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Help! What do I do with my toddlers while I'm homeschooling? by Ann Lloyd |
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Homeschooling sounded so inviting. Working as a family, learning together, experiencing the joys of helping your child explore the world; I couldn’t wait to begin. Yet when five-year-old Jon was ready for his first lesson, I had two major problems. The first was a three-year-old named Kathryn; the second, an infant named Garrett. Kathryn and Garrett interrupted our school time in a variety of ways. Both too young to participate in our lessons, I had to find something else for them to do – something quiet, something safe.
Desperate for a solution, I filled a box with interesting objects: Tupperware lids, pacifiers, baby dolls, and other household playthings. I put the box away. After a month or so had passed, I allowed Kathryn to select one "special" item from the box to play with during school time. At the end of our lesson, the item was returned to the box to be selected again tomorrow. For the most part, this practice worked. Though I must admit, in times of desperation I gave Kathryn the contents of the whole box. I also occasionally purchased new toys, crayons, or videos to pull out "in case of emergency." But, even the greatest box of "stuff" will only keep siblings busy temporarily. Eventually you’ll need alternatives to keep toddlers out of trouble. In that case, try one of the ideas listed below. 1) Make a necklace out of Multi Grain Cheerios. They’re safe, edible, nutritious, and provide multiple colors in every box. 2) Most cookie sheets are magnetic and can entertain for hours. Provide your child with a cookie sheet and a variety of large, child-safe magnets, then sit back and let them play. Note: magnetic alphabet letters and word cards can be great fun for preschoolers, but please make sure that any magnet you give your child is too large to be swallowed. 3) Set the child up with a box of clothespins and an empty milk jug or bucket. Challenge them to drop the pins in the jug. For added fun, clothespins can be decorated to look like various people or animals. 4) Laundry baskets make great "ships" or "cages." My children played with them for hours. 5) In warm weather, hold school outside. Encourage younger siblings to paint the house or sidewalk with water. A simple bucket and a large paintbrush can provide a great distraction. 6) Play-doh. I hate to suggest it because of the mess, but my children simply adored Play-doh. In fact, I still have a few cans in the closet, just in case :) For more quick tips on homeschooling survival visit my web site © 2001 Ann Lloyd. All rights reserved. Re-printed with permission. Originally published on Suite 101. |
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A mother of three, Ann Lloyd graduated from Vanderbilt University with a BSN in 1986, and from VA Tech with a Masters of Education in 1998. Over the last few years she has written for several homeschooling magazines, including Home Education and Practical Homeschooling. | ||
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