Clean up songs get tidy results

Getting young children to tidy up can be easy and fun when you use a special song to signal clean up time.

Songs are a great way to indicate transition from one activity to the next. Children love music and are far more likely to respond to a song than spoken orders. It will immediately get their attention and quieten down the room. As soon as they hear the song, they'll know it's time to finish what they are doing and start to tidy up.

The clean up song sung by Barney the Dinosaur is a popular choice. You could play it or sing it yourself. Alternatively why not make up a simple song of your own? Try writing the words to a traditional tune like London Bridge is Falling Down. This example uses the tune of ‘Row, row, row your boat':

Clean, clean, clean up time
Put your toys away
Everyone, let's get it done
It's clean up time today

All you have to do is start singing or playing the song each time you need to clean up after an activity. Children will very quickly associate the song with clean up time. Young children like routines and repetition is the easiest way to teach skills. So use the same song each time.

You'll be surprised how much children enjoy cleaning up with a song. Try it and see.

Some clean up songs to try

Clean Up by Barney the Dinosaur {http://www.last.fm/music/Barney/_/Clean+Up}

Put your things away from the new kids' album Let's Sing {http://www.childrensongs.org.uk}

Heigh-Ho from Disney's Snow White {http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heigh-Ho/dp/B001WIL3S2}


Add extra fun to clean up time

• Play Clean Up Freeze. When you stop the music, get the children to freeze. Then restart the music to carry on.
• Get the children to act out their roles as pick up trucks, busy bees or vacuum cleaners.