How do you make your children clean up the toys after playing?

These are the papers with toy cleaning tasks drawn - I drew these for my son and I to clean up the toys
@kaka135 (14916)
Malaysia
March 8, 2013 4:41pm CST
My son is 4 years old now, I have always been finding a way to make him clean up the toys after playing. I have read that as 4 years old is still very tiny, we need to clean up the toys together with them. Usually I am the one who does this work, I always find a way to make him do it together with me, I need his participation in this, especially letting him know this is his responsibility to do so. I just found a way today. I was reading a book to him, the story mentioned a few people picked a paper with number written in it and decided who should go first. My son asked me about that, and I explained. Before my baby girl woke up, as she just learned how to crawl now, we have to clean up the toys to make the place baby proof. I suddenly thought of making the cleaning tasks more interesting, by writing them one by one in the papers, and two of us pick the papers and do the tasks. My son was very happy listing out the task together with me one by one, I drew them in the paper. We split the task evenly. After we have done the task, we drew a tick on the paper to marked it as completed, and also drew a smiley face on it. My son were happy doing the clean up tasks. I hope this technique can last for quite a while. This can be Math lesson too. As we write the task on the paper, we need to count the total number of the tasks, and we need to divide by two. So, my son might pick up the concept of division here. (He already learned how to count.) When my baby girl grows up, we will need to divide by 3.
2 people like this
20 responses
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
9 Mar 13
That sure is a smart of way teaching your kid. It is like hitting two birds with one stone! Great job!
1 person likes this
• Philippines
18 Sep 13
Great idea. Maybe I can use these methods to my nephew and niece since I'm having the same problem with their toys too
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
9 Mar 13
Sounds like a good idea. Good to hear this works well for you and your son. We have a 4 year old granddaughter who most often won't pick up her toys. She has a baby sister who is 11 months old so I totally understand about you commenting on the fact the house needs to be baby proofed. Our daughter is still working on the process daily. Some days it works, other days it does not. We have 3 daughters. When they were small I found it much easier to wait until they all went to bed and picked things up myself. I realize it didn't teach them much but because I wanted peace and quiet around their bedtimes, I just cleaned up myself. Sometimes it gets that way after having 3 kids within 7 years. They grew up to be fine adults and mom's so guess in the long run it didn't hurt because I did some of the dirty work when they were young. Raising kids isn't an easy job but so rewarding.
@1corner (744)
• Canada
9 Mar 13
The tips shared by others above are good, and what you did was great!! Young kids love to please their parents, so when they get praised, it reinforces the desired behavior even more. It also helps to have a visual aid, eg. smiley face drawing or stickers, on a daily chart for reminders.
@cvodrey (225)
• United States
9 Mar 13
I usually pitch in to help them clean and turn it into a game. After a while they've gotten into the habit; it's just something we do. I like your approach, though.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
11 Mar 13
It's always different for every kid. And as a parent, you have to be creative in coming up with ways to make the child clean up after playing. You could do what you did. And make it fun, or a game so that as the child grows up, it can be viewed more not as chore. And yes, it's great that you could incorporate a math lesson there as well.
• Canada
9 Mar 13
I used to sing the clean up song with my daughter and she would clean as she sings. Seemed to work for her. Now that she is a lot older it's harder to get her to clean up her stuff. When I vacuum her room and things are on the floor whatever she doesn't pick up before my warning goes in the garbage or in the vacuum but it hasn't come to that. She listes to the warning
@laydee (12798)
• Philippines
9 Mar 13
There are a number of ways I motivate my nephew and niece to clean up after themselves (in terms of toys). The usual thing I do is to tell them that the toy-eating-monster is coming and they have to save and much toy as they can (I am the monster in this scenario) and they seem to really make a quick getaway with the toys hehehe.. all inside the containers. Another way is by challenging them who can shoot the toy to the container (they have a huge container of toys). The one with the most toys inside the container gets a prize (usually just a stamp of a star on the hand - that really works! hahaha). I guess you need to be really creative with kids. Have a great mylot experience ahead!
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
9 Mar 13
Sounds like a good way! I fixed that problem real fast when my kids were little and later with their kids... I told my son with three little girls.....get them each a small laundry basket that can be stacked when not used. Get the baskets out, and tell each one...its a race...who can fill their basket with their toys first! The winner got hugged and told they got to run first to scoot the basket to their room...the winner of putting their toys away first got a treat or to choose the movie they watch or choose the what they do next or something ilke that. He balked at it but then tried it and told me later... now they intentionally take out more toys than they play with hoping to be the first to have enough to play the "pick up game"! He was amazed! I taught his little girl at age 2, her colors...how? By having her sort laundry!!! Or tell her to find something blue in the pile and toss it into the machine. Take all the blue things (dont' call them clothes!) and put them in this pile. She loved it, she learned her colors and I didn't have to do the work and I totally enjoyed playing with her!
• United States
9 Mar 13
We will sing a clean up song. Sometimes it works. I often have to help or do most of it, though. I also count, but it never helps.
@JamesKYTan (1605)
• Malaysia
9 Mar 13
Wow, That's is a good way of teaching your son of responsibility. He learns how to clean up after using his things. This is called, 'Responsibility.' You may also show him the spirit of competition. Whoever finish first gets rewarded. Of course You are an adult whereas he is a toddler and there will be handicap as in golf. Then bring him to the golf course. Teach him about golf when young just like Tiger Woods. All the best to your excellent upbringing of your children
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
9 Mar 13
My children are beyond he ages of picking up their toys. When they were of that age, it could be very demanding and difficult to get them to clean up after they were done playing with their toys. I ried not to make it sound like a chore or a punishment. I would poften try to make a game of iot. They were much more willing to clean up after themselves that way.
@shaina228 (119)
• Japan
9 Mar 13
Thanks for sharing! This is an additional info to jot down. My daughter is still 2yrs old, sometimes she help me pick up her toys. But most of the time I'm doing the task. I am teaching her little by little but more often she ended up just messing all things up.
• Philippines
9 Mar 13
Sing it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b4gSs0KhIU Teach them how to do it first by showing them how to pack away while the song is ongoing. Then sing the song so they will also get used to singing it :) Eventually, it will become a habit, they will enjoy singing and at the same time packing away. It seems to be effective in my toddler class :)
• United States
9 Mar 13
With a 4 year old that is hard to do to tell him to picj up his toys but I guess you can try and tell him that if he does not pick them up then he will not be able to play with them again until he can learn to pick them up. You have to be constant in the punishment though and dont give in if he starts to whine or cry. I t will be be hard at first but you must stay stong.
@TriciaW (2441)
• United States
8 Mar 13
That is a great plan! I know it is hard for them at times but it is a good idea to teach that they can get one thing out to play but have to put it back before getting out the next one. I am teaching my toddlers that and it is working rather well until I am not the teacher in the room lol. Sometimes they like to get everything out and then the task of putting it all away is overwhelming for them. So if you start teaching this then he will learn out to pick up himself. Best of luck to you!!
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
8 Mar 13
That is a great idea and they are learning at the same time. What I have done with my granddaughter is make it a game. In the beginning when she was small I would help her. Now I would tell her look at this mess you have made. Lets play a game. I will tell her listen I'm going to count to 20 or 50 (depending on how big the mess is). While I'm counting you see how fast you can clean up this mess. She would get so excited. Then I would say get on your mark, get set, go. I would start counting while she is picking up her toys and putting them away. So in 20 seconds or 50 seconds everything is clean and put away. It works and everyone is happy.
@marguicha (217063)
• Chile
8 Mar 13
That solution was very witty and nice for your son to as it didn`t involve any kind of punishment. I wish you had been born and internet had been invented when my kids were little. I guess I used other ways and I`m not proud of all of them
• Valdosta, Georgia
8 Mar 13
That is a good way to do it. I always get my kids to clean up while singing the clean up song. Clean up clean up everybody everywhere, clean up clean up everybody do your share. The kids always like that song and it gets them cleaning!
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
8 Mar 13
I used to take a toy away for a week, when my son didnt or wouldnt clean his room. Give it a try. Sure worked for me.