Clean up countdown
6–12 monthsSuccess MindsetNo materials needed
A few minutes before ending playtime, give a gentle warning by showing your child and saying 'almost time to clean up.' Wait two to three minutes, then help your child put away one or two toys before transitioning to the next activity. This advance notice helps your child anticipate the change and practice the small wait between the warning and the action.
Part of the Imprint developmental journey — personalized to your child.
How to Do This Activity
A few minutes before ending playtime, give a gentle warning by showing your child and saying 'almost time to clean up.' Wait two to three minutes, then help your child put away one or two toys before transitioning to the next activity. This advance notice helps your child anticipate the change and practice the small wait between the warning and the action.
Why It Works
Transition warnings create predictable patterns that help infants learn to anticipate changes, which is fundamental to developing self-regulation. These routines build a sense of security while introducing brief waiting periods. Early experiences with anticipation and delay create foundations for executive function that support later learning (Liew, J., Chen, Q., & Hughes, J. N., 2010).
Tips for Parents
Use the same words and tone for every cleanup transition.
Help your child physically with cleanup at this age rather than expecting independence.
Keep the warning-to-action gap consistent so your child learns the pattern.
Materials Needed
None
Learning Methods
Repetition and RoutineResponsive Interaction
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