My youngest is nearing four years old. This is a struggle for me so I am on the hunt for good ideas to keep her busy with her time while homeschooling my other children and working from home. Here are some of the ideas that I have found that I thought may be of use to you if you are having the same issue.
- Helping out – my toddler is very capable and giving her a dust rag or a mop is something that she thoroughly enjoys. I usually do not think to include her in little household chores but I should do more of this as it will lead to her being more contented and give her self esteem a boost!
- Build a fort – What child doesn’t love a fort? Even if you put on a favorite movie in the fort it makes it a fun little clubhouse atmosphere. Or you could just put a box of Lincoln Logs or Legos under there and a child could have hours of fun. You may want to tell them that the toys have to stay inside the fort to play on a certain day.
- Tracing – I don’t think we introduce tracing early enough. Very young children are capable of this. We can start buy having them trace their own hand but they can also trace other simple drawings. It helps if you tape the trace paper over the original so that the child isn’t struggling with holding the paper in place.
- A place of their own. All children love little places and to have ownership of something or someplace. If you have one drawer or a cabinet in the house that can just be for the toddler they can have hours of fun choosing what they want to put in and making it their own.
- Outdoor play – Making sure you have a fully fenced back yard that is safe is a great thing for toddlers. Weather permitting you can enjoy many quiet hours while a child spends time just throwing balls around or digging in a sand pile. If you have pets it is a built in playmate for your child.
- Sorting – this could fall under the “helping” category. When you do laundry kids of a very early age can help. They can also help empty the dishwasher, even if it is only to sort the silverware into the different places in a drawer. Children love to do “big people” chores and to feel grown up.
Hope these ideas help some of you. As I come upon other ideas I will post and share them as well. Happy homeschooling!
