What am I going to do with my 3yr old next year??

[KBadd]

I'm pregnant with #4 and due in a couple weeks. I'll homeschooling a 2nd grader and K next year, and with having a newborn I'm concerned about my 3yo son. His birthday is Aug 25 so he'll be a young 3.

 

This year he is my biggest challenge, along with pregnancy sickness and tiredness. He sits and colors with us, but that only lasts so long. I've tried putting lots of his toys away and pulling things out just for school time. He just gets tired of not having my attention and is such a disruption. Of course I love him and try to give him attention beforehand or later in the day, but I'd love to hear your ideas for this age.

 

(My 2nd son's personality was much more calm and he just wanted to be doing what his older brother was doing, but this little guy has his own ideas ;) )

 

TIA!

[vaquitita]

I was in the same situation a couple years ago. I made up lots of school time only activities for him. Pattern blocks and cards, beads on a pipe cleaner, puzzles, that sort of thing. Scissors and paper to cut into confetti was popular too. He also spent a lot of time playing Lego's that year. Lol. Actually I think that year was a turning point for him and he became very self entertaining. But it was a slow process.

 

I will have another the year old next school year, but no newborn! And I should put together some of these activities for him. :D

[Starr]

My dc enjoyed some morning preschool. Maybe there is a preschool or relative or mothers helper he would enjoy a couple mornings a week. 

[desertflower]

Congratulations!  My youngest sounds like your youngest.  I currently have a 7, 5 1/2 and 3 1/2.  When I had to sit and teach my 7 yo, my younger two would play (or fight lol) together.  My younger two would play with stuff; such as, magna tiles, dolls, house, or play dough.  And yes, unfortunately, there have been a time or two where I would have them sit and watch tv while I teach. 

 

Sometimes all my 3 yo needed was some attention.  So, I would get that out of the way first. (An hour or so.) 

 

I also found things that all 3 could learn together.  They are listed in my siggie, which I need to update (I don't do BFSU anymore.).  I also had to tweak things for all three to do together.  For example, I remember at one point in time when I read Sotw ancient history to them while they colored.  Of course this went way over the younger two head's.  It generally was very short.  :)  But hey, got something done.  Also, there was handwriting.  While my oldest had a formal program, I would make copies of it and just give it to them as well.  They liked to do school with my oldest.  At one point in time, it had to all look the same. 

 

Good luck and enjoy the baby time.  Oh, how I miss that stage!  :)

[fairy4tmama]

Yep 3 is just a hard age...sigh I find that solutions work for a stretch and then they stop working and I have to find a new one (or go back to an old one) and we use a little of everything listed. He colors or cuts at the table for as long has he is able, then does a sensory activity at our feet or plays our back then, I send one of the big kids to play with him while I do something one on one with another kid and usually somewhere in there he will have played with toys for a stretch. Wihle I get lunch and the big kids rough house with him to wear him out a bit and then we  eat and start to rotation over. 

[wintermom]

I found 3 was much easier than 1.5 - 2.5, to be honest. They can be included in the older dc's reading and activities, they can play a little longer on their own without destroying too many things - depending on the child, of course. ;) And the baby will be immobile for several months and sleeping (hopefully) a lot. Also, the older dc are still young enough that their school work doesn't take too long.

 

You'll be fine. Just try to get some sleep and don't put too much pressure on yourself.  

[Rachel]

We often go for a walk before starting school. My 3 year old is up before my other kids, so we cuddle, and I read him a book or two before our school day starts. He has learned to play quietly in the room or he gets sent to his room to play. It's not punishment, but he knows he can't be distracting. I do try to get math and writing done with my older kids right away before moving onto areas they need less input from me. Most days we get through everything, but I don't stress when we don't because I feel like the important subjects were covered. I sort of do a loop schedule with geography, history, and science so that I don't always end up skipping one.

 

My third is a handful after my first two kids, but he is learning to be independent. I've definitely learned to be more flexible. You'll start figuring it out once the baby is here.

[2_girls_mommy]

Mine will be 2.5-3.5 starting in the fall.  Along with all of my other summer planning and getting ready, I will be making bags of activities like above poster and storing them in a school basket for her.

 

I'll buy her a lot of new $ store coloring books and stickers too.  She also likes the bins of dried beans, water play, etc.  I also plan on doing a bit of preschool with her before the other kids start.  I'm doing this to be a bit tricky.  My teenager especially has trouble waking in the mornings.  But I'm going to get her involved in the reading and singing with her before school to waken her brain and to love on the baby (she will always be my baby) before we start the day.

[Coco_Clark]

My olders each have a daily 30 min they must be entertaining the younger(s). They can play, they can read, they can take them into the backyard...but they are supposed to be making them happy (and safe). One of ds6's fav things to do with my personal 3yo hell raiser is play school. He's taught him half his letters ;)

[happypamama]

My youngest is only a few days different in age from your little guy, and he's a very busy little guy.  He just loves to find things to get into, whether it's toys or not.  He's actually quite good at entertaining himself, but sometimes that's not a great thing. :D  I do feel your pain.

 

[Peaceful Isle]

For my third child , I actually got the BJU k4 distance learning for him when he was 3 year old. It's only about 45 minutes long separated into 15 min segments, if I remember correctly.

It is very easy and more like enrichment, but it kept him busy, while I was teaching the others. I didn't feel as bad about having him occupied , like I would have with him watching cartoons or something.

[ExcitedMama]

I saw this thread yesterday but wasn't sure I had anything new to offer. Then yesterday DD was playing happily during DS school time and I was reminded of your thread. Have you heard of the Fisher Price Smart Toy Bear? I'll find a link for it. DD loves it. It's very interactive and imaginative. Yesterday she was scooping ice cream with it, playing in a cave and freeze dancing. She always has new jokes from it and science facts ("did you know bees are important? Some people don't like bees but without them we wouldn't have flowers or fruit." So cute!). It is pricy but it's a toy your K'er would like to, at least mine does. I like that she's having fun but using her imagination and learning too.

 

http://smile.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-DNV31-Smart-Toy-Bear/dp/B013UIQB9W/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1462382082&sr=1-1&keywords=smart+toy+bear

Edited May 4, 2016 by ExcitedMama

[FO4UR]

2nd, K, 3yo, and a nb?

 

 

Scale back academic expectations for this coming year.  Take advantage of technology.  And play outside often.

 

2nd grader needs 1-2 hours of academics.  K can get by with 30-45min. This time doesn't have to be mid-morning, and it doesn't need to be all in one chunk.

 

Do you have a fenced in backyard?  If so, I'd live back there in the mornings and have the older two take turns doing school lessons and playing with the 3yo. 

 

A nice sling will keep the nb happy.

 

talkingfingers.com has a program that teaches phonics, reading, spelling, and typing in one game.  It's called Read, Write, Type.  It would be a fit for both the 2nd grader and the Ker. It's something they can do alone while you are alternately nursing a nb and chasing a 3yo, and it's quite solid instruction.

 

There are a multitude of math game websites. It would be worth it to subscribe to one of them for the coming year.

 

Starfall.com  is a great website that would probably fit all 3 of you bigger kids.  My 3yo loves it.  And, it goes up through some advanced phonics and math.

 

With 4 young children, something will have to give. Don't ever let that be your mothering relationship with any of the kids. Please don't try to do too much this year.  Cut outside activities ruthlessly. Cut academics mercilessly.  If you have time for more, great. If not, you have made the best choice for the well-being of you and your children.

 

Keep naptime about naptime.  YOU will need the rest. Take it.  Mom can't function on fumes. Put audiobooks on for any children who are too big to nap. They can listen quietly and color on their beds.

 

[Artichoke]

At that age, youngest dd enjoyed Mother's Day Out.  She went two days a week from 9-2.   We also followed the Maxwell's scheduling ideas to rotate siblings to play with.  One we added in after lunch naps/quiet  times we got a lot done each day.  

Edited May 5, 2016 by Artichoke

[smarson]

Oh man, I'm totally in the same shoes as you!  I'll have K and 2nd grader, a 3 yr old (turning 4 in October though) and a newborn in June.  I am asking myself the same questions.  

 

I plan to try to get the K'er done quickly in the morning so he and the 3/4yr old can go play together quietly while I'm finishing up with the 2nd grader.  One thing I have done over the years is that I have 'school toys' that they can ONLY play during school time and ONLY if they are willing to sit with us and play QUIETLY.  Sometimes this is a huge success, but sometimes it's a big fail as well.  It's a crap shoot.  But also, they don't get the same options every day.  I can send you a PM with some of the toys I've gotten that have seemingly gone over well.  I usually go to the Timberdoodle page and find a couple of preschool items (even K items) that they can do independently.  

 

But yes, it's a challenge.  When I have more time, I'll read others' suggestions, as I'm needing some of these suggestions myself! :)

 

Good luck and know you're not alone!  

[smarson]

One thing that just came to mind that another friend of mine does with her littles - she makes a new sensory bin every month.  She'll use rice, beans, beads, whatever and then usually tie in some kind of theme.  Green things for March, I'm not sure what else, exactly... but the little guy can sift through that on a big blanket on the floor (so it's easier to clean up the mess they dump all over the floor) for 20ish minutes while you bust out math or whatever with one child.  It's an idea...  not sure how that would work in our home, but it's something I've seen done~

[Peplophoros]

You moms amaze me.  With a newborn in the house all I can do is find the remote and turn on PBS (and there's nothing wrong with that, thank you very much!)  :laugh:

[FO4UR]

You moms amaze me.  With a newborn in the house all I can do is find the remote and turn on PBS (and there's nothing wrong with that, thank you very much!)  :laugh:

 

 

My 4th child was an emergency c/s, traumatic, and a long hard recovery.

 

The big 3 kids did Time4Learning for several months until I could get up and down out of a chair without velcroeing my tummy together.

 

There is no shame in utilizing whatever helps are at your disposal when you have a tiny baby at home. Stressing out over school lessons post partum is a recipe for a major disaster.

[smarson]

I absolutely agree!  It may be about PBS Kids for a while. :)  For now I want to try to have a plan though. 

[lindsey]

Mine does a play-based preschool two mornings and week, and next year he'll do the 4s class for 3 mornings. He loves it, it gives me time to work with the other kids...my issue is the 2yo is too young for the program and is SO HARD to have awake at home while trying to do anythinggg else. :P

[Hobbes]

This is sort of me this year... 2nd grader, young 1st grader, 2yo, newborn. It's been busy, but fine. :)

 

The K child doesn't need much academically yet. Read aloud, do some phonics if ready/interested. My 1st grader has been a huge factor in the year going well because she quickly finished her minimal academic work each day and went off to play with the 2yo.

 

I do "morning basket" type time as they finish breakfast, so the 2yo is still busy. When he finishes, I wipe him up and provide a tray with an activity to buy more time: playdough, counting bears, shape sorter, MUS blocks, etc. He hears the read alouds and memory work, which I think is valuable.

 

Newborns sleep on you a lot, so that works well with bookwork.

 

Just keep moving, just keep moving. :)