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Getting Kids to Clean Up Toys can Be Easy

Kids love their toys until it’s time to clean them up!  That’s when all the eye-rolling, whining and complaining begins.  Parents, you know what I’m talking about.  It comes to a point when you start to dislike the sound of your own voice when you hear yourself saying, “Please pick up those toys now.”  Only to be followed by your child saying, “I didn’t play with that!”  It may seem as if it’s a battle that will never end, but it doesn’t have to be.

Reward System Using Kid’s Toys

Getting your kids to clean up their toys is easy if you make it rewarding.  First, think about things that motivate kids.   The answer is…money.  Well, paying money every time your child does something good would be a smashing incentive, but would drain your bank account quickly.  There’s a better way.  Simply create a system that encourages your child to pick things up to receive a weekly allowance.

How to Set-up a Reward System

Purchase a dry-erase board and put your child’s name at the top.   Write the letters of the week down the side, M, T, W, Th, F, S, S.  Let your child know that he’s going to get a reward for cleaning up his toys every day.  When your child cleans up his toys each day, ask him to write the name of the room wherever the kid’s toys were next to that day’s letter.

Every Sunday, go to your child’s whiteboard.   Check to see which rooms he’s cleaned that day.  If he’s cleaned something up on 5 different days then write a #5 on the bottom of the board. Let your child know that when he reaches 14 days that he’s cleaned up his toys then he will get his allowance.  Keep going until he reaches 14.

Figure Out a Reasonable Allowance

Adjust the allowance depending on your child’s age.   Younger children generally get less money.  Consider, that if he picks up toys every day then he’ll have 14 points in two weeks.  This means you’ll have to pay his allowance every 2 weeks.  That should help you decide how much to pay.  What’s cleanliness worth to you?

How to Make This Reward System Work

Some encouragement definitely helps.  By simply selecting a particular time each day when you remind your child to pick up his kid’s toys, he’s sure to remember more often.  When you’ve done your part to remind your child to clean-up his toys, then it’s his turn to do his part to earn his reward.

What Happens on Allowance Day

When your child has picked up his kid’s toys for 14 days, it’s time to pay up.  Praise, praise, praise him for his fantastic cleaning job and let him know how great it’s been to have a clean household.  Then give him his money along with a giant hug for a job well done.  When cash rewards and compliments are given after your child cleans up his toys, it’s bound to happen more often.