One of our family’s most stated fun facts is, “With freedom comes responsibility.” If children use a toy to play (what a tremendous freedom), they need to take responsibility for said item and put it away. The earlier your child masters this concept, the better. The best advice is to plan for clean-up during your playtime. If it takes longer than expected, plan for more time.

Pre-select the place items should go. (e.g., toys go in the toybox)

Start with one thing and gradually increase as their attention span increases. (e.g., 1-2  toys today, three tomorrow, and so on.) Pick and stick with a clean-up song or phrase. (see a list here) This helps them gently transition from play to clean up.

It seems like an extension of play when you are just starting out and using a fun phrase or song. However, as play gets more advanced and involved (remember, work is their play), feelings become more and more intense as they transition from their agenda to their parent’s. So, please give them a 5-minute warning.