The petite balls of infinite energy! I mean our kids, are the only ones who utilize every square foot of space available in the house with their array of gazillion toys. While their imaginative creativity is on the loose on any given day, it is an uphill battle to contain its “tornado effects”. Fostering good habits do take time to achieve. So, let’s chart out the ways to instill the virtue of cleanliness in our children.
Organize Toy Land
Create a place for every toy so that the child gets a sense of clarity as to where each toy belongs. Create an art and craft section with colours, prints, art books, pencils, stickers, and glue. The musical section can be with xylophones, drums, pianos, guitars, maracas, and trumpets. If it’s a toy cupboard, each row can serve a purpose like puzzles, blocks and stackers, tools like drill sets, and carpentry sets.
Allocate toy boxes as per your child’s interests. For example, if he is mesmerized by the world of airplanes, allocate one box only for his airplane collection. Similarly, it can be done for cars or dolls, etc.
On the bookshelf the storybooks need to snuggle up with each other and activity-based books can bundle together. Keep in mind to arrange the toys in a way that the child can reach for them without much assistance. Although it’s easier and quicker to just dump toys in boxes, giving a structure and laying out the map for the room makes it easier for the child to understand which toy goes where and why.
Choose your Stream of Discipline
The child should be given a clear set of instructions from the very beginning. You can tell him to play with one toy at a time or pick up the toys at the end of play hour. You should also let him know whether toys that are work in progress like artwork or lego can be left overnight. The rules you choose are less important than the consistency with which you enforce them.
Before any playdate, be vocal about your expectations of cleanliness. Fifteen minutes before the end of the playdate, set up the timer for putting the toys in their rightful place. In all probability, kids will clear the mess together.
Demonstrate your Expectations
The ultimate goal is to ensure that the child understands playtime isn’t over till toys are kept back in their appropriate place. For early toddlers make it a part of the process that you do together. You may not get a very responsive toddler at first but keep at it with oodles of patience that parenthood showers upon us. Soon this repetitive activity will find its way into the sack of healthy habits.
Believe it or not, kids from the age of 2 to 6 usually want to be involved in activities including tidying up. So if your kid isn’t showing interest in cleaning up after play, it’s time to do it with him. Shower petals of appreciation for the slightest contribution made by him.
On your good days, turn the part of tidying up into a game. It could be “beat the clock or who is the fastest or dance while you clean”. When you are asking your kid to do anything, it’s best to break it up and give clear instructions. This makes the daunting task feel more doable and achievable for the young souls. So instead of saying “clear this mess” we can twist it and say let’s start picking up the cars first and then the beads.
Deal with Sprouting Independence
As kids get older, their reasoning and understanding abilities mature too. The young toddler who has now blossomed into a preschooler may simply refuse to follow the ritual of winding up the toys anymore. All that was taught through these years simply evaporates without a warning! In such scenarios, we need to trace back a few steps and be a part of the solution. Which is, helping them keep their toys back and praising and motivating them so that they continue to do so. Oversee their clean-up and help them until the routine becomes established.
If you are still being hammered with questions — why toys need to be put back; sit them down and list out the science behind it. For example, toys that are left out are prone to germs, insects, and dust. Such detailed theory should satisfy their curious minds and they shall adhere to your requests.
Cleanliness — The Silhouette of Happiness
Who cleans up after play?
If it isn’t the child, then we are silently admitting to his incompetence to complete simple tasks. We do want kids to clear the mess they have created and also pitch in with daily household chores. While we are aware that putting toys back isn’t something kids inherently know how to do and that it has to be taught, we aim to do so in such a manner that cleanliness becomes a part of their lifestyle. And also enables them to exude happiness and oppose chaos.
These small steps go a long way in instilling discipline in kids that will help them later in life. Go slow and steady, enjoy the process and make it a habit so that it comes naturally to them.
Hope you found this article useful. Please leave your comments!
Yes very necessary to inculcate the habit of cleanliness and to pick up the toys after play . You have pointed out very well how to go about it. 👍👍