Ya - with tidy up time I try to make it a game like the 2 minute tidy we 'race the egg timer' to see if we can get it all put away ... I also have all the bins labelled for them to find where things go so it literally is like putting a big ole puzzle back together at the end of a play period .... but for those kids who need more 'direction' I too assign them things to tidy as well 'so X you need to put away 6 blocks please'. For those who really 'stall / resist' tidy up time the natural consequence of you cannot take out anything 'new' until you have tidied up the last thing you had cause I cannot trust you do to it all at the 'end' of playtime....and this continues until they are tidying up without prodding and than they can 'earn' the right to play a little bigger with multiple things like the other super tidier do

For meal time as long as everyone is having good conversation while still eating I do not have a time limit on it either - meal time is such an awesome time for developing self help skills of pouring, serving, sharing, manners not to mention a great time for 'conversation' about our day I do not want to 'rush it' - snack time usually takes us at least 30 minutes and lunch takes us an hour at least but everyone is 'engaged' in the experience and eating at the same time it is a great 'group' time together ... my crew often has 3 servings at lunch hence my depressing grocery bills.

Everyone stays at the table until the last one is 'finished eating' to keep us company which I find encourages those 'picky eaters' to finally try foods after seeing others eating and enjoying it ... however if everyone is finished and someone is just well picking verses actually eating - they get a two minute warning that everyone else is done now and lunch / snack will be over and if they do not get 'busy' than yes the bowls go away!