How to Get Your Toddler to Clean up Toys

Are you constantly spending your time picking up scattered toys from every corner of your living room?

It seems as if young children have a knack for turning your tidy home into a toy battlefield.

Tossing toys everywhere — under couches, in the bathtub, and even on the stairs.

The toy box, however, remains untouched!

If this struggle sounds all too familiar, rest assured that you are not alone in the relentless clean house vs. toddler standoff.

But here’s the good news: this power struggle can be transformed into a fun learning experience for your young kids.

Start teaching them crucial life skills early, such as the responsibility of taking care of their belongings.

Here are some simple, fun ways to encourage your toddler to start picking up their toys instead of just throwing them around.

organized toys with text overlay that says: 6 surprising ways to make clean up time happen with toddlers

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Model

Have you noticed how your little one mirrors almost everything you do?

This is a perfect opportunity to step into the role model shoes and teach them something useful and productive.

Rather than merely instructing them to tidy up, demonstrate the best way to do it.

As you gather their scattered toys, narrate your actions, explaining where each toy belongs.

Approach this task with genuine enthusiasm and make it sound intriguing rather than a chore.

If you frame it as a fun activity, your toddler is likely to follow suit.

Though you might feel a tad ridiculous initially, it’s a great idea to make them an active participant.

Seeing your toddler mimic your actions for the first time will make it all worthwhile.

It’s the little things like these that can transform a mundane task into a positive experience.

So, next time you set out to clean up, invite your mini-you to join in the fun!

Cleanup Time Tune

Integrating music and song into tasks can convert mundane chores into enjoyable activities.

An excellent method to do this is to use a ‘clean up song’.

Create your own catchy cleanup tune or choose from the numerous options available on YouTube.

Incorporating this into every cleanup time can serve as a subtle cue for your young toddler that it’s time to begin the task.

This is one of the fun tricks to make the little task of cleaning up a part of their routine.

The best part is, with the cleanup song, you may not even have to explicitly instruct them to start cleaning – the song should signal it for them.

Young mother playing with her baby son at home

The Power of Positive Praise

From a young age, your child seeks your attention and approval.

By the time they’re a toddler, acknowledging their achievements with positive praise becomes a powerful tool for reinforcing good behaviors.

A simple “great job putting the toys in the toybox!” or a high-five when they pick up their toys can work wonders.

Younger children, in particular, thrive on this kind of affirmation.

It’s crucial, however, to find a balance.

If praise is given the entire time, it may lose its impact.

Therefore, focus on delivering positive feedback for specific actions or accomplishments, like completing small tasks such as cleaning up.

Try to praise the specific behavior they are doing instead of just a generic “good job.”

Engaging Choices

If your toddler seems resistant to tidying up, transforming the task into a fun game can make a world of difference.

Offer them a choice, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly they respond.

For example, ask your toddler if they would like to pick up the red cars or the farm animal blocks.

This approach not only reduces the pressure your child may feel but also empowers them by giving them some control over the situation.

The trick is to make clean-up time feel like a good time! It’s astounding how well this simple strategy works when used on a regular basis.

Additionally, giving a specific toy choice like red toys or farm animals can also boost language development in toddlers.

Learn more about how choices encourage language development.

Play a Game

Let playtime continue with silly games to make clean-up time more fun.

Tell your child that you want to race them and see who can pick up the most toys the fastest.

You could also play a game of “I Spy” by spotting out different toys that you want them to pick up using hints.

Make sure to take turns!

Use a timer on your microwave or a child-friendly visual timer (like this one) to play a game of beat the clock!

Set it for 2 minutes and see how much they clean up.

Go for another round if they seem to be having fun or set the timer a bit longer next time if they seem to be engaged during the clean-up session.

Clean up Frequently

Try not to wait till the very end of the day to clean up EVERYTHING. Toddlers’ attention spans are short.

Short cleaning sprees work best if you want the help because they can stay focused for short amounts of time.

If you wait too long, they will not stick around long enough for the entire mess to get picked up.

You could even have clean-up breaks throughout play time if things start to get out of hand.

I hope you found these tips to be helpful.

Do you have any tips or tricks that work well for you to get your toddler to clean up?

Be Creative When It Comes to Cleaning Up!

Turning cleanup time into a game can make the task more appealing to your toddler.

Use a kitchen timer to set a specific time limit for the game.

This creates a sense of urgency and excitement, making the activity feel like a fun challenge rather than a chore.

You could also organize a scavenger hunt, asking your toddler to find a specific toy among the clutter.

This adds an element of discovery to the task, making it more engaging and fun.

If your child is having a hard time getting started, a treasure hunt could be just the motivation they need.

The result?

Less clutter in your home and more fun for your toddler.

As daunting as the task may seem at first, with a bit of creativity and patience, you can indeed encourage your little one to take responsibility for their toys.

So, whether it’s a scavenger hunt or a treasure hunt, remember that the goal is to make cleanup time fun and engaging for your toddler.

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