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Why does it take me having to starting putting things into a garbage bag in order for these kids to clean up??? Almost every single day!
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...because you don't actually leave them there when you do that?
I am just guessing.
Do you though? Or do you stop then because they start cleaning up?
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What I do is ask/remind like this:
Me: "Time to begin cleaning up kids"
(kids do nothing...continue playing)
5-10 minutes later
Me: "Please pick up all the toys now."
(kids do nothing...continue playing)
5-10 minutes later
I ask the kids to please sit here (circle time area)
I then begin putting the toys away myself.
Those toys are now off limits until I feel they have "earned" the right to use them again or to play AND clean up when asked.
Depending on my group...that time frame could be as little as 30 minutes or as long as a few days....
I will ONLY ask once.
I will TELL them once.
Then I clean up myself and helping is no longer an option for them.
They learn SUPER DUPER fast if you do that 1-2 times. I promise.
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...because you don't actually leave them there when you do that?
I am just guessing.
Do you though? Or do you stop then because they start cleaning up?
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What I do is ask/remind like this:
Me: "Time to begin cleaning up kids"
(kids do nothing...continue playing)
5-10 minutes later
Me: "Please pick up all the toys now."
(kids do nothing...continue playing)
5-10 minutes later
I ask the kids to please sit here (circle time area)
I then begin putting the toys away myself.
Those toys are now off limits until I feel they have "earned" the right to use them again or to play AND clean up when asked.
Depending on my group...that time frame could be as little as 30 minutes or as long as a few days....
I will ONLY ask once.
I will TELL them once.
Then I clean up myself and helping is no longer an option for them.
They learn SUPER DUPER fast if you do that 1-2 times. I promise.
I love this!!!! I have problems everyday as well!! Definitely doing this come Monday
once again thank you blackcat
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Most of the time I keep the items in the bag until they have cleaned up everything else, then I dump the bag out in the middle of the rokm and they put them away. I HAVE gotten rid of a bag or 2 (or so they think... the bags are just downstairs hah). I have made toys off limits, I have only brought out certain toys, I have done time outs, hand over hand, me cleaning by myself, me offering to help only if they are doing it as well ... I am pretty close to boxing all of the toys up and having the kids sit in an empty play room for a day ... ergh!!! Although I know that would br a horrible day for myself, haha.Comment
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When I run into trouble with them cleaning up, I find it helps if you turn it into a game of sorts. Who can bring me the most trains? Who can find all the red blocks? You get the idea. Of course, I never count or make it so there is a winner, but kids love games and usually if you get one or two on board, the rest will join in if they see the others getting praise (Thank you Sally for bringing me a train! Can you find another one? Good job!). Of course, this also helps provide guidance to the younger kids who I think quite often are overwhelmed looking at a pile of toys and not knowing where to start. You are basically telling them specifically what to pick up. Of course my kids are both 2. I probably wouldn't praise a 4 year old as much for doing something they should be, unless it was used as a tactic to get the littles involved. I know the feeling of frustration though. My ds is not good at helping clean up.Comment
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I used to sing the "clean up, clean up, everybody do your share".......
Booooooring. :
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I have a cd player with a cd that has only one song on it and stays in there all the time, unless we need the player for dance or music time. I have the same song on my phone for when we are outside or elsewhere in the center.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE THEME MUSIC! (I like the.U2 version). This song has a real "sense of urgency" about it. I will say "There's the's the music! We only have until the song ends to clean up! Oh no, times almost up!"
Works like a charm. Even Littles.Comment
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I just say lets go, its time to clean up. I help them if they are having a hard time to get started. I also do Kid1, all the kitchen stuff, kid2 books, kid3 stuffies, kid 4 cars. I use a lot of hurry up if we want to have time to go outside, or do whatever it is we are transitioning into. I use phrases of I need your help, good job, keep going, lets get this done, what a mess we must clean it up, hurry etc... We all chip in to clean the mess and we help the younger kiddo's with the messes they make too. It is a group effort. If someone refuses to help I ask the child if they want us to stop and they can clean it up themselves.......usually get a big no on that one, then I go onto ok then we must all help out to get this mess under control. We do this everyday. Some days are better then others but for the most part this is just something we do like all the other somethings we do through out the day. I don't expect perfect either and sometimes we will clean up half and then do the other half when we come in or after we put shoes on or at another time. Its something we just do, not negotiable. We play, we must pick up. We all help each other, some kids take on more then others but for the most part everyone is chipping in. I also do a time out if a child refuses to help and has a melt down. They learn quick its boring to have to sit out while everyone else is helping. I use lots of praise. I just figured no way am I cleaning this mess myself everyday. Teaches a lot too. Sorting, colors, numbers, group effort, caring etc.. My kids are ages 1-31/2Comment
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This is such a cute idea!I used to sing the "clean up, clean up, everybody do your share".......
Booooooring. ::
I have a cd player with a cd that has only one song on it and stays in there all the time, unless we need the player for dance or music time. I have the same song on my phone for when we are outside or elsewhere in the center.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE THEME MUSIC! (I like the.U2 version). This song has a real "sense of urgency" about it. I will say "There's the's the music! We only have until the song ends to clean up! Oh no, times almost up!"
Works like a charm. Even Littles.
When my 16yo ds was little, he used to sing, "clean up, clean up, everybody do MY share."
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My kids are only allowed to get out one thing at a time. Some things have lots of parts (like Little People sets) or groups of toys that get played with together (like puppets), but all are stored on/in their own shelf or bin. My rule is that they can't get another toy until they put the previous toy away. Like all things group care, CONSISTENCY is the key, and they learn as early as 2yo. They still use their imagination of combining different toys in their play when each child chooses something different and they play/share together.
I started doing it this way many years ago when I noticed that just 1 or 2 kids (ya know, sweeties that abhor getting in trouble and shudder at the very thought of getting even a disapproving look!) would pick everything up while the others continue to drag stuff out and play in ignorant bliss. This way, everyone is responsible for their own clean up.
It has to be this way for the safety of the babies and littles, since I care for all ages and I don't separate them with gates or sectioning. A cluttered floor = tripping and crashing. Plus, my dcp's lovethis that their kids just automatically pick up after themselves!Comment
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I try different tricks for different groups.
I had some kids this summer who loved tic-tacs. I'd ask the kids to help me pick up. Just once. There was always 1, maybe 2 who actually pitched in once I started. I never bribed them beforehand but as soon as they were done helping, I'd make a semi-production of giving the helpers a tic-tac. Everybody else would complain and run to help. Sorry too late, maybe next time you'll be quicker to help.
I've done the beat-the-timer game.
I've asked every child to pick up 5 or 8 or however many toys. I think it helps them to know there's a limit to what they have to do?
Yes and then there's the clean-up song.
Currently I have one little girl who refuses to do practically everything I ask of her, including cleaning up. With her, sometimes my only choice is to set her right next to a small mess and not let her move anywhere else until she's done picking up. I read somewhere when they absolutely refuse stuff like that, you need to 'stop their world' until they just do it.Comment
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I have a bell that one child gets to ring and yells "clean up time!" then we have 3-4 clean up songs and they try to beat the songs. If I notice one or two kids not cleaning up I will leave a pile for them and they don't get to do the next activity until it's cleaned up.
I've always been pretty lucky with good cleaning up kids. On occasion they will fight it. I make it a game then or do the above.Comment
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Thank you for all of the suggestions. I have tried songs and turning it into a game. Some days I will have 1 or 2 good cleaners, but for thr most part they just don't do anything about it. I'm frustrated and feel like I'm fighting a losing battle, that ends up with tears and whining every time.
I love the mission impossible song idea! I might be looking into turning it into a reward chart thing ... has anyone ever done this with cleaning up? Sorry if I missed it somewhere, I'm reading/responding during s very difficult snack time - gosh I'm glad its friday.Comment
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I usually love rewards/charts but not for expected behaviors...kwim?
I love the idea of motivating them with awesome music but I just feel like way too many kids ONLY do things when there is some sort of reward for doing it which in my opinion defeats the point.
Kids should have a consequence for NOT cleaning up.
NOT a reward for doing it.
(((hugs))) simply for the fact that I fully understand how hard it is to teach kids simple concepts these days. I know that it is hard. :hug:Comment
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