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Is it just me, or do toddlers become super clingy the second you try to sit down with the older kids for school time? It’s like they have some sort of alarm that goes off, “Hey, mom’s doing school! I must be held and entertained IMMEDIATELY!” Trying to keep toddlers busy during school time is a struggle for nearly every homeschooling mom of little ones.
Admittedly, Flash is generally a fairly easy going guy and a pretty good independent player, but even he has that special alarm. Especially if we’re trying to do school in the afternoons.
I try to include him whenever and however possible, but there are just some times I can’t. So I’ve been on the hunt for ways to keep toddlers busy during school time, and I think I’ve come up with a good list of activities for him. These are activities that I save specifically for school time so they’re not played out. There are no screens. I went with lots of creative influence, fine motor activities, and simplicity. Just because he’s a baby doesn’t mean he can’t learn alongside the bigger kids. And, who knows?! I wouldn’t be surprised if he absorbed some of their lessons too, just from being in the room listening.
Here are my top seven ways to keep toddlers busy during school time:
Pom Poms and scoops
This is the most basic of basic activities. Literally a bag of soft, fluffy, pom poms and an assortment of cups and scoops to “pour” them with. Honestly, the pom poms end up everywhere. I find them in random places for days after, but it’s so worth it. Those soft pom poms are a great sensory tool and the actions of pouring and scooping are building his fine motor and problem solving skills like crazy. This activity is always a hit.
Aquadoodle
Our Aquadoodle pad gets use from all of the kids at one point or another, but Flash uses it most. He can “color” on the mat and it’s just water. So even if he decides to walk away from the mat and try to draw elsewhere, it’s no big deal. Plus he isn’t fully past the everything-in-the-mouth stage that makes real markers and pens a bit of a risk. He can draw just like the big kids!
Squigz
These are the newest addition to my arsenal. They’re colorful little suction cup…thingies. I can’t really think of a better way to describe them. Haha! They suction to any flat surface, and suction end to end so you can connect them to make towers and cool shapes. I like to stick them to our sliding glass door and Flash can even stick them on. I love that they’re BPA free and dishwasher safe too!
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Baby crayons
These egg shaped crayons are so cool. They fit perfectly in Flash’s little hands. I usually tape a piece of paper to his highchair and let him scribble away. They’re great for building dexterity and it’s important to little ones to make those first marks.
Ribbon and snack cup
Just like the pompom activity, this one is ridiculously basic but so effective. I take ribbon scraps (short lengths so they can’t be wrapped around anything) and shove as many as possible into a snack cup. You know, the little cups with the sectioned lids that little ones can get their hands into without spilling (as many) goldfish or Cheerios on the floor. I like to pick different ribbons too, silk, raffia, etc. to add lots of texture. It’s the same kind of fascination little ones have with pulling all the baby wipes out of the package or all the tissues out of the box. Always a hit!
Random Basket
Yep, it’s exactly what it sounds like. A basket of random stuff. Our kitchen (where we do a lot of school) has a few little cubbies at toddler height where I keep Flash’s random basket. Things like a non-functioning cell phone, mismatched Tupperware lids, a silicone spatula he’s particularly fond of, teething toys, a few toy cars. Literally random stuff that gets dropped in whenever it happens to work it’s way into the kitchen. All things that have been inspected for safety, pose no choking hazards, and wash or wipe clean easily. The contents are constantly rotating because he’ll take something out and walk away with it, or I’ll find something and drop it in. It doesn’t get much easier.
Snack Time
Not so much an activity as much as a last resort. If I’ve blown through the other activities but still need a little extra time, a snack is always a win. I can set him in his highchair with a little fruit or crackers, pull him up close to the kitchen island so he can see what we’re doing, and he can munch while we work. Everyone’s happy.
These activities have proved the most effective in helping Flash stay busy during school time while still feeling like he’s part of the group. Of course, there are still those days where teething, diaper changes, and just general baby life can keep things interesting, but we roll with it. That’s the beauty of homeschool! We can move at our own pace, and make sure everyone gets what they need.
BathshebaEarl says
Great Ideas! I m gonna have to try some of them soon. I need to keep my toddler from playing his tablet a lot and in to physical activities. Lorena recently posted Jamming to the Music