Cleaning up after oneself is a good habit to teach early on, one that will surely benefit your tot (and you!) as he/she grows older. You can start by having your toddler pack away his/her toys before moving on to another activity (or tuning in to Nick Jr and Disney Jr). Always have him/her assist you or the yaya in keeping toys and books after playtime. If you are finding it difficult to engage your child in something as mundane as cleaning up, you can turn it into a game and eventually, he/she will get into the habit of packing up. Here are some tips to help your toddler get in the swing of things:
(1) Sing a special song for cleaning up. You can look up these tunes that may already be familiar to your child:
Barney's version (Let's Go To The Firehouse): Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere; Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share
Dora's version (Dora Saves The Mermaids): Clean up, clean up, everybody clean up! Everyone everywhere!
Gymboree version: This is the way we pack away, pack away, pack away. This is the way we pack away here at [Gymboree] -> instead of "Gymboree", you can change to "[child's name] house"
(2) Make a game of it. Have your toddler toss the balls into a basket. Challenge him/her to arrange her toys by type, color, or size.
(3) Engage in pretend play. My daughter pretends that her table and boxes make up a "toy store" and her bookshelf is a "book store". She has to properly arrange the items she "sells" and "buys".
(4) Teach your child to pack away gently (i.e., do not throw) so that the toys and books remain in good condition.
(5) Do as you teach. Help him/her pack away and show him/her that you also clean up after work or play.
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