Previously I talked a little bit about homeschooling with younger ones in the house who are preschool age or younger. I had several emails asking for ideas for occupying little ones while you are homeschooling older children. Here is a list of several things that I have done based on the age and ability of my children.
Babies:
Move them around the house with you as you do school with the older children.
Have different types of baby equipment in different rooms.
Use naptime to do one-on-one time with older children.
Read a lot to your older children and hold the baby. (One of my favorite memories.)
Toddlers:
Rotate play time with the baby with the older children.
Only let them play with certain toys during school. (Use a box to store them.)
Big blocks to stack in the floor while you read to older children.
Snack time in the high chair beside you while you oversee the other children’s work.
Use afternoon naptime for one-on-one time with older children.
Preschoolers:
Have older children set up pretend store and pretend restaurants for the preschooler.
Counting games.
Sorting games.
Anything that promotes fine motor skills.
Read picture books to the that relate to what your older children are learning.
Age-appropriate crafts.
Salt dough.
Blocks.
Please share with me some of the ways you have occupied younger children while homeschooling older children.
Have a wonderful day!
Weekly Home Blessing Task: Declutter Paper/Magazines
Routines:
- Make Your Bed (Do this as soon as you get up.)
- Get Dressed Down to Your Shoes
- Swish and Swipe
- Start Your Laundry
- Decide on Dinner
- Check Your Calendar
- Start the Day off with a Shiny Sink. Don’t leave the breakfast dishes sitting.
School:
- Play a game with your children
- Eat Lunch
- Clear off One Hot Spot
- Reboot the Laundry
- Declutter for 15 Minutes (Be sure to have your children declutter, too.)
- Drink Your Water
- 15 minutes of loving movement
Before Bed: (This starts right after dinner.)
- Check the Calendar for Tomorrow
- Lay out Your Clothes for Tomorrow (Have your children lay their clothes out, too.)
- Put things at your launch pad
- Shine Your Sink
- Clean Off a Hot Spot
- Go to Bed at Decent Hour