Cleaning is never fun. Not for adults. Nor for young children. But how do you get your preschooler to put away their toys when they're done playing? And how can you make cleaning a little more fun for everyone? We did the research!
For a better future
Did you know that involving children in small household tasks, for example helping them clean, can have a positive impact on their future? This gives them a sense of competence, self-esteem, responsibility and autonomy.
Start young!
One of the things internet gurus tell us is to make cleaning a habit and teach it from a young age. The goal is to get your child to clean up right after playing without making too much mess.
You can already teach this to your nine-month-old baby by setting an example. When playing with your child, explicitly tell him or her that you will clean up the toys when you are finished.
Around 18 months, you can ask him to help you throw away or place the balls in the trash. At this age he won't be able to do this independently, but it will lay the foundation for cleaning at a later age.
Designated storage spaces
To help your child put away their toys, you can use bins, boxes or cupboards reserved for certain toys. This makes it clear where every little thing goes, promotes consistency, and helps create the habit mentioned above. By adding structure, it is easier and faster to store.
Don't get overwhelmed
Children are easily overwhelmed by large tasks. Therefore, if there is a lot of mess, it may be a good idea to not let them put it all away at once to avoid stress and reluctance. Break large tasks into smaller ones and be very specific in your request. For example, ask him if he can clean the balls instead of if he can clean the entire room.
Make it fun
It's time to bring out the Mary Poppins in you! Make up your own cleaning song that you can sing! Or put on a playlist with happy, fun songs your child loves to make the chore less tedious.
You can also try creating a little friendly competition . Set a timer and try to put all your toys in the right place in the allotted time. Children also like to compete against their parents. If you don't have a timer, challenge them to put their game away before yours is over (maybe let them win to motivate them a little).
You can also play a game derived from "I Spy". Say, "I'm cleaning," then add the type of objects you choose to clean. For example: I clean all round objects, or I clean all green objects. It also stimulates language development.
One last tip to make the exercise more fun is to pretend play by asking the toys to clean up! It takes more time, but it's fun! Load all the beads or small items into a vehicle or train , drive it to the correct box and let it unload. Or ask a figurine or stuffed animal to do housework with you!
