Taming the Toddlers

Homeschooling with younger ones “underfoot”? Here are ideas from some of our experienced parents on how to keep those younger ones occupied while you work with your student!

• Call Grandma! Ask her to take the little ones to a library story time, a park, or even just another room of your house until naptime.
  
• Call Grandpa! Ask him to help you with the homeschool work for the older ones until you catch a break at naptime.
  

***Note: These ideas can work interchangeably. Grandpa is also capable of taking children to the park and Grandma can help you homeschool. The point is, if grandparents or other trusted adults are around and available, use them! (Especially on Tuesdays.)***

• Take advantage of naptime and plan your homeschool work accordingly.
  
• Breastfeeding time may be a convenient time to read a History story to your older child!
  
• Plan some type of new activity. (Especially on Tuesdays). 
  
  

Preschool tutor and Mom of 8, Rosalie Seeley advises: “Having a plan with the activities prepped is best when trying to keep the little one busy so you can work with the older one(s). You can grab the next activity out when their attention span is ready to move on.  Don’t be surprised if the older one wants to play too; try to provide breaks and recess so that they are able to focus.”
Ideas for activities you can plan for include:

• Play-Doh / Kinetic Sand
  
• Painting / Fingerpainting
  
• Placemats that have activities on them
  
• Small chalkboard and chalk (or whiteboard and markers)
  
• Activity workbooks that are age-appropriate, so the little one feels like they’re a big kid
  
• Puzzles
  
• Cheerios
  
• Sensory Bins
  
• Lacing cards (make your own with cardboard and a hole punch)
  
• Make “jewelry” with beads (or pasta)- also doubles for fine motor development
  
• Building blocks and cars with a task to “build a town”
  

• Collages- little ones can learn how to cut and paste as they cut pictures out of old magazines or even old books you can get from the thrift store. You can guide them with themes (flowers, cars) for their pictures or just whatever they think is pretty.
  
• Bathtub play keeps a little one contained and you can give them lots of things to do in the water while you sit close by; foam letters to stick on the walls of the bathtub, bath crayons or paints, cups for pouring & stacking, squirt bottle for misting, a few drops of food coloring in the water teaches colors and color mixing. 
  
• Try a “dry” bath. Yes, your child can actually play in the bathtub without water. An indoor plastic pool works too. S/he will be contained and any big mess can be easily cleaned up!
  
• Search for Baby Activities and Toddler Activities on Pinterest… but search BEFORE Tuesday. Don’t wait until the homeschool day to come up with the activity. Trust us… having a plan helps!​
  
  

This is part of the Board Bits: Tips, Tricks, and Hacks series. Is there a question about CHA or homeschool that you would like answered? Submit inquiries to Tracey at [email protected]