I sing (to the tune of Mary Had a little Lamb)

Time to put the toys away

Toys away, toys away

Time to put the toys away

For another day.

Time to put the blocks away,

Blocks away, blocks away

Time to put the blocks away

For another day

Then I change the item to put away until everything’s away.

I also sing (to the tune of Frere Jacques)(Where is Thumbkin)

Playtime’s over, Playtime’s over

Let’s clean up, let’s clean up

Then we’ll___________

And __________

I fill in whatever we’re going to do next. For example:

Then we’ll wash our hands, then we’ll wash our hands

And go eat lunch, and go eat lunch.

or

Then we’ll sit on the carpet, then we’ll sit on the carpet

For storytime, for storytime.

or you can sing (to the tune of He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands)

Time to put the (toys) away

Time to put the (toys) away

Time to put the (toys) away

So we can (go outside!)

And you fill in whatever toys and whatever you’re doing next.

i would have to agree with the first answer. it’s never to young to teach them. i work in a daycare and we have all the kids clean up their toys before they get more out and when it’s time to do something else. even the babies who can’t talk yet but are walking know how to pick up little things. it’s a habit they develop and by the time they are 2 or 3 they learn how to be somewhat efficient about it. they may not always put things in their exact place and it may take a while, but they definitely understand the concept and really as long as your child is understanding the concept of cleaning up, you don’t have to worry to much about whether or not they do it well. and of course it might help to use the “clean as you go” method. if your child is done playing with one toy, make a game of it and have her tell you where it goes. then, once she’s “found” the hiding place for it, have her take it and put it up before she gets another toy. that way when she’s done playing, she only has to put up one or two things, rather than a huge mess. i’m not personally a parent, but i do know a few tricks from working with the daycare and kids at my church and even some relatives. hope this helps!

Give a 5 min warning. then play the same song every day and all toys that are not picked up by the end of the song go into a box and are not put out for 1 day. I like w/ my own 2 hands the one from the Courius George cd.

Also for a quick clean up ring a bell (for freeze) and have everyone put a toy in each hand and go return that toy to where it belongs.

I think you may already have your answer here, but I just wanted to suggest a couple more songs that I used to sing when my kids were supposed to be picking things up. They’re from Disney movies–

from Mary Poppins, “A Spoonful of Sugar”

In ev’ry job that must be done

There is an element of fun

you find the fun and snap!

The job’s a game

And ev’ry task you undertake

Becomes a piece of cake

A lark! A spree!

It’s very clear to see

That a…

Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down

The medicine go down-wown

The medicine go down

Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down

In a most delightful way

A robin feathering his nest

Has very little time to rest

While gathering his

Bits of twine and twig

Though quite intent in his pursuit

He has a merry tune to toot

He knows a song

Will move the job along

For a…

Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down

The medicine go down-wown

The medicine go down

Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down

In a most delightful way

and from Snow White, “Whistle While You Work”

Just whistle while you work (whistle)

Put on that grin and start right in

to whistle loud and long

Just hum a merry tune (hum)

Just do your best and take a rest

and sing your self a song

When there’s too much to do

Don’t let it bother you, forget your troubles,

Try to be just like a cheerful chick-a-dee

And whistle while you work (whistle)

Come on get smart, tune up and start

to whistle while you work

I like Scarlett’s answer 🙂 I’ll be using those ones myself 😀

I just wantd to suggest something we do at work that works well.

1. Five minutes before packing up warn the children “In FIVE minutes we’re going to pack up the toys”

2.When five minutes is up turn the light off (or on and off if it wasn’t on to begin with) and say in a loud and clear cheerful voice “Pack~Up~Time!”

I work one on one with a little boy who has a speech disorder because he has Autism, but when this happens he stops what he’s doing and says it along with the other children. (They all say it in a sing song voice now when the light is turned out)

We usually sing the clean up song…

Other ideas to try…make a game out of it…Put on your childs favorite song..can you clean it all up before the song is done? Then I usually tell them..I don’t think you can..and they say “I can…” and I tell them to show me.

Or I count…(I usually help them as well..which side tracks me and I forget what number I am on..and they laugh).

Some times we race…I assign them an area. Whoever is done first, get to be the first in line for next activity..etc. It speeds up the lolly gaggers…: )

Pack Away Song

There is a song called jump down, turn around that is about cleaning up and putting away items.

Look into Oscar Organised, I think its sung by the wiggles. But its part of a program called the I can do it program, and organisation is one of the key, so theres a song for every key. But yeh it works really well with my kids.

I heard a song on Barney called Clean up

It goes Clean up clean up everybody everywhere

clean up clean up everybody do your share.