A song always works better to engage children when it's time to clean up. I love the idea someone shared last week of providing children with tools, such as a dust pan, duster, sweeper, etc. You could probably get most of these at a dollar store.
Hi Ho Helpers
(Tune: "Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, It's off to Work We Go")
Hi ho, hi ho, a cleaning up we’ll go.
Everyone join in the fun,
Hi ho, hi ho.
Hi ho, hi ho, a picking up we’ll go.
Put your things away for another day,
Hi ho, hi ho.
(Sing twice.)
Tidy Up
(Tune: “Jingle Bells”)
Tidy up, tidy up, put your things away.
Tidy up, tidy up, we’re finished for today.
Oh, tidy up, tidy up, put your things away.
For we’ll get them out again another school day.
We’ve had lots of fun as we’ve worked and played.
Now it’s time to all join in and play the clean up game.
Chorus
Tidy up, tidy up, put your things away.
Tidy up, tidy up, we’re finished for today.
Oh, tidy up, tidy up, put your things away.
For we’ll get them out again another school day.
We’ve had lots of fun as we’ve worked and played.
Now it’s time to all join in and play the clean up game.
Chorus
I See Someone Cleaning Up!
(Tune: “London Bridge”)
I see child’s name cleaning up,
Cleaning up, cleaning up.
I see child’s name cleaning up,
Just like second child’s name.
Continue singing the name of children who are helpers.
*Get a flashlight and shine it on the child as you sing their name.
Magic Trash
Select one random piece of trash to be the “magic trash.” Have children
pick up the room. As they dump the paper and scraps in the trashcan,
inspect what they have in their hands. The one to find the “magic trash”
gets a sticker.
Timer
To help prepare children for clean up time set a timer for three minutes. Explain, “You have three more minutes. When the timer goes off we will have a whisper clean up.”
Who You Gonna Call?
Send a letter home asking if anyone has an old dust buster to donate to your classroom. Choose one person each day to be the “dust buster.” When there’s a mess shout, “Who you gonna call?” Children respond, “Dust buster!” The designated “dust buster” of the day GETS to clean up the mess.
(Tune: “London Bridge”)
I see child’s name cleaning up,
Cleaning up, cleaning up.
I see child’s name cleaning up,
Just like second child’s name.
Continue singing the name of children who are helpers.
*Get a flashlight and shine it on the child as you sing their name.
Magic Trash
Select one random piece of trash to be the “magic trash.” Have children
pick up the room. As they dump the paper and scraps in the trashcan,
inspect what they have in their hands. The one to find the “magic trash”
gets a sticker.
Timer
To help prepare children for clean up time set a timer for three minutes. Explain, “You have three more minutes. When the timer goes off we will have a whisper clean up.”
Who You Gonna Call?
Send a letter home asking if anyone has an old dust buster to donate to your classroom. Choose one person each day to be the “dust buster.” When there’s a mess shout, “Who you gonna call?” Children respond, “Dust buster!” The designated “dust buster” of the day GETS to clean up the mess.
