Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Refuses to pick up!!
nmitthun 01:11 PM 01-23-2015
What do you ladies do with a child that absolutely refuses (& I mean refuses) to help pick up toys? This child is 4 yrs old, she creates most of the mess here at my small in home daycare. I've tried talking to her about it, we have tried time out for not following my directions of picking up. I have talked to her mom & she will say "(child's name) you need to listen & pick up toys when she tells you too" right in front of me but I feel that's the only time she talks to her about it. It drives me nuts & the other kids especially my dd. They are always saying "why doesn't ***** have to pick up?!" Ugh I need some help!
TheGoodLife 01:15 PM 01-23-2015
At that age, she would get one thing she can play with, and can't move on until she puts that away.
Turquoise14 01:17 PM 01-23-2015
You could assign everyone something to get cleaned up (blocks, dress up, play food, etc) that way she has a specific thing she is responsible for . Then make sure there is something really fun coming up next that they get to do once their jobs are done. She doesn't do it, she doesn't move on in the day.
daycare 01:23 PM 01-23-2015
we have tins cans labeled with job descriptions and tongue suppressors with each childs name on them.
Book manager
Block Manager
Train Manager
etc
Before we can even play you have to choose what you will be responsible for that day. This does not mean that if you don't play there you don't have to pick it up, but you need to make sure that those toys you are supposed to manage are taken care of. The kids take it pretty serious and its super cute.
We are very proactive about it and we talk about taking care of things, how you need to be responsible for things and etc. Great books on this type of stuff that we read too. We even sing a song about how we are all little helpers....thank you mother goose time, that is the only thing I like out of your box....lol
If I had a child that was refusing to fulfill her duties that day, then she would sit with that pile of toys until she cleaned it up. She would not move on we would not make a fuss about it. Everything is a choice. You don't have to clean up, but you won't be doing anything else for the rest of the day until you do.
Book manager
Block Manager
Train Manager
etc
Before we can even play you have to choose what you will be responsible for that day. This does not mean that if you don't play there you don't have to pick it up, but you need to make sure that those toys you are supposed to manage are taken care of. The kids take it pretty serious and its super cute.
We are very proactive about it and we talk about taking care of things, how you need to be responsible for things and etc. Great books on this type of stuff that we read too. We even sing a song about how we are all little helpers....thank you mother goose time, that is the only thing I like out of your box....lol
If I had a child that was refusing to fulfill her duties that day, then she would sit with that pile of toys until she cleaned it up. She would not move on we would not make a fuss about it. Everything is a choice. You don't have to clean up, but you won't be doing anything else for the rest of the day until you do.
Blackcat31 01:49 PM 01-23-2015
I won't engage in a struggle to make a child clean up.
I just wouldn't allow them to move onto another activity until they complied.
If they refuse, then I would give them a toy (one toy) to play with until they decide they are willing to clean up.
I just wouldn't allow them to move onto another activity until they complied.
If they refuse, then I would give them a toy (one toy) to play with until they decide they are willing to clean up.
Josiegirl 04:13 PM 01-23-2015
I remembering hearing the phrase 'stop their world' until they pitch in. If the playroom has gotten to be a mess and there is 1 child not helping, I'll tell each child to pick up 10 items. Then if it's still a mess I'll say okay, 10 more. Sometimes it helps the child to know he just has to do a certain amount, it won't be endless. 
BUT if someone is still not helping I'll have everybody else do a fair amount and leave the child with their own share to finish, sit them right beside it and when they're done they can join us again. I've had dcks kick and scream and carry on while we go right on picking up, then leave dck his share and say see you in a little while. After we leave the area, his audience is gone and he'll pick up. Usually.
You could play beat the timer, see if that helps motivate him. Sing clean up songs? Divide the chore by colors? Every kid(and their day, their mood, etc.) is different so what works this time might not work next time.
BUT if someone is still not helping I'll have everybody else do a fair amount and leave the child with their own share to finish, sit them right beside it and when they're done they can join us again. I've had dcks kick and scream and carry on while we go right on picking up, then leave dck his share and say see you in a little while. After we leave the area, his audience is gone and he'll pick up. Usually.
You could play beat the timer, see if that helps motivate him.
Sing clean up songs? Divide the chore by colors? Every kid(and their day, their mood, etc.) is different so what works this time might not work next time.
Febby 11:49 PM 01-23-2015
My children aren't allowed to get out another toy until they put their first toy away. So if I had a child playing with blocks who then refused to pick them up, they would get to sit by the blocks until they decided to clean them up. It takes however long it takes. Some are more stubborn than others, but they eventually get it.
CraftyMom 07:39 AM 01-24-2015
I would also only allow her to play with one toy...of my choosing. Something that she doesn't like to play with and will be bored. As she starts getting the point and cooperating, slowly add in one more toy each day.