Getting your DC to help put toys away?

DD is 20 mths and understands a lot.

I cant seem to ever get her to help clean up. Part of daycare is to learn to put toys away at end of day and I want that at home too.

She just refuses to do it. I even try to do the "clean up" song....dont help.

Just now, time to clean up...we have to head out soon, and shes sitting on floor ignoring me.

Message edited 1/18/2009 11:37:23 AM.

Re: Getting your DC to help put toys away?

Patience!!!
We show her how we do it.
We ask for her help.
We suggest things she could put away.

It's not always successful, but it works sometimes. She does love to clean up her bath toys at the end of her bath though....

I think they're still a little young to "get" the whole clean up thing completely. Just keep trying and one day, she'll catch on!

Re: Getting your DC to help put toys away?

We are not always successful either, but what I did at the begining -i.e. 11 months when he could first walk, was to take his hand and show him how to pick up a toy and "help" clean up. Perhaps you could get her a child sized broom or vaccume? DS loves his broom and "helps" clean up with it. Sometimes he makes a bigger mess "helping" but honestly at this point for me it is about getting him involved in the process. The finer details will come when he is older.

Re: Getting your DC to help put toys away?

I show her how to do it and sing the "clean up" song from barney haha - she gets it now! GL!

Re: Getting your DC to help put toys away?

It didn't work for us until very very recently (26 months). He would go into hysterics. Then I put my foot down. If he would go nutso I just waited for him to finish. He can't take anything else out until what he is finished with is cleaned up. I did the hand over hand. A few times I had to hold his hand the whole time while he picked things up. Now he does it on his own. Also, I realized that I was over rewarding him. He would clean up one thing and I would say "good job" and he'd run away thinking he was finished. Now he doesn't get a verbal reward until the end, but I do encourage him. Now I say "good, now get the blue one" or whatever. Then at the end we used to get a huge party practically. Now he gets a kiss and a high 5

Re: Getting your DC to help put toys away?

Re: Getting your DC to help put toys away?

i kinda bribe him. if you want to do (whatever's next) than we have to clean up first. then sometimes i count or sing as he puts the toys away.

Re: Getting your DC to help put toys away?

We make a game out of it now. It's the "who can clean up the fastest?" game. We all play and whoever can clean the fastest wins. When it's over and all is clean, it's always a tie (as long as everybody has helped). They haven't caught on yet

Re: Getting your DC to help put toys away?

DD is 17 months and we just coax her along-"Okay, not put the blocks in that box, good girl. Okay, put the cars in there, great job" Lots of that. Sometimes is work better than others.