How can I get my kids to be responsible about cleaning their toy room after they have played. It is a battle?

Question

every time they are in there. They take too much out. THey do have responsibilities in the house, but it is always an argument. I do not give in and do it myself. We have also used sticker charts etc. HELP, they're making me crazy. ages 8, 6, and 3

Answer 1

When you find a solution please let me know.
I just throw things in time out boxes and garbage bags.
Good luck.

Answer 2

The first thing you have to do is make sure there is plenty of toy storage and that your children can get to their toys easily. I have found that colorful open bins work the best. You might try what a friend of mine did. She had two young boys with the same problem. Her solution was to buy two basket ball hoops and mount them on the wall at child level. Under the hoops she placed two colorful bins. When it came time for clean-up, she started the "basketball game". The goal was to be the first one to fill their bin by making baskets with their toys. The winner got a small treat or extra TV/computer time. What started out as a chore ended up being fun.
The ideas from other answers about bagging up their toys brought back a funny memory. One year, my sister was fed up with the aftermath of Christmas and all the brand new toys lying out all over the house. She told her girls that "Mr. Trash Bag" was going to come get all the toys if they didn't clean up. To make a long story short - she loaded up the toys in a big black trash bag and placed it on her front porch. For the first time in their lives - the trash men decided to be nice that morning when they came to collect and took the "extra" bag they saw on the porch. A hard lesson for all!

Answer 3

My kids are slightly younger than yours-3 and 1, but I found that helping them a little gets them in the mood to put them away. We also make a game out of it by tossing toys in the box and giving high fives and cheering when someone makes a basket.

We also have resorted to putting different activies in different rubbermaid type containers. This way if they want their cars, we take that tote out and when their done or want another toy, we pick that mess up first and then move on. I'm finding that as they get older, having the organization helps not only me but them to.

Answer 4

When my son makes a huge mess and won't pick it up I tell him that if he doesn't pick up his toys then I will take away anything that is on the floor. I then count to three and if he is not moving by the time I am done then everything on the floor goes in to a bag until he can get them back. Because my son is two it is about a day sometimes less and then he gets them back. For your older kids I would have them earn them back some how. I hope this helps.

Answer 5

The key is predictability and consistency. There must be a predictable consequence for their actions (not cleaning up their toys, etcetera). If you make a rule, you must follow through with it 100% of the time, or things will get worse. What the consequence should be varies for each child. Every child has something they will work for, be it TV, their favorite toy, dessert, not having a time-out etcetera.

It will probably be difficult at first but if you stay strong things will get better!

Answer 6

give them a schedule and make them stick to the schedule. If they play an hour, then 50 minutes used to play and 10 minutes used for cleanup. Assign each one a particular are, maybe get those storage bins or toy chests. Give them directions and then reward them for doing it. If that means 30 minutes extra time for play, or some cookies or just whatever. Make cleanup fun, maybe tell them the quickest and neatest one will get a treat. We have to come up with some bright ideas that will benefit both parent and child.

Answer 7

working a nanny for three very spoiled children for ten years you can imagine the state of the play room especially on a Monday after a weekend with mum and dad.
My way of of making them look after their toys and more respectful of the play room was to give them the five minute warning five minutes to make a good start on the tidying up or it would go in a black bin bag, this would then go in the garage until they had earned the toys back.It is very easy to make threats but sometimes harder to carry them out but the minute you give in to them and go back on your word then you will lose all bargaining power with your child/ren.
Stage one of operation tidy up, Ask
Stage 2 , ask again but with consequences
stage 3 follow thru whatever consequnces you used in stage two .
Stage 4, Reward good behaviour, it may be that one child is more open to tyding than the others.
Good Luck

Answer 8

start boxing their toys up and when they see there is nothing to play with they will see that mom isn't playing with them, when its time to pick up they will. I have taken my sons favorite toys and put them up for a few days until he starts to pick up the others, then he gets them and the others get put away. Just too many toys.

Answer 9

Sometimes when my daughter decides she doesn't want to clean up, I make it a game. We race to see who can put the stuff back into their containers quicker. I take my time and she rushes to get it all put away. If she chooses not to help, then she doesn't get to move on to play with anything else, or watch her favorite show, etc.

Answer 10

You start taking toys away then. You tell them that if they can't clean them all up, then you will give them to some children that will put all their toys away after they play with them.

Answer 11

tell them any toys not put away will be taken away from them for a week and stick to it. ask them one then tell them you'll take the toys once and if they don't do it then take them don't get stressed teach them a lesson don't mess with mummy xx