How is this different from books about tidying up?

It works the same way as books about tidying up: one ordinary moment, told calmly. The difference is that your child is the main character. Their name and something they love are in the story, and it comes narrated, so you can listen together before the next tidy-up.

Does the room have to be perfectly tidy at the end?

No. The story celebrates making a start and asking for help, not a perfect room. Your child picks one small part, such as putting away just the blocks or every red toy, and a grown-up is glad to help when it feels like a lot.

It is written for toddlers and young children. Choose Little ones (1–3), Growing kids (4–5) or Big kids (6–8), and the words, sentence length and pace follow that age. You can also pick one of 10 languages and a male or female narrator.

Clean up story for toddlers, starring your child

Create a story

Your child’s name

Something they love (optional)

Any extra details to add?

Anything to avoid? (optional)

Optional — leave out monsters, getting lost, separation, loud surprises, or anything they don't want tonight.

The story is written and narrated in :

Narrator voice:

Every everyday challenge story is about 3 minutes long.

Who's listening?

The small step in this story

Your child picks one small part to start with, such as putting away just the blocks or every red toy. The room may not be perfectly tidy at the end; the story celebrates making a start and asking for help.

Talk about the story together

What did the character tidy first?
Who helped when it felt like a lot?
Which toys could you put away first next time?

Your child can answer, point to a picture, or simply listen. There is no correct answer.

They are designed for everyday conversations and practice. They do not promise that one story will change a habit or make a worry disappear.

When your toddler won’t clean up toys

A floor full of toys can look like one enormous job to a toddler, so they freeze, wander off or start playing again. When your toddler won’t clean up toys, it is often because they do not know where to start, not because they are lazy. Breaking the job into small parts, like only the blocks, makes it doable. That is why parents look for books about tidying up or a cleaning up social story: seeing someone make a start shows how small the first step can be.

Questions parents ask

How is this different from books about tidying up?: It works the same way as books about tidying up: one ordinary moment, told calmly. The difference is that your child is the main character. Their name and something they love are in the story, and it comes narrated, so you can listen together before the next tidy-up.
Does the room have to be perfectly tidy at the end?: No. The story celebrates making a start and asking for help, not a perfect room. Your child picks one small part, such as putting away just the blocks or every red toy, and a grown-up is glad to help when it feels like a lot.
What age is it for?: It is written for toddlers and young children. Choose Little ones (1–3), Growing kids (4–5) or Big kids (6–8), and the words, sentence length and pace follow that age. You can also pick one of 10 languages and a male or female narrator.

A clean up story for toddlers, starring your child

When your toddler won’t clean up toys

Questions parents ask