How/When do you teach...

crackerjackprinter

kids to put toys back when they're done with them and to only take out what they want at the time?  Mady always takes ALL her puzzles out of the rack and all the pieces out and it drives me batty but I'm assuming it's normal at this age.  I just don't know when to start working with her on it (or even how to!).

luvlieK

Putting back?  From birth lol

crackerjackprinter

luvlieK:

Putting back?  From birth lol

 

littleanomaly

We taught them in the infant room when I worked Montessori. If they were mobile enough to get things, they were mobile enough to put things away. I'm not saying it was very successful, but at least a few times a day they would remember on their own, and these were 13-15 month old kids.

Joes_love

I've worked on it with Noah since he was old enough to walk and pick things off shelves.  if he can take it down, he can put it back.  we only play with one toy at a time.  the old toy has to be put away before he can get a new one out.

proudarmywife08

I've been working on that for a long time. Sometimes she might put one thing back. I go in with realistic expectations of her though, if she takes out all her puzzles I would sit down with her and have her help put one back together and away, then lay on the praise and high fives. Once she gets the hang of one puzzle (or toy) then I would add another, etc. So far we're barely on one toy her attention span is so short! She is good at helping pick things up if I prompt her though.

GladToBeMrs.SRS

"We" (translation: the Gladlets) clean up toys every night before bed.  On the weekends, toys get picked up several times a day.  I'd say we started doing this abound 18-24 months? 

Lady Galadriel

DD is really good about naps when tired so I tell her the toys need a nap. It's to put them night night in their basket. At least she helps some.

Lotte134

We've been working on picking up for awhile now.  They do it at daycare too so that helps.  DS actually loves to pick up but then he loves to redump everything out equally well so...

babybird7

We've been working on it since about 18 months.  She's getting to the place now where she's starting to pick up toys on her own after finished.  Definitely not every time but making great progress.  I say the sooner the better for this skill. 

clayswife

We started at about 10 months.  Not to say he put anything away then, but by about 15 months, he did get the hang of things and now he has to put away what he's done with before starting anything new...