• Blog
    • Digital Learning
    • Freebies
    • Growth Mindset
    • Holidays & Special Events
      • Back to School
      • Halloween
      • Remembrance Day
      • Christmas
      • End of the Year
    • Kindergarten
      • Art
      • Fine Motor
      • Gross Motor
      • Outdoor Learning
      • Weekly Round-Up
    • Literacy
      • Alphabet
      • Reading
      • Sight Words
      • Writing
    • Math
      • Number Sense
      • 2D Shapes
      • 3D Figures
      • Graphing
      • Measurement
      • Patterning
    • Primary Ideas
    • Teacher Tips
      • Book Recommendations
      • Classroom Management
      • Communicating with Parents
      • Self-Regulation
      • Video Suggestions
    • Science
  • Freebies
  • Abolitionists Unite
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Contact
    • About Me
    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram

Encouraging Unmotivated Kids to Clean

March 16, 2016

Our class of 33 active students can make a tornado of a mess. We know it is worth it when kids are engaged, safe, active and learning. The question is, how do you motivate kids to clean?

We started the beginning of the year with supporting the students at the end of each learning block. We would model tidying up and verbally encourage and praise the students who helped out.  Honestly, we were either directing or doing most of the work and our little JK’s were doing more work than our SK students. It was frustrating.

Some years I often need to rethink my bag of tricks for behavior management. We started to use Tidy Up King & Queen brag tag awards. The kids loved it and we rewarded students who we saw working hard, helping others or had been responsible for their own mess! Later we decided to switch up how we awarded students. 

Mystery Item

We picked a mystery item.  It worked like a charm to get the class to clean up quicker than before. Hint: Never tell the kids it has been picked up or they stop working! 😉  

To motivate them I often will say, “I still see the mystery item. I wonder who will find it?” It works like a charm! As you can see in the picture below, I often have to photograph the student with the mystery item because they are so proud of finding it!


Multiple Winners

Want to hand out multiple at a time?  

This idea is perfect for instant recognition for appropriate behavior! We would write names of students participating on the board. If they stopped we would wipe their name off. Great instant feedback for students and they always look to see if their name is on the board! lol

When the room is clean, we come back to the carpet we handed out the reward(s).  The children give a cheer for the winner when they get their award. The winner often is beaming with pride as they take their award to their backpack to share with families. Some students even carry it around for a while because it is a treasured prize for them. 

Parent Feedback

Has all been positive! Apparently, some of my students have a “wall of fame” where they collect the awards. The kids always tell mom and dad what the mystery item was or why they got their award and parents love being involved and knowing what is happening in the class. We also help students less. This has allowed us to deal with behavior management and those trying to avoid cleaning instead of helping ourselves. What is your tried and true motivation for student participation in cleaning up? I’d love to know what works for you!

T-logo3

Back to School, Classroom Management, Communicating with Parents, Learning in Kindergarten ·

Beginning Our Growth Mindset Journey in Kindergarten »

Comments

  1. bominka12 says

    August 1, 2017 at 12:45 pm

    What a great post! I've used to give "clean desk awards" out back in the day! Now I use something similar to the names on the board that you mentioned above. Kindergarten students love to be recognized and yes, they do make quite a mess!! 🙂

Follow

Welcome

Hi, my name is Michelle. I am a wife, mother of two and a teacher. Our family has two dogs - one recently fostered in a rescue scenario. I love creating teaching materials to support my student's learning journey and love that this can support busy teachers with engaging activities for your students! Our family loves exploring the outdoors by hiking, biking and boating.
  • Freebies
  • Digital Learning
  • ELA
  • Math
  • End of the Year
  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

The Links

  • Blog
  • Landing Page

The Shop

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Freebies
  • Landing Page
I love exploring sight words with my students with I love exploring sight words with my students with interactive activities!
This Build a Snowman activity challenges students to solve the word before the snowman is finished! Find this activity now in my TpT store!

#sightwords #sightwordskindergarten #digitalsightwords #digitalliteracy #digitalkindergarten #iteachkindergarten #iteachfirst #iteachsecond #iteachsecondgrade #iteachfirstgrade #wordwallwords #wordwall
Digital write the room is a run way for students t Digital write the room is a run way for students to engage in a fun, seasonal writing activity! This version also includes a paper copy so parents who want to print it can hide the words around their house! 

#distancelearning #distancelearning2020 #kindergarten #writing #kindergartenwriting #writetheroom #gradeone #gradeoneteacher #kindergartenteacher #ece #literacyactivities #digitalliteracy #iteachkindergarten #iteachfirst
Non-standard measurement is a joy for children! T Non-standard measurement is a joy for children! 
Throughout the year we try to focus on measurement in many different ways. What different types of cubes do you think our students used to measure these objects? Any other materials? They found a bunch!
Check out my store for a set for each month of engaging snap cube measurement activities!
#kindergartenteacher #kindergarten #kindergartenactivities #kindergartenclassroom #nonstandardmeasurement #snapcubemath #kindergartenmath #kindergartenmathcenter #kindergartenmeasurement
My students absolutely love being detectives and s My students absolutely love being detectives and searching for write the room pictures throughout the classroom! These fall animals are a part of my October set. 

💡My write the room activities are in the midst of getting a revamp! Download the new files to if you already own them! 

#iteachk #kindergarten #writetheroom #kindergartenwriting #iteachkindergarten #kindergartenteacher #kindergartenactivities
GIVAWAY CLOSED! @learnandplayinfdk congratulations GIVAWAY CLOSED! @learnandplayinfdk congratulations on winning this giveaway! Please send me your email in a DM and I’ll email you the file! Thank you to all who participated!

My Number sense Google Slide Activities are finished. These are a perfect digital addition to your classroom or for distance learning.
I’ve decided to give one away to a lucky educator! 

How to enter:
1️⃣ Like and save this post
2️⃣ Leave me a comment below about the number sense concept your students struggle the most with recognizing
3️⃣ Tag an educator who also may want to win this

For additional entries
💡Share this post in your stories.
💡 Follow my TpT store - link in bio

The giveaway will be finished at 8 PM Tuesday, November 17th! 
Good luck! 💕

#mathgames #playingdice #playingislearning #mathcenters #distancelearning #kindergarten #firstgrade #numbersense #mathactivity #iteachkinder #iteachk #iteachkindy #iteachkindergarten #kindergartenlife #ontarioteacher #fdk #fulldaykindergarten #kindergartenteacher #teachingelementaryandbeyond
😂 I wonder how long my hair will grow this year 😂
I wonder how long my hair will grow this year! 🤷🏼‍♀️ #teachersofinstagram #teacher #teachersappreciationweek #teachersrock #teachermeme #longhairdontcare
This makes me giggle! What are you leaning towards This makes me giggle!
What are you leaning towards? 😂

#teacherlife #teacherproblems #iteach #teachermemes #teacherhumour #lifeisgood #brightside
I cannot wait to use these Level C mystery sight w I cannot wait to use these Level C mystery sight words activities with my class! They are perfect for distance learning using Google Slides in our Google classroom! 
Students simply slide the letter for the corresponding sound to the line. When they are done, slide the answer box to reveal the mystery word!

Check them out in my TpT store. Link in bio.

#iteachk #kindergarten #kindergartenteacher #kindergartenliteracy #sightwords #sightwordskindergarten #googleclassroom #googleslides #distancelearning #distanceteaching #mysterysightwords #iteachfirst #firstgradeliteracy #digitalliteracy #tptteachers #tptseller #tpt

Copyright © 2022 · · Hello You Designs