Cleaning Up Songs: Seven Fun, Fresh Tunes You’re Not Using Yet

With the dozens of messes little ones make every day, cleaning up songs are an absolute must for the parents and caregivers of toddlers and preschoolers. 

If there’s one clean up song that everybody knows, it’s the classic from Barney. 

You remember it, right? “Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere. clean up, clean up, everybody do your share.”

Now I’m not knocking this song. It’s simple, it’s classic, and it does the trick.

But you have to admit that it’s a little…outdated. Newer, fresher, and more upbeat clean up songs have come out more recently that are way more fun to listen to!

Who doesn’t like changing things up every now and again? If you actually enjoy a song, you’re going to be more likely to sing it or play it. And if you’re more likely to sing or play a clean up song, then that will help the children in your life to learn how to pick up their toys. 

So let’s shake things up and explore some new songs for cleaning up. 

But first, if you’re interested in trying some simple visuals to help your child or classroom follow directions during clean up and other transition times, then these FREE First Then Boards may be just what you’re looking for.

These visuals reduce overwhelm for kids by clearly breaking down the steps of the transition into simple pictures. When children see the transition in two simple steps (for example, first clean up then group time, or first clean up then go outside), they better understand what is coming next and are more likely to do what you are asking.

This FREE first then board pack includes visuals for both home and childcare settings. It allows parents and caregivers to be proactive about the transitions that usually result in the biggest tantrums, like: brushing teeth, going potty/diaper changes, getting in the car, cleaning up, and rest time.

And with that, let’s get more into cleaning up songs.

Music is moving and powerful for everyone- especially young children

Have you ever noticed the almost magical effect that music has on young children?

In my fifteen years of working with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, I don’t think I’ve ever worked with a single child who didn’t love music.

Babies seem to be wired to sway along to music.

I’ve witnessed countless children say their first words when singing along and requesting favorite songs.

I’ve worked with countless kids, who have never attended preschool or childcare before, embrace the circle time routine when fingerplays are sung.

Songs about cleaning up can be emotionally regulating

Music is just as moving and regulating for children as it is for adults. It’s really no wonder that singing or playing a clean up song can make for smoother transitions.

As an adult, I always throw some music on when my kitchen needs to be deep cleaned or the bathrooms need their weekly once-over. It only makes sense to extend this same strategy to children. Music is emotionally regulating. 

Read this if you’re asking, “Why should I use songs for cleaning up?”

Beyond the simple fact that music is enjoyable, there are several reasons why we should use songs for cleaning up. Clean up songs are beneficial because they add an auditory cue, increased predictability, and wait time into a transition that children generally don’t like.

Cleaning up songs give an auditory cue

Cleaning up songs help young children shift their attention from their current activity to something much less preferred- putting toys away. 

Do you ever give the direction to clean up and get zero response from your kiddos? When you use a song as a cue and pair it with the direction, it alerts the child differently. 

This can make it easier for kids to shift their attention from the activity they are currently involved in toward the thing you are asking them to do next- pick up!

They add predictability

Cleaning up songs also have the added benefit of being associated with a specific routine. When a child hears a specific song in this way, it adds predictability and structure. Since young children thrive on predictability, this is a huge win. 

Cleaning up songs offer some wait time

Have you ever noticed that it often takes time after you give a direction to clean up for your kiddos to actually get started?

Kids need wait time. They need to have the opportunity to process what you said before they can comply. 

They also need time to put that last finishing touch on their picture, to place the last couple of blocks on the tower, or to put that last car or two down the ramp.

Songs for cleaning up can be used to help signal that it will be time to stop the current activity, giving children a minute of wait time while they shift gears.

Fantastic cleaning up songs for kindergarten, preschool, and toddlers 

So with that background, let’s dive in. Here is a list of the best, most upbeat, and most unique clean up songs out there that truly stand out from the rest.

Best clean up song for preschool, childcare, or kindergarten

If you are a teacher or caregiver, then Transition to Group Time by First Words Dance Party is the clean up song you’re missing. 

A couple of things make this song unique and different. The upbeat, pop-focused song is a welcome change from typical, sing-songy kids songs.

The simple lyrics in this song focus on the transition itself by using the behavior strategy of First-Then wording (first clean up, then group time), making it particularly helpful for smoother transitions and fewer challenging behaviors. If you don’t have the ability to play the actual song in the moment, it’s simple enough to sing out loud to give kiddos an auditory cue that the transition is coming. Genius!

Best song about cleaning up for hip hop fans

If you are a hip hop fan, then this song from MooseTube and GoNoodle will have you rapping along. The lyrics are infectious. Fair warning- you might find yourself with this one in your head well past cleaning up!

Best guitar riff in a song for cleaning up

Clean it Up! by the Juicebox Jukebox takes the cake for the best guitar riff. Between the tambourine, cute kids’ voices, and enjoyable vocals, this one is awesome! And at two minutes, it’s the perfect length for something short and sweet.

Best use of autotune in a cleaning up song

I don’t think I’ve ever heard autotune featured like this in a kids song. This song is so fun! This page is from Giggle and Grow Kids. The vocal harmonies are incredibly pleasant, and the beats add an extra element of poppy fun.

Best pirate-themed clean up song

Yup, you read that right. For a fun, pirate-themed change of pace, check out “Swab the Deck” from Danny Go!. It’s exactly what it sounds like- with a little pirate choreography built in, too.

It’s been a minute since a show like Jake and the Neverland Pirates has come along to get kids loving pirates and evil ship captains. Nevertheless, it offers a fun twist on teaching kids to clean up after themselves.

Best clean up song for those looking for something simple and sweet 

Super Simple Learning Songs has been churning out pleasant, simple tunes for tots for quite a while- and this one doesn’t disappoint.

Quiet, slow, and low-key, this Super Simple Song is perfect for those looking to take things down a notch. Super Simple Learning Songs has really done a beautiful job of delivering exactly what its name implies.

Best time to clean up song featuring kids' voices

Kids often love to hear the voices of other children singing. This one is repetitive and easy to sing along to.

The latin dance beat and voices of children offer something fun and different. The video features a family dancing and pitching in together, which is a sweet touch. 

Other helpful strategies to get kiddos to tidy up

Let’s face it: toddlers and preschoolers don’t like stopping what they’re doing to pick up. This can be especially true for kiddos with a developmental delay who struggle with shifting their attention from one thing to another. 

For many of these kiddos, understanding directions and other language is a struggle that leads to challenging behaviors. For more strategies on how to support kiddos with speech and language delays to avoid challenging behavior, you can check out this article.

Sometimes, when teaching a tough skill like cleaning up, we have to sprinkle in some other strategies. Here are my faves.

Use visual timers

Visual timers can work wonders, and there are lots of different styles worth trying.

At home, a simple little visual timer like this will show your child how much time they have until it’s time to stop and clean up.

You can also use an app like this that you can download and use anywhere (as long as your kiddo doesn’t get stuck on the phone itself).

If you’re in a classroom with a Smartboard or other display, you can head to YouTube for all kinds of visual timer videos. You can use a simple video of a visual timer ticking away, or something more elaborate, like this five-minute video of a volcano slowly erupting.

Use visuals and auditory cues together to ensure the child understands

One of my favorite strategies is to use a visual timer to help children understand when it will be time to clean up, and then to present a visual of the direction at the same time. Doing this ensures that the child understands the direction. 

Then, when it’s time to stop playing and start cleaning, I like to use a sensory cue to help shift attention.

Some sensory cues I like to use include turning off or flickering the lights and playing a chime or other pleasant sound. Playing or singing a clean up song works wonderfully as a auditory cue when the child has heard that song enough times before that they already associate the sound of the song with the transition into tidying up.

Racing to a song can also add a fun twist for little ones!

Music fosters speech and language

Using music with children is such a powerful strategy- not just for teaching the skill of cleaning up, but for fostering speech and language. The only problem is that so many of the nursery rhymes and kids songs out there get old. We get burnt out from hearing the same songs over and over. 

If you like the idea of fun, catchy (i.e., non annoying) music for toddlers and preschoolers that encourages speech and language development, then you need to be listening to First Words Dance Party.

These enjoyable tunes are embedded with speech therapy strategies to encourage expressive and receptive language. And the best part?

They sound nothing like nursery rhymes, so parents, caregivers, and teachers can enjoy listening and singing along. When you sing and model all of the functional first words within the lyrics, you’ll be using powerful strategies to encourage speech.

Take “The Cookie Song”, for example. What first seems like a cute song about every kid’s favorite dessert is actually a dance-y little number that targets the first words yes, no, eat, mommy, daddy, doggie, and of course… cookie! 

It’s no secret that cleaning up songs are a must for parents and caregivers trying to teach their toddlers and preschoolers to tidy up.

These songs can help to make transitions go more smoothly. They also make the process of cleaning up more fun.

Thankfully, we have many more fun and creative options beyond just the classic Barney tune to signal the transition for our little ones. And again, no shade to Barney- but for those adults who love music and are hoping to discover something different, these new songs offer a much-needed change of pace.

If you’re looking to combine a powerful visual strategy with an auditory strategy to help the kiddos in your life to clean up, you can snag your free First Then boards here. These are especially helpful for little ones who have trouble understanding directions or struggle with transitioning from one thing to another.

I hope you’ve discovered some fun, fresh new songs you didn’t know before. Little ones aren’t crazy about having to pick up, but thankfully we have some new cleaning up songs to make the process a bit more enjoyable for everyone.