Preschoolers Clean & tidy

Preschoolers can have a tough time moving from one activity to another. A common trend with transitions is that they often involve cleaning up, which could make issues even trickier. When it's time to pick up the pieces and restore order, help preschoolers learn how to make a space spic and span. Once you instill these habits in your kid, they might even last a lifetime.

Items you will need
Bins, baskets and shelves
Chart
Stickers


Step 1
Talk about cleaning up to get kids on board. It's likely that your standards and their standards are worlds apart, so you'll need to tell them what you expect. This isn't the time for perfection, but it's reasonable to insist that floors are clear, beds are made and laundry is put away.

Step 2
Organize the rooms where your preschooler hangs out to make clean-up easy. Buy bins, baskets and shelving so everything has a spot. Create kid-friendly storage options so preschoolers can successfully put things away. Have your kids help you so they know the system and know where to store their toys.

Step 3
Show kids how you want them to clean up so they understand what you want. They're not mind readers, so it's important to go through the whole process to teach them the routine. Play upbeat music to make the cleaning process fun and give it a positive spin.

Step 4
Create a clean-up chart to help pre-readers remember everything they need to do when cleaning up. Your chart might include pictures indicating putting away toys, hanging up clothes, throwing dirty laundry in the hamper, dusting, making a bed and vacuuming. As kids complete each chore, they might even earn a sticker to show that they remembered everything.

Step 5
Inspect a clean-up job to make sure everything's done. Give loads of praise and positive feedback when you find good clean-up work. By praising what you like, you're more likely to get a repeat performance. If you find something undone, point it out so kids can finish. Give them a hand, if necessary, so the work is completed successfully.