Boundaries are important. A parent has questioned why children are not allowed to have whatever they want, whenever they want. This practice is not to squelch their freedom but to teach responsibility. Toys and crafts that need to be asked for set a precedent of respect, cleanliness, and order. If you use it, you are responsible for cleaning it up. Messy spaces create anxiety for all children and myself. Additionally, it is easier to find things the next time if everything is put away.
We have always helped the children with cleaning up, setting a good example of cooperation. However, if clean up participation stalls, we no longer help, but encourage individual responsibility. “I did not play with it, and I am helping you clean up. If you stop cleaning, so will I. Once this is cleaned up, new toys can come out.” Not every child is a willing participant, and occasionally a learning curve must occur, setting an example for their peers. Some children have found themselves cleaning alone, and we acknowledge their efforts with praise and sometimes a treat. Children who do not help at all find out how limited their access to toys becomes, trying to encourage individual neatness. Less access to toys, less mess.
We showed the children how different our environment is when nothing gets cleaned up. At first, they enjoyed having access to all of the toys, with bins dumped and toys off all the shelves, resulting in chaos. Then, broken toys, accidents, and tears ensued. It did not take long before they understood the necessity of orderliness.
We are not militant about cleaning after each activity, but definitely before the mess becomes overwhelming. In addition to a harmonized playroom, each time a different set of toys comes out for play, especially some that have been out of sight, aids in interest and excitement. Children will look for praise, and they should receive it. The more positive clean up is, the easier it is to implement. We make games out of clean up, sing songs, and even have races! I always tell parents to trust me; there is generally a method to my madness 🙂 Slowly but surely, the efforts at daycare manifest themselves in their own homes 🙂
Cleaning up after playtime can be a challenging task, but it’s an essential part of teaching children responsibility and respect for their environment. That’s why we’re excited to recommend these amazing children’s cleaning toys, which are not only fun but also help encourage kids to take an active role in cleaning up after themselves.
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