This is a gradual process that takes consistency. Strategies that work include playing the clean-up song, making it a game where toys jump into their boxes to go to sleep, and parents modelling the behaviour by cleaning up while narrating what they are doing. Many parents find that direct requests backfire — enlisting help with specific items works better. Do not expect perfection. At 2-2.5 years, getting 50 percent of toys put away is a win. School peer pressure often helps, as children who resist at home may comply happily in a group setting.