I’ve heard that homemaking with a toddler around is like raking leaves in a hurricane. Add to that homeschooling and you have a real challenge on your hands.
So how are all these mothers doing it?!
Well, it requires a little intentional planning but it is totally doable. You can do this and not lose your mind. It can actually be a really special time for all of you.
I have compiled this list that will not only help you keep homeschooling but get your toddler involved in the learning too. Some of this may feel a little obvious but if you have a toddler like mine you’re operating on limited sleep. Obvious isn’t always obvious. There are also a few tips here that I wish I’d discovered years ago. Honestly, homeschooling with a toddler didn’t need to be so hard!
Well, here’s to making tomorrow better than yesterday!
- Use naptime
If your toddler still naps consider using that time for any work that requires your complete attention. Or use that time for a family wide quiet time and grab a nap yourself!
- Check your mindset
Don’t expect to keep a toddler tucked away playing with busy toys. Not only is it unrealistic, it also robs them of the opportunity to feel included and observe their wonderful homeschooling home.
- Use the Highchair
Use the highchair, but use it wisely, you don’t want it to feel like a trap. Try not to give your toddler snacks when they’re not in the highchair, that way you can keep it as a special place. You might pop them in the highchair when you need to be a little more engaged with something an older sibling is doing. You could give your toddler a special snack and or a bundle of playdough.
- Read while older siblings play with your toddler
Be prepared for some interruptions because toddlers aren’t usually the quiet type. But, this can be a great way to keep homeschooling, include your toddler, and build sibling bonds. Blocks or Magnetic Tiles are great for playing together while everyone listens to you reading.
- Get outside
This is my favourite! It’s also my solution to most homeschooling challenges. Something about fresh air and open space helps us all. Set up a picnic blanket in the yard or the park and homeschool away!
- Include your toddler
Toddlers are developing their independence and they like to feel like they are one of the “big kids”. Let them come and go as they please but keep a space at the table for them. There is almost always a way to include them. Have a stack of paper and some crayons ready so they can join in with “big kid work”.
- Be flexible, forget “school times”
One great thing about homeschooling is that you don’t have to conform to anyone else’s idea of “learning time”. Go with the flow, start and stop as needed.
- Prioritise
Pick your top priorities for getting done that day and start from the top of the list. If you don’t make it past item 2, at least you got the most important one done.
- Let them sit on your lap
Often disruptive behaviour is just a cry for attention from their Mama. They were babies not that long ago and they still need lots of snuggles and kisses. Let them sit on your lap while you teach. Help them feel like having them there is a bonus and never a burden or distraction from something more important.
- Use screen time carefully
I’m an advocate for intentional screen time. I think sometimes we turn screens into villains when they are really tools we can harness carefully. My two-year-old sometimes asks to play her “homeschool” on our tablet when the older children are working. It usually last 10-15 minutes and she is either tracing letters, colouring in, or dragging and dropping marine animals into the ocean. There are also Netflix shows like Numberblocks that have an educational element. The trick is not to over use screens or depend on them for calming meltdowns. So, have a think about how and when you would like to use them and let go of the screen-free guilt trap.
I hope you have found a new trick or two to add to your homeschool kit. Please share anything that has worked for you. I’m also a homeschooling mother with a toddler and am always looking for fresh inspiration.
Good luck mama, you’ve got this!
Holly Homeschooling 
Leave a comment