Clean-Up Time Lesson Plan DocumentClean-Up Time Lesson Plan • Pre-K (2-Year-Olds) 30 MIN Why This Matters Developing self-help and classroom routine skills at an early age builds independence, reduces clutter, and creates a calm learning environment, supporting social and cognitive development. Objective Children will learn why and how to tidy up their toys through a social story, a teacher video, and guided practice to reinforce the clean-up routine. Prep Steps • Print and assemble the Clean-Up Time Social Story. • Review the Video Script and record your demonstration. • Gather toys and place them loosely on the floor. • Set out bins or baskets for sorting practice. Materials Needed Social Story Booklet Teacher-Recorded Video Toys and Bins Tablet or Computer The Lesson Flow Part & TimeInstructional StepsIntroduction 3 min | Gather children on the rug in a circle. Show scattered toys: “What do we do when we finish playing?” Introduce the goal: learning why and how we clean up. | | Social Story 10 min | Read the Clean-Up Time Social Story pages slowly. Show colorful illustrations. Pause for questions: “Where does the block go?” Encourage pointing to the pictures. | | Guided Practice 10 min | Modeling: Narrate picking up a toy: “I’m putting the car in the red basket.” Groups: Give small groups a bin and a pile of toys. Prompting: “Find all the balls!” Praise success often! | | Video Viewing 5 min | Play the teacher-created video. Encourage children to watch and clap when they see good cleaning! | | Wrap-Up 2 min | Ask: “Why do we clean up our toys?” Celebrate correct answers and high-five! |
Clean-Up Time Social Story ReadingClean-Up Time! A Social Story Hello! My name is Sam. I love to play with my toys. I have cars, blocks, and dolls. Toys are all around me. Playtime is over. Now it is clean-up time! I pick up a red car. I put the car in the red basket. I pick up a yellow block. I put the block in the blue bin. I pick up the doll. I put the doll in the doll basket. All the toys are in the baskets. The room is clean now! When I clean up, I feel proud. The room looks nice. We clean up our toys after we play. Clean-up time is fun!
Clean-Up Time Video Script ResourceVideo Script Clean-Up Time Fun Type: Recording Script Audience: Teacher Reference Production Notes Setting A colorful play area with toys (cars, blocks, dolls) scattered on the floor. Props Red car, yellow block, doll, and labeled baskets (Cars, Blocks, Dolls). Visual/ActionDialogue/AudioScene opens on a colorful play area with toys scattered on the floor. Teacher is smiling and waving. | “Hello, friends! It’s clean-up time! Look at all these toys on the floor. Wow—there are cars, blocks, and dolls everywhere!” | | Camera zooms in on a red car. Teacher picks up the car. | “I see a red car. I’m going to pick up the red car. Can you show me how you pick up your toy? (Pause and smile) Great job!” | | Teacher places the red car in a red basket labeled “Cars.” Points to the basket. | “I put the red car in the red basket. Good work keeping things neat!” | | Camera pans to a yellow block on the floor. Teacher picks up the block. | “Look, a yellow block! Let’s pick it up together. One, two, three… up!” | | Teacher places the block in a blue bin labeled “Blocks.” | “I put the yellow block in the blue bin. You’re doing amazing!” | | Camera shows a doll on the rug. Teacher picks up the doll and places it in the “Dolls” basket. | “Now I see our doll friend. I pick up the doll… Perfect! The doll goes in the doll basket. Hooray!” | | Camera widens to show all baskets neatly arranged. Teacher claps hands and then kneels to child-eye level. | “Look at our clean room—no toys on the floor! When we clean up, our play area looks nice and we feel proud. Now it’s your turn. Let’s see you pick up one toy and put it in the right basket. Ready? Go!” | | Pause for a few seconds (practice time on screen). Teacher cheers and waves goodbye. Screen fades to graphic. | “Fantastic job, everyone! Our room is all tidy again. Thank you for helping me clean up. Cleaning up together is fun!” | End Video with a “Good job!” graphic
Clean-Up Time Warm-Up ActivityWarm-Up Activity Ready, Set, Clean! 3 MIN Goal • Spark interest and recall clean-up meaning. • Warm up bodies and voices for action. Materials Small bin or basket One toy (block/car) 1 Circle Up Invite children to sit in a circle on the rug. Hold up the empty bin and toy. 2 Question Ask: “What do we do with our toys when we’re done playing?” Wait for responses (pointing/shouting). 3 Action Chant & Motion “Clean-up, clean-up, everybody, everywhere, Clean-up, clean-up, everybody do your share!” Demonstrate: Hold the toy, scoop it up, and "drop" it in the bin while chanting. 4 Quick Turns Pass the toy around. Each child picks it up and drops it in the bin while saying "clean-up!" 5 Transition “Hooray! Our circle is clean and we’re ready for our story!”
Clean-Up Time Cool-Down ReflectionCool-Down Activity Celebrating Success 5 MIN Goal Reflect on today’s clean-up routine and celebrate the hard work of the students. Materials Clean-Up Social Story (Optional) Stickers or high-fives! 1 Circle Talk Gather in a circle. Ask: “What was your favorite part of cleaning up?” Pause to listen to each response. 2 Feelings Check Ask the group: “How did you feel when the room was all clean?” Happy Proud Excited 3 Celebration Chant “Clean-up, clean-up, we did it right! We cleaned our toys and did it right!” Clap or snap along! 4 Butterfly Breaths Inhale 1–2–3... Exhale 1–2–3. Hands on tummies. Take three slow breaths together to calm our bodies. 5 High Fives “Great job! Our room looks wonderful, and now we’re ready for our next adventure!”
