Cleaning up after messy play

Cleaning up is an important lesson that children should experience. And what better time to teach this, than after a messy play activity? Not only does it teach them cleaning skills, but it’s important that they learn to be responsible for their messes.

So, how do you teach little ones to clean up?

Don’t force them

Make it fun. Give everyone a wet cloth to wipe down hands, tables, chairs or anywhere else. Let them clean alongside you.

Encourage packing up.

Let them carry items from the activity to be put away. Tell them where you’d like the aprons or the paintbrushes to go, for example. If anything can go into the compost, they can help to throw it in and ‘feed the worms’. My son likes to look at the lizards in there.

Have everyone wash hands.

Or, if it they’ve been doing something ultra messy such as slime, it’s sometimes just easier to hose them down if you’re outside, put them in the shower, or even both.

Put their creations in a safe place.

Let them help you to hang their creations out to dry, or lay them flat if it’s something heavier. This really encourages their ability to predict events and problem-solving skills.

Helping to clean up not only teaches our kids valuable life skills and responsibility. It also makes them feel big and important, raising their self-esteem. It also means that Mum doesn’t have to play the martyr, doing all the cleaning on her own! So, have a simple plan, and instead of being upset that their fun time has ended, your kids will enjoy this next step instead.