How to encourage your child to tidy up his room?

When kids are having fun, they tend to put it all over the house. And even before put away their toys building blocks and the characters that allow them to animate their stories, they have already taken out all the markers to color in, or the latest board game for a family party. You may ask them to tidy up as you go, but you rather have the feeling of disturbing them in their adventures. “Yes, but wait, let’s play!“, your child will tell you with a somewhat disconcerting aplomb. how to encourage them to tidy up their room, without nervous breakdown? Our tips and tricks to stop toys lying around on the floor.

1 – Establish clear rules

Good habits are acquired from an early age. As well, teach him to put his toys away before taking out others. For example, if he wants to have fun with his Playmobil or his Lego, he will only be allowed to take them out if no Kapla is lying around on the ground. Gradually, this condition will be integrated and your child (in a hurry to continue having fun), will quickly put away his toys. You can also let him have fun quietly, by asking him to put his room in order at the end of the afternoon, after having finished playing. However, he risks being discouraged more quickly when he sees what remains to be done.

2 – A moment devoted to storage

Every weekend, why not devote a morning to tidying up, all together ? The opportunity to involve him in the daily tasks, as well as dad and his brothers and sisters. Each would then have a specific task to perform. The mission of your child (according to his age): sort your laundry clean or dirtymake his bedand of course, put away his toys.

3 – Tidying up your room while having fun

To prevent tidying up your room from being experienced as a constraint and sometimes even as a punishment, turn on the music, sing and dance (with your broom, the vacuum cleaner handle). A good way to make this sometimes tedious moment a little more playful and fun. And if the cleaning was done in a good mood, your child may be a little less refractory. Offer him to choose his songs, provided that they are catchy and rhythmic!

4 – Shall we race?

“The first to finish putting all the cars in the red box wins a point!” If you have several children, offer them to do the race, or participate with them in this mini-competition which will prove to be very effective. A word of advice: let your child win the game (or tie if there are several of them, so as not to discourage bad losers). There will of course be the revenge, and if necessary the beauty to then store the pearls and small jewels that they have just created.

5 – Easy access to storage

If you ask your little one to store their clothes and toys, make sure that access to the wardrobe is sufficiently accessible. Practice, storage boxes allow you to sort all the toys in the blink of an eye. Buy several models of different colors and sizes according to your needs. Then dedicate a storage box stuffed animals, another box for Playmobil and Lego, a third for dolls and small cars, colored pencils, etc. Do not hesitate to ask your child to help you assign the type of toy to the color box. This will allow him to be involved and then help him to tidy up his room on his own, like a grown-up. You can place them on top of each other, slide them under the bed, or embed them in a piece of furniture.

6 – Labels for easier storage

To let your little one know where their things are kept, consider labeling their storage boxes. There is a wide choice of personalized labels, modern and colorful, with his favorite heroes… You will easily find some that will match the boxes you have chosen. Depending on your child’s age, you can also use pictures or stickers corresponding to the type of toy. In the box where his toy cars are stored, for example, paste the image of Cars and so on. You can also ask him to draw the character of his choice himself, to put on the box.

7 – How do you store your toys?

To store everything in the blink of an eye, without having to pick up small objects for hours, opt for an activity mat that turns into a storage bag. Your child will then be able to take out all their toys on this nomadic carpet and will only have to close it by pulling on the string to group everything together. Tidying up becomes child’s play! This ultra-practical mat can be taken everywhere, with the grandparents, or on vacation.

8 – Functional furniture

In addition to the traditional cupboard and the bookcase which allows you to store evening stories, you can buy small modern and functional furniture which will allow you to put away toys, but also your children’s books and cuddly toys. Many brands offer pretty storage for children’s rooms. You will find wall boxes, small book bins and other boxes to place in a corner of your room.

9 – A bed with drawers

You find under your child’s bed all kinds of toys, clothes or accessories. Indeed, to tidy up their room in no time, what child has not tried to slip everything under the bed, neither seen nor known? But for an organized and tidy room, drawer beds optimize the space in the room.

This storage hidden under the bed will allow you to keep your children’s stuffed animals, comforters and small toys neatly. There are also raised beds that have a little more room to slide decorative boxes into them. You can also opt for a loft bed under which you can find a desk, a small library…