https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 08 May 2026 07:29:59 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-cleanup-tips-and-tricks#post-2453903 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 17:11:28 +0000 Munchkin 2453903@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-cleanup-tips-and-tricks#post-2453892 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 16:53:48 +0000 Mrs. Cheesecake 2453892@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do a combination of what the pp's said. Usually DS is good about cleaning up when we ask him, especially since it means that he can't play with something else if he doesn't put away other toys first. There have been times when his toys were put away in our closet because he didn't clean up when we told him to. But it has been a while since that happened. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-cleanup-tips-and-tricks#post-2453845 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 16:20:00 +0000 hilsy85 2453845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't really enforce cleaning up, when when we do (when the house is a complete disaster), I totally use the consequence--if you don't help me pick up your toys, then I am going to pick them up and put them away in the closet. This has always worked for us and I've never had to actually do it. Other times, making it a competition to see who can clean faster, or who can throw the most pieces into the box, works. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-cleanup-tips-and-tricks#post-2453841 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 16:17:40 +0000 charlotte 2453841@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We also don't allow another activity until the first is cleaned up and give the choice "you can clean up by yourself or I can help you". If she gets upset and refuses then I would say I'm going to walk away while you calm down. When you're ready to cleanup and do something fun let me know. Sometimes when my son is refusing something (he likes cleaning but sitting on the toilet at the appropriate time - never) I try to make it fun and say "oh let's see how fast we can do it together! Go go go!" and it seems like a game and he gets into it. That usually works for me when he is stalling and moving soooooooooo slow and I feel my frustration rising ! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-cleanup-tips-and-tricks#post-2453709 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 14:56:28 +0000 blackbird 2453709@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>E's only 2 months older....I don't let her do the next activity without cleaning, if the first activity was messy (paints, crayons, puzzles, Little People). Or i'll shout "Help mommy! Help her clean!" and I turn it into a bit of a game. I have containers for everything. She likes to sort, so I can make it out like that--set out the block container, set out the puzzle container, and have her sort them. Or i'll say, "I'm going to put all your toys away first! No, don't beat me!" and go dramatically slow, so she "wins". She really needs to be prodded, but she does understand that she can't do X until her puzzles are put away, even if i sit on the floor and have to guide the behavior. If she really dicks around, I'll stand up and leave the room and say, "oh what a bummer, you can't do X because you won't pick up!" which usually unleashes a flurry of cleaning. I don't necessarily know that she's old enough to understand that her toys disappear if she doesn't put them away, at this age, though, so we haven't attempted that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-cleanup-tips-and-tricks#post-2453684 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 14:45:01 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2453684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 32 month old is a pretty great kid but her major sticking point is cleaning up. With rare exception, the kid just refuses, period. It's the same at home as at school - we had a conversation with her teachers and they rave about her but say she just will not clean up. </p> <p>Any tips, tricks, suggestions? I really want to avoid negative discipline, though my patience will wear thin and I get frustrated and start yelling and put her in time out, which does absolutely nothing. She doesn't really get punishment yet, so it just leads to her being upset when I won't let her play with something else and me getting even more upset and so on. My mom suggested a few playful things, like putting all the toys she won't clean up into a bag and telling her they're leaving because she won't take care of them, so we may try that. Would love any other ideas that are working for folks. </p>