kids but dad and relatives/babysitters to join in the process, too. I especially like your picture of what “clean” looks like idea – I’ll take a “clean” photo for us today!
Two other ideas that help us:
1) Use an interesting utensil to pick up the toys, such as tongs or a scoop spoon or even a toy dump truck. The process does take longer, but they usually clean up cheerfully and get fine motor practice, too!
2) Especially if time is short, set a timer and announce excitedly “3 minutes to clean the room, let’s see if we can do it!” This makes it a “team” effort plus a competitive race against the clock.
Also, delegating helps them feel less overwhelmed; big sister picks up the stuffed animals, little brother puts the cars away, mom organizes the books.
Sue says
Great ideas Amy. I must remember these (and all the other ideas from “Hands on…..) when I need my little grandchildren to ‘clean up in Nanny’s playroom!’
Kaitlyn says
I need to do two things: one) print pictures like you have to glue to spots, and two) throw crap away.
I have a 2-1/2 year old daughter and she does decently well picking up! Like you said, she doesn’t quite understand when she’s finished… But, she tries. Thing is, half the time even I don’t know where a toy “lives” and therefore changes homes multiple times a day – im sure so confusing to her.
I’ll buy some buckets next time I’m out and see where we can go from there!
FarZain says
I think I need to get this done in the playroom ASAP, before losing my sanity!
Thanks a ton for sharing this.
FarZain
@http://colorsofourrainbow.blogspot.ae/