TEACH YOUR TOTS TO BE TIDY

Small children create a lot of clutter. But they can be taught to be tidy and organized.

Here’s how:

Make a game out of putting things away to help your child develop putting-away habits. This also helps them develop pre-reading and pre-math sorting skills. If an entire cupboard of toys is strewn around the room it is too hard for very young children to know where to start to 'tidy up'. You need to work with your child, and give simple instructions, one at a time. Help your child to put things away before he starts a new activity. Provide your child with easily-identified containers, crates and bins. Don’t bother with lids. Use colors to help identify things. Ice cream containers are ideal as kids can sort things into groups – crayons in one container, blocks in another. Low, open shelves work better than big boxes. Things are easy to see at a glance on shelves. Save deep trunks or baskets for bulky stuff like dress-up clothes or balls. Use big colored hooks for hanging coats, hats, bags, skipping ropes. Use symbols, and name their hooks Pre-scholars like to be where the grown ups are. So don’t bother storing toys in their bedrooms until they’re a little older. Keep toys and books in the kitchen or living room, at your child’s height for easy access.