Toy Storage Organizers

How do you get your kids to pick up their toys? It’s a question parents often ask one another. As parents, we all know how challenging it can be to get your toddlers to pick up their toys or to get your teenagers to clean their bedroom. When it comes to toddlers and other young kids, creative game play can be a great incentive to get those toys picked up. Want some great game ideas for pick up time? Try these out.


Race to be the first: If you have more than one child, this game gets top stars for creating motivation. Tell your kids that whoever gets all the toys picked up first, wins the game. Divide the room in half and ready, set go. Race to be first! You can do this with one child as well, but you are going to be one of the contestants.


1, 2, 3 and who has more: This pick up game is similar to the race to be first game in that kids are going to be scurrying around quickly to get the most toys picked up. Now, who doesn’t like that? The idea is to set up two or more pick up bins, totes or boxes and whoever gets the most toys picked up wins the game. You have to be a speedy counter if you want to count as they race around. Otherwise, just count them up at the end.


For the really young toddlers, the pace might have to come to a seemingly screeching halt. Slow it down and make sure you are not in a hurry. Try singing a special pick up toys song that you can teach your toddler and that the two of you always sing when it comes time to pick up time. It’s also a good idea with a toddler to give him a countdown to pick up time. Giving them a heads up warning of what your expectations are going to be, helps them transition from one task to another. For example, say something like, “In 10 minutes, we have to pick up our toys” and then, a few minutes later say, “In 5 minutes, we have to pick up our toys”. Give her two to three warnings and then, when the time to pick up is at hand, begin singing your pick up ditty.


Family clean night: Make it a family event where everyone is in charge of picking up and cleaning one area of the house. If they know everyone is working together as a time and especially if they get to work one on one with you, they are more willing to help. For example, with preschoolers, suggest they pick up all the toys on the floor while you follow behind them with a vacuum. You can make it more fun by pretending to chase down the toys with the vacuum and they have to rescue the toys just in the nick of time. It’s like family game night but with more cleaning action.


Honey works better than bleach in attracting helper bees. In other words, if you sweeten the pot a little, and make pick up time a fun event instead of a torturous lesson to be learned, your kids learn to do it with a happier heart instead of with a sense of dread and foreboding. Think of the ways you are motivated to do work you don’t enjoy doing. If someone is offering you an incentive or if it is made more enjoyable, you are a more agreeable and active participant. It is the same with kids. So, put on a happy face and start playing – and get those toys picked up.

Organizing Tips