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Tips to Get Kids to Clean Room

By Amanda Delgado, eHow Contributor
updated: August 14, 2009

Kids can be experts at making messes, but they should also be responsible enough to clean them up. If your child stubbornly refuses to clean his room, you can turn his behavior around with a few tips and a lot of patience. Motivate your kid to pick up all those toys by making cleaning an easy, rewarding and fun experience.

    Make Cleaning Easy

  1. Let your child know beforehand that cleaning will begin at a certain time, such as in five minutes. Give her time to finish what she's doing and get ready to clean so that she won't feel overwhelmed by a sudden change in activity. Also give her clear instructions on what she should be doing so that she understands what you expect of her.

    If your kid's room is cluttered, provide him with separate bins and containers for toys. Help him learn how to organize by dividing toys up into groups and putting them away accordingly. For example, all his toy cars could go in their own bin, while action figures can be put away in another. Cleaning up an assorted pile of toys at the end of the day will be much easier for your child when he knows where everything belongs.

    Have your kid focus on performing one task or cleaning one area at a time, such as making her bed, before moving on to the next. This should stop her from feeling discouraged or dismayed at the thought of having to put her entire messy room in order.

    Limit the time your child spends cleaning up so that he doesn't get restless or bored. The younger he is, the less time he should spend cleaning at one time. Keep in mind that younger kids have short attention spans.

    You can help your child out with cleaning by joining in. You'll also be encouraging her natural tendency to imitate you by setting a good example. Tell her you'll tackle one side of the room while she handles the other side.

    2. Make Cleaning Rewarding

  2. Always praise your kid when he cleans his room, but don't wait until he's finished cleaning. Instead, let him know what a great job he's doing as he performs individual tasks. You'll make him more aware of what he's doing and give his confidence a boost. Parental praise can go a long way toward encouraging kids to accomplish a task they would rather not do. Avoid harsh words or shouting at your child if she's not doing what she's supposed to. Speak firmly but without raising your voice.

    Don't resort to bribery to get your kid to clean. This will backfire when he starts expecting you to reward him with a toy or a trip to the movies every time he cleans. Enthusiastic praise is a much more effective reward in the long run.

    3. Make Cleaning Fun

  3. Turn cleaning into a game to make the task fun for your child. You can have a race to see if he can put his toys away before a certain amount of time is up. You could also play educational games, such as asking him to pick up all the toys that start with a certain letter of the alphabet. Put on his favorite songs and sing along while cleaning up. Making a dull task seem appealing to your kid will liven things up and make him much less likely to throw a tantrum or pout the next time you tell him it's time to clean.
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