WFMW- Getting Toddlers to Clean.
August 15, 2007 by Mommy Zabs
Filed under Works for Me Wednesday
I kept my Works For Me Wednesday submission simple today. Chalk it up to a crazy week. But as simple as it is, and as many of you may have already caught on to it, it is absolutely practical.
Everyone knows toddlers could care less about cleaning up after themselves. They barely have the capacity to understand the need to clean. Pre-schoolers have a bit more of a grasp, but it still isn’t something they prefer to do.
Because of this I practice the Pide-Piper technique. I sing! On noggin Laurie Burkner does a cute little song called “clean it up”… So I sing…
“Clean it upppppp, Clean it upppppp, Put it away, Put it away, Put your things away.”
Over, and over, and over, until we’ve picked up the whole room.
The boys think I have created the best game ever. Now when I start singing they rush into play and at the end they feel so accomplished and proud. I love it!
Maureen on Wed, 15th Aug 2007 2:11 am
NO.WAY. We loved Laurie in this house, I never knew she had a cleanup song!! Please say it’s on CD!!!
N Millar on Wed, 15th Aug 2007 5:03 am
Cool! Am going to try this!!
misi on Wed, 15th Aug 2007 7:07 am
I sing that song too, it’s like magic isn’t it?
Heidi Jo on Wed, 15th Aug 2007 11:03 am
in my experience as a mom of four little people…i don’t know that for me it is as much an age thing as a personality type.
my oldest son has always wanted to help clean up. my second one…not at all. even now at FIVE it’s a struggle to get her cooperation. the little two are up and down, but usually always are willing to help IF i am willing to get down there too.
the singing is always a great way to make something uninteresting more fun.
WhatWorksForMom on Wed, 15th Aug 2007 12:39 pm
Oh man I am going to have to try this and HOPE IT WORKS for us because as I type this comment our living room is trashed with toys!
momlovesbeingathome on Wed, 15th Aug 2007 2:29 pm
Don’t you love it when simple little things like that make such a difference.