How many kids enjoy cleaning up their toys? Not many. It can be overwhelming especially for younger children. Try these 5 clean up games for kids and make clean up time more fun.

My kids’ toys are organized into bins and each toy has a home. You’d think this would make it easy for them to put everything away. But no. When they pull out a pile of LEGO bricks, a bin of Magformers, and a handful of stuffed animals for a play session, their area can get messy quite fast.

It may not really be that big of a mess. They only have 3 types of toys out which can easily be returned to their respective homes. However, to some children, it’s just a lot to take in. Where do we start? It’s going to take foreeeever to clean this up.

This is where turning clean up into a game helps out. You organize the clean up with a game and get everything cleaned up without too much whining and complaining (hopefully).

The disadvantage of clean up games is that you have to micromanage the cleaning. It may be faster to just do it yourself, but that’s not the point. Sometimes I can be cleaning up another area of the house while managing their clean up game as well.

Clean Up Game #1: Make It a Race

This game works for kids who like competition and aren’t that overwhelmed by the mess. Start by challenging your kids to race to pick up the toys. Then, say: Ready. Set. Go pick up that toy and bring it over to this bin. Run fast. Hurry. Then, name another toy and continue to have them race it to its home.

You could also set a timer and challenge your child to pick up a set number of toys in that time. How many toys can you pick up in a minute? Ready. Set. Go. Or: Can you pick up 10 toys in 30 seconds? Ready. Set. Go.

Clean Up Game #2: Go on a Scavenger Hunt for Toys

Turn clean up time into a scavenger hunt. Let’s play a game. Okay. Do you want to go on a scavenger hunt for train tracks? Yeah!!! Okay. Go find 3 straight tracks and bring them to this box. My child runs and finds them. Great, now find 2 curved tracks. (Yes, I throw a little counting practice in there, too.)

Scavenger hunt clean up games can work when you’re not in the room. Take a survey of the toys that need to be picked up. Head off to whatever you need to take care of. Call out an item for your child to find and put away. (Don’t like yelling across the house? Use a set of walkie talkies.) You can be as generic or specific as you want. I usually start with colors. Find something that is pink. Or: Pick up all of the green toys.

You could also be specific. Find 5 cars. Put away 2 stuffed animals. Use the scavenger hunt to work on shapes as well. Find 3 square toys. (I was thinking of the Magformers. My toddler saw a square pillow, too.)

Clean Up Game #3: Use Other Toys to Help Clean Up

For some reason, my kids think it’s extra fun to use dump trucks, shovels, or ramps to help clean up their messes. This works especially well with blocks or LEGO bricks. Use the truck or shovel to scoop up the toys and carry them to their home. Or put a ramp above the bin and let the toys slide down the ramp into the bin. Instead of a ramp, a large cardboard tube works, too.

Clean Up Game #4: Play the Do 3 Things Game

Mix cleaning up into another game. I call it the Do 3 Things Listening Game. It’s super sneaky because you get them moving all around doing different actions and then every once in a while sneak in a little clean up.

Clean Up Game #5: Code Your Way to Clean Up

Play a Robot Clean Up Game to make cleaning up the entire goal of the game. It’s a simple following directions game except you have to program the robot up front. Write the code for the robot and send it off to clean up. This game is a fun way to introduce kids to coding. It works best when the toys are spread out, but you can make it work with any mess really.

source: inspirationlaboratories

Kindergarten is an exciting milestone for your little one! It can also be a time filled with anxieties and challenges. Here are five ways to make the transition easier on both of you.

1. Keep it positive. When you talk to your child about the upcoming school year and her transition to Kindergarten, be optimistic and positive. When children sense we are anxious, they may become anxious as well. This can be really tough if you’re feeling anxious or worried about her, so it’s important to check in with your own emotions as well, and get support if you need it. Keep in mind that there is no pressure to overhype it, and certainly you should validate your child’s concerns and listen to her fears and worries, but keeping a general sense of optimism will help your child feel more at ease.

2. Get acquainted. If the school does an orientation, that is a great chance for you and your child to go and meet teachers and classmates. If not, it’s a good idea to arrange a tour of a school and a meeting with your child’s teacher. Prepare a one-page cheat sheet about your child for the teacher and include name and nickname, photo, medical conditions, likes and dislikes, interests and talents, etc. This will help the teacher get to know your child and give him or her some conversation starters for building a relationship. If you can arrange for your child to get acquainted with the teacher as well, that’s even better. If he can begin to form a relationship with the teacher before school starts, it will make the separation from you a bit easier. If you can set up a playdate with another child in his class a few times before school starts, having that familiar face in class will be a comfort and help to ease your child’s nerves.

3. Practice. Discuss with your child’s teacher what a typical day will look like and what your child will be doing in the first few weeks of school, and then begin practicing those things over the summer with your child. This will help familiarize your child with the routine and structure of school so that the transition will go a little more smoothly for her. In addition to practicing things like standing in line, sitting still, following directions, etc., it’s a good idea to start practicing social-emotional skills as well. Role play with your child how to introduce herself to others, how to ask to join a group or game, using words to express feelings and wants, sharing, taking turns, and appropriate solutions to conflict. The more you practice, the more confident your child will feel and the better those skills will develop!

4. Find an anchor. Some children can skip off to the classroom without so much as a backward glance, but many children experience separation anxiety. For those children, it’s helpful to find an anchor – something that helps them feel close to you while they’re away. It could be something as simple as a matching necklace, a photo of you, or a note in the lunchbox. It’s a kind of security blanket that your child can take with her every day.

5. Stay attuned. There are sure to be lots of emotional ups and downs as your child transitions into kindergarten, for you and for him! Prepare for a few meltdowns and muster up some extra patience and empathy. As your child processes all of the new experiences, he’s sure to need a safe space to run to. You’ve got this!

source: Rebecca Eanes

Kindergarten is an exciting milestone for your little one! It can also be a time filled with anxieties and challenges. Here are five ways to make the transition easier on both of you.

1. Keep it positive. When you talk to your child about the upcoming school year and her transition to Kindergarten, be optimistic and positive. When children sense we are anxious, they may become anxious as well. This can be really tough if you’re feeling anxious or worried about her, so it’s important to check in with your own emotions as well, and get support if you need it. Keep in mind that there is no pressure to overhype it, and certainly you should validate your child’s concerns and listen to her fears and worries, but keeping a general sense of optimism will help your child feel more at ease.

2. Get acquainted. If the school does an orientation, that is a great chance for you and your child to go and meet teachers and classmates. If not, it’s a good idea to arrange a tour of a school and a meeting with your child’s teacher. Prepare a one-page cheat sheet about your child for the teacher and include name and nickname, photo, medical conditions, likes and dislikes, interests and talents, etc. This will help the teacher get to know your child and give him or her some conversation starters for building a relationship. If you can arrange for your child to get acquainted with the teacher as well, that’s even better. If he can begin to form a relationship with the teacher before school starts, it will make the separation from you a bit easier. If you can set up a playdate with another child in his class a few times before school starts, having that familiar face in class will be a comfort and help to ease your child’s nerves.

3. Practice. Discuss with your child’s teacher what a typical day will look like and what your child will be doing in the first few weeks of school, and then begin practicing those things over the summer with your child. This will help familiarize your child with the routine and structure of school so that the transition will go a little more smoothly for her. In addition to practicing things like standing in line, sitting still, following directions, etc., it’s a good idea to start practicing social-emotional skills as well. Role play with your child how to introduce herself to others, how to ask to join a group or game, using words to express feelings and wants, sharing, taking turns, and appropriate solutions to conflict. The more you practice, the more confident your child will feel and the better those skills will develop!

4. Find an anchor. Some children can skip off to the classroom without so much as a backward glance, but many children experience separation anxiety. For those children, it’s helpful to find an anchor – something that helps them feel close to you while they’re away. It could be something as simple as a matching necklace, a photo of you, or a note in the lunchbox. It’s a kind of security blanket that your child can take with her every day.

5. Stay attuned. There are sure to be lots of emotional ups and downs as your child transitions into kindergarten, for you and for him! Prepare for a few meltdowns and muster up some extra patience and empathy. As your child processes all of the new experiences, he’s sure to need a safe space to run to. You’ve got this!

source: Rebecca Eanes