Clean Up Relay Race Challenge

3-4 bins, baskets, or boxes for sorting categories

Sticky notes or paper labels and a marker

Painter's tape to mark a start line

A timer or phone stopwatch

Look at the messy room together. Pick 3-4 sorting categories like toys, books, clothes, and art supplies. Label one bin for each.

Line up the bins at one end of the room and mark a start line with tape at the other end.

Each player runs from the start line, grabs one item, sorts it into the right bin, then races back to tag the next player or grab the next item.

Wrong bin? You have to go back and fix it. No cutting corners.

Set the timer and go. The energy of a countdown and a ticking clock turns a chore into a game.

When the room is clean, stop the timer. Check the bins — is everything sorted correctly?

Write the time on a wall chart. Next session, try to beat it. Progress is motivating.

For multiple kids, split into teams. The team that finishes their bins first with no mis-sorts wins.

Keep the categories simple and obvious. If a child has to think too hard about where something goes, the momentum dies. "Stuffed animals" is clearer than "soft things."

Play upbeat music during the relay. It raises energy and makes the whole thing feel like a party rather than a chore.

For solo play, racing against a timer works just as well as competing against a sibling. Kids love beating their own records.

Praise speed AND accuracy. Say things like "You got every single item in the right bin — that is impressive" to reinforce the sorting skill, not just the hustle.

Use this regularly and it becomes a routine your child actually asks for. Post the time chart where they can see it and they will want to improve.