Need clean-up routine

Need some advice. I feel like I have a good system of chorse/resposibilities with my 5 and 7 year olds. But the twins are running all over me. They do clean-up fine at school and church, but not at home. It's hard to get them to even stay in the room with me. I can't seem to remember--does a sticker chart work well at this age? Do they need to clean up toys with Mom or can they be expected to do it on their own? What kind of things can they do? I like to have their room cleaned up before bed but its such a bad time of day to get their help--they want to play with their siblings, they're tired etc etc.

Any ideas that work for other would help me!

Thanks

 

I use and so do their Kid's Day Out program the Barney Clean Up song:

Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere
Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share.

We'll sing it as we put their toys away. They'll even do it in the bathtub with their tub toys.

 

I do the same as Judy, we do a clean up song and clean up at different intervals throughout the day (before nap and bedtime)...I also try to make clean up a fun activity. For example, who can win the blocks game by putting the most blocks back in the bag...etc.

 

Mine aren't perfect at cleaning up - they still need LOTS of guidance from me, but one of my girls has taken to singing the wonder pets song "what's it gonna take?? TEAMWORK!" LOL It's humerous cuz I think it's her way of 'hinting' at her sister to help out, becuase her sister NEVER helps!

But at school,they use the Barney song too...

 

I've tried a sticker chart with mine and it just didn't work. I think a routine of cleaning up is important...same time everyday. I do it right before bedtime and we, too, sing the clean up song. They clean up everything with me helping right before I put them to bed. If we are going somewhere special then we will also clean up then...we cleaned up today before we went to the park...then they have something to look forward to for the cleanup reward. I also noticed that when we got our bins where the girls knew exactly where everything went it made it much easier. All their toys have a certain place and the girls know where they belong which makes it easier for them to clean the right way instead of just throwing things in random places.

 

None of the clean up songs work for me! I try to keep the toys organized, but there are SO MANY little things (compliments of my pack rat husband)and my boys tend to dump bins of toys faster than anything. More routine would probably be a good thing . . .

 

For all the little things, I store them in bins with lids and only pull one out at a time for them to play with. I have a bin for mega blocks, kitchen items, lego's & Mr. Potato Head. I store them in my laundry room so they don't have access. They will come in there with me and I will allow them to take one out but if they want another one, they have to clean up first.

 

Mine do great picking up and actually enjoy it most of the time IF we do it together. I still have to be very specific with them (assign them things to pick up, repeat until done). If I just point at a messy floor and tell them to clean up, they're overwhelmed and shut down. HOWEVER, I stopped insisting they get out one messy toy at a time anymore because, for example, they enjoy mixing Lincoln Logs with Tinker Toys to build a mega-structure and then playing with their pirates and Hot Wheels on it. It makes quite the mess but if I assign just one type of toy at a time for each kid, they can get it all done in a few minutes. I figure it's good practice for them to not be overwhelmed if I let them make an overwhelming mess and then succeed at cleaning it up.

 

Mine are terrible about cleaning up, and it doesn't help that we're not consistent. If I can manage to make them clean up before bed every day for a few days, they start to get the hang of it. But then I just get sick of nagging them about it, and let it slide, and we're back to square one.

As far as what does work... Cleanup songs worked when they were toddlers, but now, it helps to make a game of it. Tell one to get all the blue Legos and one to get all the red ones, or whatever.

I also make it clear that if they don't clean up relatively quickly, there won't be time for the usual number of bedtime stories, or something like that. I don't usually set a timer, because Sarah does not respond well to time pressure at all, but I show them the clock and say they need to be done when the big hand is pointing at the 12, or whatever.

I also help them a LOT. Sometimes I have to put away two things, then they put away three, then I put away two more, etc. If I ask them to do it and then just walk away and expect them to do it, it does not get done and I just get frustrated. So for now, I help.

ETA:

I should probably have just dittoed this. :laughing: Just substitute baby-care items and Wedgits for the Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys, because we don't have those.

 

They get three stickers when they clean up well. I try to space it out by saying, "do this, this, and this, and you can have a sticker." Then I walk them through the three things each "Alice, you pick up the two books by the couch and put them by the bookshelf. Royce, pick up 6 blocks and put them in the bin." "Alice, please pick up your animal puzzle, all 16 pieces, and put it away, Royce pick up those books and put them by the book shelf." "Okay, one last thing before you get your first/second/third sticker, both of you put your dishes in the sink and give me a hug!"

Of course, we all count when we clean up, so we can keep track of how many toys we've put up. And they don't put the books in the book shelf because Alice hasn't figured out how to hold a book upright and put another one on there yet. So instead of her getting frustrated, I just let her put it in front of the book shelf. Royce gets to help me put all the books in the book shelf when all the rest of the cleaning is done.

Then sticker. They put it on their stickerchart.

Then it's "Okay, you guys want another sticker?" Repeat.