“Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere. Clean up, clean up, everybody do your

share.”

My informant learned this nursery rhyme in preschool in Midland, Texas around the age of four or five.  His teacher would sing this song every day when it was time for the children to clean up their toys and games and get ready for lunch time.  He and his classmates would sing along and begin to pick up their toys and put them away in the proper places.  After everyone put away their toys and the room was clean, his teacher would say, “Give yourselves a round of applause,” and the whole class would clap for themselves.

My informant believes this nursery rhyme motivates children to clean up because they sing while they put their toys away.  It is very hard to get children to clean up anything and put away their toys, and singing a song makes them enjoy it because they forget they are doing a chore.  Also, having the children clap for themselves after all the toys have been put away rewards them for cleaning up and encourages them to continue doing it.

My informant thinks this song is used primarily by parents, babysitters or pre-school teachers because they deal with young children every day.  Children are the ones who mainly sing this song, although often times it is at the prompting of an adult.