10 TIPS FOR HOMESCHOOLING WITH TODDLERS

Homeschooling! The word strikes fear in the hearts of even the strongest of people. But when we couple homeschooling with the word toddler, then it becomes even more scary. Today I will give you 10 Tips for Homeschooling with Toddlers.

I remember those days like it was yesterday. Homeschooling with a 6, 4, and 1 year old was hard, but when that one year old turned 2, it became a nightmare. Turn your back and those toddlers are literally climbing the walls.

What are quick, easy things to do when you need to work on a subject with another child, but you can not turn your back on the littlest one?

My Best Tips for Homeschooling with Toddlers:

Here are my top 10 tips for homeschooling with toddlers:

1. Sit down and make a list of activities and toys that amuse your child. Do this now. Don’t wait to make the list when you are trying to get school work done. I can guarantee you will not remember the toys and activities. At that moment, you will be frustrated and angry. Having the list to refer to will save you and your little one tears and anguish. Refer to the list when chaos breaks out. 
2. Play-Doh: Don’t let it scare you. Here is a blog post I wrote about letting little ones play with Play-Doh. In fact, this is my number one tip for a reason. Most toddlers will play with Play-Doh for a long period of time, without supervision, but with boundaries. Threatening to never let them play with Play-Doh again should they break the rules usually is enough to achieve the desired results.
3. When working with a subject that needs your attention, allow another sibling to work with the toddler. This divide and conquer usually only works for 10-20 minutes, so make the best use of those precious moments. They can sing, dance, read, and play together for short periods of time.
4. A book or special toy basket – Allow your toddler to pick out some books from the local library that are reserved for the book basket. Another tip is to fill the basket with special toys reserved just for this occasion. Let your toddler know the basket is just for schooltime.
5. Rice, Sand, and salt play. These sensory tables (baking sheets) keep everyone happy. Your child may make a mess, but these messes can be cleaned up with a sweeper and won’t ruin anything.
6. Can your toddler “wash dishes” at the sink while you sit at the kitchen table? If you feel confident that this is a safe activity, I can guarantee this will be something that will amuse most children. 
7. Outdoor school: Take school outside and allow your toddler to make mud puddles or soup in an old pan. Soup consists of mud, sticks, rocks, and weeds mixed with water. This was one of my favorites of mine (and my daughters) when I was little. 
8. Tea party with animal friends (The Stuffed variety): Set up a big beach towel, arrange a simple tea party, and let your child pretend play with stuffed animals or other siblings. 
9. Does your toddler still take a nap? If not, have them still lay on the couch for an hour with a video on. I know you don’t want to use videos to “babysit.” However, if naps have become a thing of the past, it is still helpful for your child to have down time. 
10. Watercolors or fingerpaints: Save envelopes, scrap mail and scrap paper for watercolors. This will ensure that you don’t break the bank buying paper while your child entertains themselves painting.

I hope I have given you some great tips to help you keep your wits about you while you homeschool with a toddler in tow.  Many people have varying ideas of how to keep homeschooling with toddlers. But we keep things pretty loose around here! Stay tuned for part two of Homeschooling with Toddlers: Books, Crafts and Activities to Keep Little Hands Occupied.