How can I get my child to clean up without nagging?

Most kids don’t naturally enjoy cleaning up. The trick is to turn it into something clear, short, and playful, instead of a long, angry lecture.

What to do, step by step:

1. Decide what “clean enough” looks like.
   
   • Example: “Toys off the floor and into bins.”
     
   • Don’t aim for “perfect”; aim for “good enough for today.”
     
2. Give a warning before cleanup time.
   
   • “In 5 minutes, it will be cleanup time.”
     
   • Set a visible timer (on your phone or a kitchen timer) so they can see time passing.
     
3. Make eye contact and give a clear, short instruction.
   
   • Kneel down, look at them, and say:
     
     • “The timer is done. It’s time to put toys in the bins.”
       
4. Break it into tiny steps.
   
   • “First, let’s put all the cars in this basket.”
     
   • “Next, let’s pick up the blocks.”
     
5. Turn it into a game.
   
   • Race the timer: “Can we finish before the beep?”
     
   • Color game: “Let’s find all the red toys first!”
     
   • Robot mode: “We are cleanup robots. Beep boop!”
     
6. Help them start, then step back.
   
   • Pick up the first 2–3 toys with them.
     
   • Say: “I’ll help you start. You keep going while I put these books away.”
     
7. Stay calm if they resist.
   
   • Acknowledge: “You don’t feel like cleaning up. It’s hard to stop playing.”
     
   • Repeat the limit: “Playtime is over. We clean up toys before we do something new.”
     
8. Offer a “when–then” structure.
   
   • “When toys are in the bin, then we can have snack.”
     
   • “When we finish cleaning, then we can read a book.”
     
9. Praise their effort.
   
   • “You picked up all the blocks by yourself—that really helped.”
     
   • Highlight teamwork: “We did that together. High five!”