There are many skills that parents would like their preschoolers to know. They want them to be kind and caring, and to share their toys. They also want them to clean up their messes. They want them to learn how to take responsibility for the messes they make, and this happens slowly.
Young children love to play and make messes, but they are not that enthusiastic when it comes to cleaning up. While mom wants her child to learn to do this on her own, she is also likely pretty tired of having to clean up the messes all by herself.
Getting a preschooler to clean can seem impossible, but there are some tricks that moms can use to help encourage their preschoolers to clean up. Some moms use rewards, some use bribery, and some use a classic tactic, like clean-up songs.
Parents have been using clean-up songs for decades, and they can be a great motivation to get preschoolers to clean up. We are going to go through why clean-up songs work so well, and what some great ones are that kids and moms will love.
Why Do Clean-Up Songs Work?
Cleaning up is a part of everyone’s life, and you may have noticed that cleaning seems a bit more tolerable, and even fun, when your favorite music is playing in the background. It gives motivation and makes time go by quicker, and it works similarly with children.
According to First For Women, a clean-up song sends a signal to a preschooler that it is time to clean up, and if mom finds one that works, all she has to do after a while is just play the song, and her child will start cleaning up. It also works to encourage them to clean up and to see how fast they can do it.
The Clean-Up Medley
According to Preschool Inspiration, this is a medley that was put together by Miss Nina, and it really works. The song starts with a transition period so that a preschooler knows that a change is coming, and they have to start cleaning up. Any song that helps a preschool make a transition is going to be helpful since it will decrease resistance as a child knows what is coming next. This is a collection of a bunch of different clean-up songs all mashed together perfectly.
The Clean-Up Song
This is a song that you are already likely familiar with, or you will be by the end of it. This is a classic song, and it is a song that is based on repetition. Repetition is great for children because it helps them remember the song, and this means that they will recognize that it is time to clean up when they hear it.
Clean-Up Is Fun
This song is by The Learning Station, and it is a calmer song for those that don’t want something that is too upbeat. This song is unique in that it gives actual instructions throughout the song of what your child should clean up next. It will tell children to put books back on shelves and to put toys away.
It’s Time To Clean-Up
According to Fatherly, this is a great option for those who want a short song. This song would be great to see if you can get your preschooler to clean up quickly. Hit play and then see if they can clean up everything before the song is over, and this will bring out their competitive edge.
Tidy Up Rhumba Song
This song is incredibly fast-paced, and it will turn any clean-up session into a full dance part. This song is set to a Spanish beat. This is a great song to clean to, and it introduces preschoolers to other types of music that they may not listen to that much.
Tidy Up Song
Little Baby Bum is an online hit, and they have a tidy-up song that your child may be familiar with. If your children are fans of this program, they may love to clean up with their favorite characters. This is another instructional song that will help guide and encourage children to clean up. If Little Baby Bum isn’t a hit with your preschoolers, you can also try anything from Cocomelon to Blippi, there are clean-up gem songs everywhere.
Dora’s Clean-Up Song
Dora the Explorer is a classic, and it is always playing on TV, and she has her own clean-up song that may work great for your preschooler. If they are Dora fans, they will love to clean up with the explorer, boots, and backpack. They may even learn some Spanish while they clean up.
Sources: First For Women, Preschool Inspirations, Fatherly