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Let's set the scene. It's 1 pm, you haven't finished any school with your school-aged child, the toddler is crying, truth be told, you are crying, and you want to throw up your hands and give up. Does this sound familiar? This was me in the not-so-distant past. I was in survival mode, just trying to make it through the day. But I've managed to turn our homeschool days around, and I would love to help you do the same. I have compiled this list of the top 3 tips for surviving homeschooling with a toddler at home.
Use Nap Time to help with homeschooling with a toddler
If you are lucky and your toddler still takes a nap, use this time to accomplish the more “difficult” subjects. Anything your other child/ren needs you to be 1:1. If your toddler does not nap, try instituting a quiet time for them. My newly 3-year-old has stopped taking naps but will sit quietly and look at books for short periods of time. I keep certain books put up so that he has something new to look at. This took some practice, but if you set a regular time and prepare a space especially for “quiet time,” they will likely get used to the routine. Our quiet time space is building a “nest” on the couch with pillows and blankets and adding books and quiet toys to entertain him.
Busy Work
Sensory bins are all the rage right now. These work great for keeping toddlers entertained so you can focus your attention elsewhere. (Click here for ready-made sensory bins) Other activities that I have found that keep a toddler busy are ones that also help them to work on their fine motor skills. Examples would be taking stickers off and placing them on a piece of paper or sorting items by color (bonus learning activity!). Kinect Sand is a big hit for my toddler. He will quietly play with his trucks and sand so that I may help my other kids with homeschooling. My biggest tip for this option is to keep these activities put up and only bring them out when it is time to homeschool and only a few at a time. They will help from losing the fun when the “newness” wears off. Some of our favorite busy work activities can be found here.Â
Include them (ex. Siblings reading)
The last and maybe my favorite tip for homeschooling with a toddler at home is to include the toddler in your other children's learning. Allowing my toddler to do school right along with the big kids has been the best strategy for surviving homeschool with a toddler.
Examples:
- Workbooks for the toddler to do along with the big kids (you can get these for cheap at most dollar-type stores or here)
- Your toddler will benefit significantly from practice using a writing utensil (these pencils are great!)
- Have your older children read to the toddler
- There are so many benefits for the toddler to be read aloud, but it will also help your older child with memorizing information.
- Have older children “teach” the toddler
- If your older student is maybe struggling with how to add fractions, letting them talk it out or teach to their younger sibling is a less intimidating way for them to be able to grasp what they are learning.
- This article on One-Room Schoolhouses gives excellent examples of the benefits of older students teaching younger students and vice versa.
Homeschooling with a toddler can be challenging, but with these three tips for survival, you can make it work for you! What would you add to a survival list for other moms just starting to homeschool with a toddler? Add it to the comments below.Â
