Research shows that children before school age who were “not forced to put away his toys after every play session will later be more inclined to do so.” And if the child is not interested, I will not mind at all. Occasionally I will ask a child close to the basket if he/she wants to put a ball in. In this case, I would gently ask them to not do either of those, but instead, continue modeling by slowly picking up the toys. Some parents might start singing the old Clean Up Song. Sometimes parents even try to bring their baby with a toy in his/her hands to the basket.
This is the time when it is very tempting to encourage children to pick the toys up and be part of the cleanup activity.
It will take many months before a baby will decide to model after grown-ups in picking up the first toy and placing it into the basket. Think about it - if we can turn necessary exercises in our life into a habit, how much energy will we save? Routines help us develop self-discipline.
When we use self-control to achieve the challenging task, we use a lot of energy when we have a habit, we do not need to force ourselves to do the task. A cleaning up routine will let babies know that class is about to end. Routines play an essential role in our lives, giving us a sense of safety because we know what to expect. Eventually, though, they will know exactly what I am saying – bringing the blue basket and putting the toys in it will become a routine. Why then do I do this? Of course, the first time I share this information with the babies, it doesn’t mean much to them. Sometimes, parents are surprised that I tell the babies about the upcoming transition even though they seem not to care at all. Of course, no one is expecting the babies to participate in this activity, because they are still very young. Slowly I will place the toys inside some of the parents will do the same. We will collect our toys and then sing a few songs.” I pause and then get up and bring the blue basket. At the end of class, while I am still fully seated on the floor next to the babies, I will say something like: “In a minute, I will get up and bring the blue basket. Cleaning up is one of the few transitions that happen throughout the class. Children get the opportunity for uninterrupted play while their parents observe them with soft eyes. Then they place their babies on the flat carpet covered with a clean sheet. When parents come to class with their babies, they slowly walk inside, taking their time to let the babies, as well as their parents, feel comfortable. Let’s look at the process of cleaning up from a different angle. Children often start the class when they are only a few months old. Now I would like to invite you to my RIE® Parent-Infant Guidance™ class. On the surface, the Clean Up Song is a convenient way to entice children to do their chores. Picking up toys and keeping them organized seems to be important to many parents and they feel frustrated when their children refuse to participate. I would sing it as well, thinking, “what a great way to encourage children to keep their classroom tidy.”Īs a parent coach, I have received many requests from parents to help them teach their children to tidy up their rooms and pick up toys. When I worked in a preschool, the Clean Up Song was popular: teachers, parents, and children would sing it at the end of the day.
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