Do you also love watching your children play, get totally absorbed in their own world, enjoying the toys you have chosen for them?
Only, after playing they don’t clean up, and you are left with an exploded playroom, living room or bedroom….
That’s not as nice. Not only will you not always have the time, mood or energy for this, if you teach your children to tidy up together you will be giving both yourself and your children a great gift!
After all, the tidying skills they learn today, they can use for the rest of their lives to keep their environment clean.
So how do you go about doing that?
Let me give you a few short, immediately applicable tips that will get you started in no time!
1. Let go of what no longer serves any purpose
It’s very simple: toys that they have outgrown, that they never play with, that are broken or incomplete, can go. If it is still in good condition, you can do someone else a favor, bring it to the thrift store or otherwise recycle it correctly. That way, you will have enough space left for the toys they do like to play with, and you contribute to a more sustainable environment (after all, the toys in the house are actually being used!).
2. Create a storage system tailored to your child's needs
Make sure that a simple storage method is available for the remaining toys, tailored to the age and character.
For very small children, for example, boxes with a picture (of cars, blocks, etc.) that they can easily reach work very well. As they get older, a label can help remind them what belongs where.
In any case, make sure there is enough storage space for each category. You can’t expect your child to put the blocks in the bin if the bin is too small for all the blocks 😊.
One child may already be happy that there is a bin for the cars, another one may want a place for the cars, another bin for the trucks, and another for the fire trucks. Match the system you introduce and the expectations you have of your child.
3. Make it accessible and visible
Children only play with toys that are visible and reachable. There’s no point in providing storage options that your child can’t reach. For the little ones, this will be low to the ground, for the older ones it can be a bit higher. This also allows your child to pick up the toys they like to play with at the time. This is good for their self-confidence: look, I can do it myself!
4. Take it out of the original box
It often works easier if toys (e.g. Playmobil) don’t have to be returned to their original packaging all the time. Provide (see-trough) boxes where the Playmobil is kept by category. You decide on the category: is it by theme, or do all the little men go in one bin, the furniture in another, etc.? For puzzles, it can be useful to provide a plastic bag in the puzzle box so that no pieces get lost.
Now that you have a place for all the toys, it is also a matter of getting them in the right place after play.
Some tips!
5. Match your expectations to your child's age
With little ones, you obviously tidy up together so they can learn to do this. When they are a bit older, they get more responsibility and already have to do it (partly) themselves.
6. Make it a habit
Make clear arrangements about playing. If you want them to clean up one thing first before starting another, then agree on this. If, on the other hand, they can play all afternoon but have to clean up afterwards, that is also your choice.
7. Announce the clean-up time on time
Nothing hurts children more than having to abruptly end their play, so warn them 10′ in advance that it is almost time to finish. After this, you can play some set songs that indicate that it is now really time to clean up (possibly ask the kindergarten teacher which song she uses in class).
8. Reward your children when they have cleaned up considerably.
Maybe then (after dinner or not) there is still time for reading a book to them, a tasty biscuit or playing a board game together…
So, these tips will definitely help you make tidying up a little easier!
Bear in mind that some times will go a bit better than others, after all, even habits need time to become a routine. However, remember that it is well worth the investment, as tidying up is part of life, not only today with the toys but definitely in the future too!
Find more tips on tidying up and keeping your home orderly at www.organdnice.be
Good luck!
