It’s safe to say that toddlers are not the easiest humans on earth. Not only can they be incredibly rambunctious, but they can also be very stubborn to train. Toddlers have the amazing ability to destroy everything in their path in the blink of an eye.
It can be difficult enough to get them to walk the same direction as you, let alone get them to pick up their toys.
Some parents might think that smaller children aren’t capable of cleaning up after themselves. As a result, hopeless parents end up cleaning up their sloppy toddler’s mess themselves. But the truth is toddlers are more capable than you think. With enough dedication, you can even get them to make their bed. Here are some of the best tips for getting stubborn toddlers to clean up after themselves.
Give Them Small Tasks
Toddlers can easily become overwhelmed by big tasks that you give them. Rather than telling them to clean up their entire room all in one go, it’s helpful to give them small jobs one at a time.
For example, ask them to pick up one puzzle, and then wait a while to ask them to pick the next item up. By breaking up each project into small parts, it will become much more manageable for them to conquer.
Make It a Game
Toddlers aren’t too shy to tell you when they don’t feel like doing something. Rather than turning cleaning time into a battle, why not turn it into a game? Get your children excited and involved in the cleaning process by making it a fun activity.
For example, you can race to see who can pick up the toys the fastest amongst siblings, or you can even put on some music and do the cleaning dance. There are no rules to how creative you can get when it comes to finding a way to make cleaning fun.
Create a Reward Chart
Just like adults do better jobs with the promise of a paycheck at the end of hard work, so do children! When kids have an ongoing chart that checks off each job they complete, it helps to create a visual representation of their progress.
A reward chart is a great way to track each time your child finishes cleaning something, along with the reward that they get as a result. Kids work incredibly well when there is a chart or checklist involved so that they can interact throughout the process.
By applying these methods and always being encouraging with your children, you’ll have a tidy house and a cooperative toddler in no time.