I got cold and cruel with my kids with this problem. Any of their toys that didn't get packed up, after they were in bed I'd pack them up myself - in a box or bag and hide it in the shed and then I'd tell them when they asked where they were that they couldn't have them because they obviously didn't care enough about them to pack them up.

Once they realised that they were rapidly running out of toys, they started packing them up and didn't miss a single one! Once they got into the routine and kept to it for a while, they slowly started getting their toys back again a bit at a time. If they got lazy again, their toys started disappearing again.

It worked wonders!

One of our children did exactly the same. I did not clean it. After a while I tried all sorts of things and nothing worked. I tried helping him clean his room - worked for a while; made a game of it and that worked for longer. We set the oven timer with a treat for the reward if the job was done. The treat was not always food, sometimes I said "if you clean up your room I will have time to play a game with you." Sometimes I would clean up the mess and say "You know, I really would like to read you a book now but I am so tired from cleaning your room I don't have the time or energy. I wish you had done it then we could cuddle up together and read. After a few comments like that the room situation improved and I learnt to live with some imperfections. His efforts to clean his room were always met with high praise and thanks not always with other rewards. He is now a great husband (so my daughter in law says) and a great father but still struggles to be tidy. Hehandles it well though. Keep trying the innovative way you are to encourage your little girl and she will get it eventually.

Hi Niky & little bub!

The only advice I have is what Ive been using on my little princess, which is to pretend that its a treasure hunt..... for you! Get her to hide her toys in her bedroom, that way atleast they are in her room and not all over the house. When you do find them, I have discovered that my daughter is so excited by the idea of hiding something and me finding it, then when I ask her to put away the toy that I have found (before I look for the next one) she is literally tripping over herself to do the right thing!

hope this might help

We have a similar problem her with my 4yo and 2yo.  They don't like picking up toys, it interupts whatever they are doing.  We have different boxes for different toys but I find that this doesn't make a difference to the mess.  We are always struggling with this one.  But the latest discovery is that our 4 yo is very much like his dad and can't see where to begin.  It is all too overwhelming for him.  So we break it down into smaller tasks and try and make them different.  For example - pick up all the red toys (or whatever colour) or pick up all the cars, or pick up all the big toys etc...

This works but only if we stay in the room and help him.  As soon as we leave he stops.  And if we don't help he looses heart. 

I think htat part of our problem is that we always picked up the toys for him until he was about 2yo.  It always seemed easier.  Then his brother came along and we didn't have time and it was too late.  Mind you we know that he can do it because he is really good at packing toys away at other people's places.  Maybe persistance is the answer.

Just quickly as an after thought, I think kids now-a-days have too many toys.  My sister gets her kids just before Christmas and their birthday to pick out a toy they no longer want and give it to charity.  Nice idea if you can get them to part with them.

If you find that something works really well let me know.

I agree to the others as far as boxing the toys up, it sure makes it easy for the little ones if they only have to throw the toys in. The key to this one is be strong and dont give in. I always use my manners too when asking the kids to do stuff and they tend to respect that. But put your foot down on this one because it is important for your children to learn to respect their belongings and your house. If my kids refuge after being asked politely, I usually get the toy box, put it in the middle of the mess and "Right I want you to pick up your toys now! You are make Mummy sad when you don't listen to me". I don't want us to live in a house that looks likes animals have been in, Ask your child if they want to live like an animal? usually they say No. "Well you better pick your toys up then" . If you threaten to take something off them , do it straight away and keep on doing it untill they listen. MAKE SURE when your little one has done what you ask, that you praise her and tell her how happy you are.

Every night before bed, I sit on my sons floor and i say....

Put away your cars, then what ever else is lying around on the floor... I have a box for down stairs he can put every thing in, and I stand there and watch him do it..  And if he wants to go upstairs to play he I stand there and make him put his other toys away before he can go upstairs.

It was hard at first and he refused, but eventually he realized I was serious.. Now I just say  "Put these away first.." And he does it...  Ok sometimes he'll kick up a fuss, but if the toys don't go away he does not get to do what he wants... 

This does not work on husbands.. :)

sadly it is very easy (i cant say a heap as we have a toy room and it is a bomb site but i have been very slack due to health reasons)

1 BOX at a time. spend a day or so and clean it all up box everything (I read you have a big box and several smaller ones) then ask her what she wants get that 1 box out. if she wants more she has to clean it up then another box can come out.

good luck.

This is a little 4 year old.....I'm still trying to get my 20year old to pick up....lol.

This is a management issue. Take a look around a pre-school, so many kids, so little mess. That's because of organisation.

1. Spend a day sorting and organising the toys. Use plastic tubs to sort toys into. A box for blocks, a box for dolls, a box for cars etc etc etc.

2. Find somewhere to store the toys where the children dont access, this may cause serious re-arranging.

3. Each day get out 3 or 4 different boxes, say cars, blocks, tea sets, dolls in different areas maybe one on a table, some on a sheet on the floor etc.

4. She can then move from area to area playing constructively with the toys laid out. It helps if you can sit down for a few mins in each area and help her to play with them to start her off.

5. At the end of the day you can say lets pack up the toys together before we choose what you would like to have tomorrow!

When children are faced with a huge amount of toys they really dont know what to do with them, its overwhelming so just spreading them everywhere is the only option. They need direction and support. Its also interesting to have a 'new' selection every day.

Hope this helps. Miriam

What I done was, I sent all my three kids of to one day. And then I got all my 4 years old toy,went through them.I gave one box or container for toys for the house. And the other one for the yard. I then showed Michael which ones where which,I then took the yard toys out the back and put them under cover. I only kept about dozen toys inside in a box. And everytime michael would leaves one laying around, I would pick it up and throw it out the back. He soon got sick and tired of picking his toys from outside. give it ago for about two weeks. And it does work. You have to show them you a boss not them. I hope this helps