Suggestions on getting DS to pick up his &$#@ toys?

smiley2

It's my own fault- I should have been more on top of this from the get-go.  But now I have a toddler who is sweet in EVERY way except refuses to pick up his toys.  I can usually get him to pick something up if I with hold the next activity or tell him we can't leave for the playground until he picks up X.  But sometimes he just doesn't care- he throws a tantrum, refuses to pick up his toys and ASKS for a time-out to avoid it.  And then we take forever getting out of the house.

Any suggestions?  Unfort. we live in an extremely small condo- our living room is also his play room and where all his toys are kept.  So he has access to everything at once.....

Mominator

We make a game of it and sing a song. That way it is fun for them. DD loves it and DS is just kind of starting to get it, though he still prefers to throw the toys back on the floor.

goodheartedmommy

Reminding mine that they lose toys when they leave them laying out is what gets them to clean. I have also reminded them that there are kids who don't have toys who would love to take care of them, and toys I find on the floor can be donated to those children. It works.

I see yours is not quite 2.5, so that may not work. For now, I'd keep reminding him and helping him. Making it a game (I bet I can clean up faster than you!) works for my 2.5 year old, while my 3.5 year old is now aware that his toys might get lost if he doesn't put them back where they belong so cleans up for that. 2.5 year olds are big into competition, so you may get further when you make it fun. 

Temp108743750006959

ditto making it a game or a race and trying different tactics. also, I wouldn't make him pick up every piece -- I think sometimes my almost-3 yr old just gets overwhelmed when he sees everything he dumped out (but I think dumping things out and exploring them is also important at times)

annak23

DD is not quite 2.5yrs, but we make a game out of it.  If it's mega blocks, then we see who can make the "basket".  Or we make a race out of it & if she's slow then I encourage with the next fun thing.  If she doesn't help, then I follow through with not allowing the next fun thing to come (like having a treat or going to the park, etc)  But I do know that if she's torn out the whole livingroom that she can only pick up one thing (all of her blocks, or her coloring books & crayons) I wouldn't expect her to do it all just yet.

JOEBunny

DD hates this too.  I end up yelling at her for not cleaning up and I seldom yell about anything.  Games don't work.  She says stop singing or I don't want to play that.  I tell her to pick up one specific thing and call it a day.  I tell her we can't do XYZ until she does that specific thing.  Doesn't help that I am super anal about things being in the right place.

smiley2

Those are all great suggestions- thank you! 

It's just so hard having everything right there- in a matter of minutes he can blow through everything he owns and my living room looks like a bomb went off.

JenniC1135

What works for us is giving everyone a specific job, like this:  "Avery, you pick up all the stuffed animals you can find.  Alex, you put all the cars in their bin.  Adam and I will be in charge of picking up the balls."  They also totally jump all over it if I act like it's Special Agent Oso and tell them their 1st special step, 2nd special step, etc.  They do whatever and come up to me asking what the next step is. 

mrstarawalsh

we just do the "clean up" song and I help him cean up his toys so it's not overwhelming to him. When he sees you doing it he will naturally want to mimic you.

magnoliablossom

We tell them "it's time to pick up the toys you want to keep."  Whatever is left out, gets put in the garage and they have to earn them back... one at a time.  The first couple of days that we did this, C didn't get it then one day I sat her down and really explained it to her and after that she has been very cooperative about putting the toys away that she wants to keep.  It is a rare occaision that we have to put things in the garage now. 

Whatever you decide, good luck!