How to Make Tidy-Up Time Fun for Kids

Getting kids to tidy up isn’t always easy. These tips and tricks will help them enjoy it as much as they love playing!

Kids love playtime – it’s not only fun, but good for kids, too! Until they have to tidy up, that is. When the floor is a sea of toys, with LEGO^® DUPLO^® bricks strewn everywhere, it's a stressful sight to see. (And downright painful to step on, too!).

Don’t worry, making a mess is all part of the fun, just like tidying up afterward! By learning to tidy up after themselves, kids can get into good habits from an early age and learn to be responsible, helpful little humans. Now who doesn’t like the sound of that?

Here are some simple ways to make tidying-up time fun for kids!

A tidy-up tally!

Kids love a motivating incentive. Each time your little one successfully tidies up their toys, they can add another line to the tally chart! If they’ve hit a certain number by the end of the week, reward them with a treat, like their favorite movie or a bowl of ice cream (we’d tidy up for ice cream!).

Keeping a tally is a great way for kids to monitor their progress, not to mention practicing their counting skills! Who said math can’t be fun?

Tidying timer

Ready, set, TIDY! Start the timer and see if your kids can tidy within a time limit. Can they put all their colored pencils and paper away before dinner is served? What about competing with a sibling to tidy their room (a bit of friendly competition never hurt, right)?

If they beat the clock, reward them! Perhaps they’d like to watch their favorite episode of Peppa Pig™? (Have you seen our LEGO^® DUPLO^® Peppa Pig sets? Oink, oink!)

The lava is rising!

Oh no. Lava is about to rise from the floor. Time for everyone to get to safety on higher ground. But first... you must save the toys!

In this game, kids have to quickly put their toys away, before retreating to the sofa or bed so they don’t get caught in the lava that’s about to flood in!

Once done, perhaps you can work together as a family to plan an escape route?

Imaginative play is great for nurturing kids' creativity and communication, plus makes tidying up fun for the whole family! What other exciting scenarios can you create?

Grouping and sorting!

There’s nothing more satisfying than opening a drawer and seeing everything color-coded or organized by type. Your kids can do the same with their toys!

Grouping and sorting objects helps children develop cognitive skills while having fun at the same time, and some younger ones might be able to help with this too, with a little guidance. Try challenging them to sort their LEGO^® DUPLO^® bricks by color, or gathering all their books in one place. A bit of organized fun is great for young children and the result? Everything’s left nice and tidy!

Even very little kids can try grouping and sorting, or even just putting items into a box or bucket, with a little encouragement!

Fun storage options!

Having a good storage solution makes tidying up fun! Your little one will know exactly where to put things, and it makes it easier to find what they need next playtime. Perhaps you’ll find baskets in fun and quirky shapes, colorful boxes that kids can decorate or even get them to build a storage box out of LEGO^® DUPLO^® bricks!

Tip: Use labeled pictures on storage so little ones can recognize what goes where. For example, ‘Books’, ‘LEGO bricks’, ‘Stuffed toys’, ‘Trains’, ‘Puzzles’, etc.

Psst! Need somewhere to store your LEGO DUPLO bricks? Check out these fun storage options that are sure to be a hit with kids!

Teamwork

What gets a job done faster? Teamwork! And what better way to squeeze in some extra family togetherness! Tidying can be quite therapeutic, so as you put things away, use this moment to chat, sing songs together or get some cuddles in. Perhaps you’ll even invent your very own tidy up song, that you can sing together every tidy-up time. Hit that high note, Dad!

Phew, calm has finally been restored! Try these tips and tricks at home to make tidying a blast for kids!

Want more advice on making everyday tasks fun? Check out our articles on how to make the school run and laundry fun (yes, it’s possible!).