Building self-help skills: packing away/caring for the environment

Routines provide many opportunities for developing a child's self-help skills. There are also other learning experiences that you can use to build and practice these skills, for instance, packing away the toys and equipment in the room is a daily learning experience that you can use self-help skills.

For all groups, regardless of age, you need to remember to:

• allow plenty of time to pack things away
• use lots of positive encouragement
• be a good role model.

You will, of course, need to take into account the developmental stages of children and organise the packing away activities in accordance with their age or developmental stage.

For infants

• store toys and equipment on low shelving
• use songs and rhymes to encourage participation.

For toddlers

• use songs and rhymes to encourage participation
• have picture cards to match games and toys so children can recognise where each item goes
• encourage older toddlers to be 'helpers' or to do specific tasks.

3 - 5 year olds

• ask children to choose which areas they would like to pack away
• provide child-size equipment (eg, broom and mop) and encourage children to clean up after themselves
• talk to the children about caring for the room and equipment.