8 Clean Up Time Tricks

“I love to pick up my toys!” said no kid ever. Or parent ever. I am not kidding with you, moms, I have a few tricks to help you out! My suggestions are:

1. Do not let more than 1/2 of the toys get out in the first place before cleaning up! Too many toys out seems insurmountable to them and is not a reasonable expectation for them to put away.
2. Have a space for everything! They can’t put it away if they don’t know where it goes.
3. Give a warning a few minutes before it’s time to clean-up.
4. Make it a game! See who can clean up more quickly, play Simon Says (Simon says put away 4 cars, Simon says pick up something yellow, etc.), who can pick up the most _______, play freeze clean up (like freeze dance), etc.
5. Have something fun planned next. For example, when we are finished putting the toys away we can have a dance party/take a walk/play outside/roll around on the clean floor (I have three little boys, it happens.)
6. Set a timer. This is for extreme refusal to help tidy up by older toddlers. When the timer rings, clean-up is over and I will take away whatever toys are left out.
7. Have a specific time of the day that clean-up happens to help develop a routine.
8. Play music! This is my new routine. I found 6 different clean-up songs on Amazon Prime and made a playlist. Serious game changer for us. They stay focused and motivated and I stay sane.

Leave us a comment with any other strategies that work for you!