Teach Children to Organize - Tips on How to Organize Children’s Belongings

When it comes to training children on things like good hygiene, being polite, and caring for others, many parents are doing quite well. However when it comes to teaching children how to organize their things, some parents are dropping the ball. Educators, family members, friends, and strangers look upon these helpless children with pity, eye-rolls, or frustration. Poor Johnny or Jill is dropping items, can’t find things, and is having his or her share of fits because they just don’t know what to do with all their stuff.  So what to do?

1)  Start by getting organized yourself.  Then teach children how you keep up with your items.

2) Give a child a task to organize. From a bookshelf to a table top, show them not only how to organize, but why it is important.

3) Walk through their environment and point out the things they could organize better.

4) Reward the child for his or her effort.

5) Be consistent and remind him or her to stay organized everyday. Ask, “Did you put your items back after you used them?”  If they continuously forget, you will have to remove favorite items from area or other distractions until he or she improves.

6) Communicate what you are teaching your child to others so that they too will help your child learn good organizational skills.

Things to start teaching children to organize in their room and elsewhere:

1) Video games and accessories

2) School work

3) Clothes

4) Bedding

5) Small toys

6) Edibles in the kitchen

7)  Bathroom items

Once they have shown that they are doing well organizing their items, remember to reward them and encourage them to keep up the good work!

Nicholl McGuire is the owner and manager of this blog.