Removing Toys

[Febby]

I just stay on their tails. We just got our new crop of kids for the year, and I think they were only allowed to take one set of toys at a time in their old classroom. I don't believe in that for 4-year-olds, but I also refused to be on my hands and knees sorting and putting away 50 buckets of dumped toys, or have the centers trashed all the time.

So I am right on them (not in a mean way). No leaving toys not put away, no filling bags, no dumping - we use the toys from the container as we need them, and if its put away incorrectly it has to come back out and be resorted.

I have to do it less and less each day. There is no "refusing" though. There's no choice of not helping- they can either clean up an equal share of the mess or everybody's share

That's what I do with my 3 year old class. Unfortunately, the other 3 year old class is a rougher group and the rules change when they combine into my room at the end of the day. Most days they can get out one set of toys at a time and not be allowed to get anything else out until they clean up the previous set. If it's a bad day, then they get to pick one toy and sit down at a table. I'm not staying late because kids won't clean up.

[ChelseaB]

I generally am not a fan of rewarding children for meeting normal expectations. I feel the feeling of accomplishment should be the reward. That being said, I did try to implement a reward system a couple months ag since I struggle so much. The problem is that mom rewards them for EVERYTHING. As a 4 & a half yo, dcg had been potty trained for over a year & was still getting candy from mom for using the potty. I said not at my house. Pee in the potty or give up your big girl panties. Oddly enough she had no more accidents here after that while mom was still reporting many at home. Anyway, if they think there is the slightest possibility of a reward they will refuse to do anything unless there's a treat. Time to line up, Do I get a treat? Sit on your bottom at the table, Do I get a treat? Don't jump on the couch, Do I get a treat? All. Day. Long. So I did away with the rewards after a day. They are a handful now, but when treats are involved they go nuts & literally will say to me, "I'm not going to obey unless you give me a treat." And that's why rewards for these kids are not currently an option:/

Yes, this is my thought too! I read a different thread where there was a discussion based on the term "treat" (going with the reward thing here) -- it has an interesting perspective that the word doesn't mean the same thing to everyone. For example, my definition is typically a food item, such as a cookie or sweet that we might have occasionally just because. However, to others, it may imply a reward for "good" behavior. The thing is, that some begin to believe that all "good" actions should be rewarded, even for the smallest of tasks that are expected -- not optional. Encouragement is certainly a part of it, and I didn't think about it, but I realized today that my kids have gotten better at least at picking up their mess when I enforce the choice technique. I don't give them the option to say no, I simply say, "okay, it's time to clean up for ........! Someone can pick up the blocks and someone can pick up the dolls! Great job, now, let's make sure we get everything into the toy box!" Until we are finished. Then I finish with a "thank you, kids! Great job!" And go on our way. I don't make it a big deal, and I realized that they have actually done better in just a day doing that. It was a nice change!

[Ariana]

Yes, this is my thought too! I read a different thread where there was a discussion based on the term "treat" (going with the reward thing here) -- it has an interesting perspective that the word doesn't mean the same thing to everyone. For example, my definition is typically a food item, such as a cookie or sweet that we might have occasionally just because. However, to others, it may imply a reward for "good" behavior. The thing is, that some begin to believe that all "good" actions should be rewarded, even for the smallest of tasks that are expected -- not optional. Encouragement is certainly a part of it, and I didn't think about it, but I realized today that my kids have gotten better at least at picking up their mess when I enforce the choice technique. I don't give them the option to say no, I simply say, "okay, it's time to clean up for ........! Someone can pick up the blocks and someone can pick up the dolls! Great job, now, let's make sure we get everything into the toy box!" Until we are finished. Then I finish with a "thank you, kids! Great job!" And go on our way. I don't make it a big deal, and I realized that they have actually done better in just a day doing that. It was a nice change!

Yes thanking kids and telling them how they have helped you is fantastic. With my own I will say "wow guys thanks for your help, you really helped mommy and now I can do xyz and not feel so tired" or whatever. My own kids thrive on that. Most kids are not my kids though and haven't been raised that way. With those kids I don't want to nag nag nag and have non stop negative interactions so I use some sort of positive reinforcement if needed. Sometimes just being enthusiastic like you said works wonders or making it into a game. The trick is to try things until you find something that works and you are ok with.

[Hunni Bee]

That's what I do with my 3 year old class. Unfortunately, the other 3 year old class is a rougher group and the rules change when they combine into my room at the end of the day. Most days they can get out one set of toys at a time and not be allowed to get anything else out until they clean up the previous set. If it's a bad day, then they get to pick one toy and sit down at a table. I'm not staying late because kids won't clean up.

Yeah if its an off day and I know they just aren't into it, I assign activities. I always limit choices at the end of the day anyway.

But for the most part they need to be able to choose their own activity and clean it up properly.

[Febby]

Yeah if its an off day and I know they just aren't into it, I assign activities. I always limit choices at the end of the day anyway.

But for the most part they need to be able to choose their own activity and clean it up properly.

I limit choices at the very end of the day (after 5PM), but normally I let them have free play until then. Unfortunately, the assistant for the other three class can't control them, so they have to combine so I can keep them under control. It's a very rough group.

[Unregistered]

When I had all 2's and under dumping I only had like six little people in a bin, four dishes/5 food items in bin by the toy kitchen, etc. the rest were self contained toys without pieces.

If my dck did this a little and were playing some kind of game and were willing to pick up I wouldn't mind. If they just dumped to dump and made big piles I would stop them before they dumped or not have lots of pieces.

If I had kids that played well with pieces I'd allow them to play with them at the table, but not allow the dumpers till they learned to pick up. That's just me.

Did I miss the ages you have? If I have a younger group I do more helping with clean up. If it's a mixed age group with 3/4's along with a two and say a toddler...they pick up.

I ring a bell @ 9:30, play our clean up song, and have a sticker chart. They get to pick a sticker and put it by their name if they clean up. I verbally set up expectations before play time if I have some who don't clean up well. I let them know what I expect. I also have a pair of kid's binoculars. I walk around and say, "I see Maya picking up, I see Leo picking up." That helps a lot!

I try to notice what the kids are doing right and comment on it.

I've left a small pile of toys out and told non helper during the next play time they can't get anything out till that pile is picked up. That would be 3 yrs and up tho.

I'm fun but firm. If I had kids dumping who were older than two and not picking up they'd have choices of things at the table, & the book corner. They'd find out real quick it's better to pick up.

If I had two's who dumped and I didn't want to limit pieces because of older kids I'd shadow and not allow the dumping game. I've also had plastic buckets like Easter buckets out for two's. They love to carry them around and dump those few pieces out. I realize it's developmentally Appropriate for two's to dump. I do limit tho.

[Unregistered]

Also, I'd flat out stop the game! They absolutely would be redirected to something else. I wouldn't let three's even start this game of dumping toys.

[mamamanda]

When I had all 2's and under dumping I only had like six little people in a bin, four dishes/5 food items in bin by the toy kitchen, etc. the rest were self contained toys without pieces.

If my dck did this a little and were playing some kind of game and were willing to pick up I wouldn't mind. If they just dumped to dump and made big piles I would stop them before they dumped or not have lots of pieces.

If I had kids that played well with pieces I'd allow them to play with them at the table, but not allow the dumpers till they learned to pick up. That's just me.

Did I miss the ages you have? If I have a younger group I do more helping with clean up. If it's a mixed age group with 3/4's along with a two and say a toddler...they pick up.

I ring a bell @ 9:30, play our clean up song, and have a sticker chart. They get to pick a sticker and put it by their name if they clean up. I verbally set up expectations before play time if I have some who don't clean up well. I let them know what I expect. I also have a pair of kid's binoculars. I walk around and say, "I see Maya picking up, I see Leo picking up." That helps a lot!

I try to notice what the kids are doing right and comment on it.

I've left a small pile of toys out and told non helper during the next play time they can't get anything out till that pile is picked up. That would be 3 yrs and up tho.

I'm fun but firm. If I had kids dumping who were older than two and not picking up they'd have choices of things at the table, & the book corner. They'd find out real quick it's better to pick up.

If I had two's who dumped and I didn't want to limit pieces because of older kids I'd shadow and not allow the dumping game. I've also had plastic buckets like Easter buckets out for two's. They love to carry them around and dump those few pieces out. I realize it's developmentally Appropriate for two's to dump. I do limit tho.

The kids who are doing all of the dumping are 3, 4, & 5. Oddly enough the 5 yo is the one who fights me on clean up every single time for the duration of clean up time. I have a mixed age group ranging 1-5years. Both of my toddlers are very helpful at clean up time, as is one of my 3 yo. I do have a tote full of 7 bean bag animals that are specifically for dumping and refilling as I know this is developmentally appropriate for the younger ones, but the older ones aren't happy with that. They say they are playing Santa Claus and passing out toys when they make the piles so they don't understand why I keep telling them to quit dumping and find something to play with. They think they are "playing." After discussing this with mom on Friday, I discovered that this is how they play at home (dumping) and she doesn't ever make them clean up anything, her words. She said she would start encouraging it at home in hopes of making it go smoother here.

[Rockgirl]

When I've had this issue, here's what I've done: spread out throw rugs around the room--one for each child. One activity goes on each rug. They choose a rug to sit on--they and their toys stay on it and play. After about ten minutes, I tell them to put their pieces back into their containers, and we switch. Eventually every child goes to each rug. They only have one activity to pick up, and there's no question as to who is responsible for those pieces. When I have one who won't pick theirs up, they don't get to switch to another rug.