Ideas to keep little ones occupied

[EJCMom]

For those of you who have little ones (3 and under) who are really too little to participate in school much, how do you keep them occupied while you are working with your older kids? I've looked at some of the Quiet Books from RR, but I don't know who long they would really keep her occupied. So, I'm really just looking for some ideas.

[TheModestMom]

My two year old likes the peg board from Lauri, and she also likes magnetix, I of course supervise those as they are smaller pieces. She loves to color! Magnetic paper dolls are great. They can always put them on the fridge.

[Mommee & Baba]

Last year I got the big wakeup call that this year during preparations for the new school year I'd need to make sure I had items and such things for my little guy to do. Poor fella was a handful last year and I was going stir crazy trying to not fall apart in trying to school 2 kids and occupy a very curious baby. So here is what I've come up with.

 

 

 

He'll be nearly 18m old when we begin school this year.

 

• Wooden Lacing Beads
  
• Lincoln Logs
  
• Mega Blocks
  
• Color Flash Cards
  
• Shape Flash Cards
  
• Sorting Baskets
  
• Pom Pom Sorting
  
• Board Books
  
• Colored Bean Bags for Sorting
  
• Cookie Sheet for Magnet Play
  
• Cookie Sheet for Play-Doh
  
• Felt Board Story Fun
  
• Leap Frog Interaction Doll
  

 

[Robin's Song]

file folder games

Colored pens

colored pencils

crayons

stickers

wedgits

magnetic letters

colored blocks

wooden family

alphabet trains

puzzles (regular and 3-d cube puzzles)

fun scissors

felt storyboards

books

mini trampoline

bouncy balls (go bounce until the timer goes off!)

long pieces of gauze or scarves

plastic animals

wood lacing pictures or beads

pretty much anything from Melissa and Doug

kids digital camcorder or old digital camera (HUGE hit with all of my littles)

 

These are toys they can play with during school. Swords, barbies, littlest petshop, calico critters, helicopters, jets, lincoln logs, babies, walkie talkies, tinkertoys, and anything noisy are kept upstairs in their bedrooms.

[TheModestMom]

What do you mean by alphabet trains? Do you mean alphabet puzzles?

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

My dd really loves the Lacing Cards and Beads. She also really likes markers, but she colors all over herself. Another thing I do is fill a tub with some water and give her measuring cups and spoons. Afterwards I always have to mop the floor, but I feel I get some cleaning in. :D

 

Another thing we do is do school outside early in the morning while it is still cool. My dd2 will run and play while ds and I sit and do work.

[JennyD]

Another thing we do is do school outside early in the morning while it is still cool. My dd2 will run and play while ds and I sit and do work.

 

This is such a great idea. If we had a yard I would SO do this!

 

I have yet to figure out a decent way to keep my 2.5 yo occupied. He wants to do what the older one is doing, but of course he can't quite manage that and gets frustrated, but then if I give him something else to do -- a puzzle, stickers, etc. -- the 5yo gets completely distracted and wants to do that, too. Half the time we wind up doing our school stuff at 6:30 am before DH leaves the house, so he can keep the little one occupied as he gets ready. Not an ideal long-term solution, I must say.

[kmacnchs]

there are TONS of ideas out there (as you can see)

 

Here is where I got a lot of mine:http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/ToolsforTots.html

 

Last summer I just took some time to make a lot of these and this is what my 2yo does when I need 1-on-1 time with her big sis.

 

BIGGEST SUGGESTION: Whichever toys/games/whatever you choose, make those JUST for "school" - that way they will be special and it will take longer for them to loose their appeal!

[kmacnchs]

I have yet to figure out a decent way to keep my 2.5 yo occupied. He wants to do what the older one is doing, but of course he can't quite manage that and gets frustrated, but then if I give him something else to do -- a puzzle, stickers, etc. -- the 5yo gets completely distracted and wants to do that, too. Half the time we wind up doing our school stuff at 6:30 am before DH leaves the house, so he can keep the little one occupied as he gets ready. Not an ideal long-term solution, I must say.

 

suggestion: make sure the 5yo knows that once he is finished, he will have time to do what the 2.5 yo is doing as well. He just needs to finish his work first. Also, don't have the 2.5 yo doing the games in FRONT of the 5yo. If you are sitting at the table, have them sit on either side of you so the games are not RIGHT in front of the 5yo, tempting him. This is what I do w/my 4 & 2.5yos. Another thing is that the one doing the puzzles is not to interrupt my school time! Big rule!

[tranquilmama]

also wanted to add that the idea book from My father's world is worth the $5... the toys they recommend for pre K and K have so many uses that are educational.

 

I second the "keep school toys" just "for school."

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

This is such a great idea. If we had a yard I would SO do this!

 

I have yet to figure out a decent way to keep my 2.5 yo occupied. He wants to do what the older one is doing, but of course he can't quite manage that and gets frustrated, but then if I give him something else to do -- a puzzle, stickers, etc. -- the 5yo gets completely distracted and wants to do that, too. Half the time we wind up doing our school stuff at 6:30 am before DH leaves the house, so he can keep the little one occupied as he gets ready. Not an ideal long-term solution, I must say.

 

Another idea would be to move his bath time to the morning or afternoon. Do school with your 5yo while 2.5yo is in the bath. We just sit on the floor and do reading, history or you could even do phonics.

I also have let my kids take a bath and do spelling tests on the wall of the bathtub, using bath markers.

[tvaleri]

Years ago I stumbled across a book entitled, "102-I-Can-Do-It-All-By-Myself Activities" It was such a blessing! Using items found around the house, preparation time was minimal, if at all.

 

Of course, always a favorite with my kids was a sink full of water and some cups and spoons =) Ah, I miss those days!

 

Teresa in NC

[pageta]

We schedule school during naptime as much as possible. That doesn't always work out, but I would say it is my main strategy.

[Medieval Mom]

:bigear: I am listening intently to all these wonderful suggestions! We have a little 18 mo. old who is busy, busy, busy! (And those morning naps are becoming shorter and shorter!)

[Robin's Song]

What do you mean by alphabet trains? Do you mean alphabet puzzles?

 

No, it is actually a wood train and each cart is a different letter. The littles will sing the ABC song and put them in order, rearrange letters to make different words...I am using them now with my ds4 to work on blending. He's LOVES trains.:) I think it was less than $10 at Ross/Marshalls/TJMaxx (one of those stores).

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

Another thing I just thought of... I always do "school" with dd2 before starting school with the boys. This way, she has had my attention and is more content to go play alone for awhile.

[Tonia]

Activity bags were a huge hit with my daughter at that age. I've got a list of them linked at my blog.

[Mom-ninja.]

:bigear: I am listening intently to all these wonderful suggestions! We have a little 18 mo. old who is busy, busy, busy! (And those morning naps are becoming shorter and shorter!)

 

You still get morning naps?! I'm jealous.

 

 

Um, duct tape? ;)

 

 

I like the suggestion of special school toys. I need to do that.

 

We also do lessons outside on the front porch in the morning. My little guy likes draw with chalk on the side walk, or "paint" with water.

 

Schooling with a toddler is hard!

[ALB]

We use many of these suggestions. I have put together several activities like ones mentioned. I find that it REALLY helps if I take the time to sit down with my ds first, and work on the activity with him for a few minutes. Then, I leave him with it and he happily plays, explores with it while I work with my dd. I found that just handing it to him with quick instructions didn't last for keeping his attention for long.

[Supertechmom]

If you have a group of moms with preschoolers you can do a school in a bag party. Come up with a list of bag ideas - counting cards, lacing cards, folder games etc Each mom takes one and makes enough for everyone. Then you exchange the bags. You can google preschool bags and come up with a lot of ideas.

[Julie Kirkwood]

We are currently doing some light summer unit studies during my toddler's afternoon nap time and plan to continue using that time in the fall. But we'll never get everything done during that time so I am loving all these suggestions. He loves to play on our deck so I can see us working out there a lot.

Another thing I've done when my daughter was a toddler was to put dry rice and beans in the water table with scoops and measuring cups. During the winter, I put a sheet down on the floor underneath it for easier clean up. During warm weather we put the table outside.

[Irishmommy]

For those who do rice/beans, how do you keep the child from throwing? I've yet to figure that one out. I always tell him NO and take it away from him immediately, but it hasn't worked so far. I was just wondering if there was a strategy I was missing!

[Supertechmom]

For those who do rice/beans, how do you keep the child from throwing? I've yet to figure that one out. I always tell him NO and take it away from him immediately, but it hasn't worked so far. I was just wondering if there was a strategy I was missing!

 

 

Could you arrange a plastic tablecloth that goes from the wall to the floor and across? Then you could arrange shapes,numbers etc on the wall and he could try to hit the targets. Then IN THEORY it should fall down the plastic so you could scoop it up. But how to get one from throwing it at random around the room? No clue. Other than it is an age thing and it will pass one day ( as my soon to be 13 year old throws random bits of paper around right now!:glare:) Some one say it does !!:lol:

[poodlemama]

You've got some great ideas for things for her to do so I wont add to that. Just wanted to say I found the hardest part was training them to sit and do the activities by themselves--and I really do think it takes some training!

 

So

 

I second the idea to do something with the little one first.

 

Second the "school toys" are for school

 

and want to add: Positive reinforcement for playing, quietly, not interrupting, and for cleaning up. Here's how I do it. I use a Tagulator (a string of beads that can be moved from one side to the other--like a small abacus) and a clicker--a little toy that makes a click sound (OK it's a dog training tool but the kids love it, and it's a quick easy way to acknowledge good behavior without really distracting the older kids). Every few minutes that she is playing nicely or if I see her cleaning up her toys I click and she gets to move a "Tag" on the bead string. At the end of school time she gets to watch that many minutes of TV (you could easily pick a different primary reinforcement)-- usually my 3 year old earns about 15 minutes of PBS a day

 

Hope this helps you it's really made our school more enjoyable!

 

Lindsey

Poodle Mama

 

dd 9

ds 6

dd 3

and dear poodle 6 months :tongue_smilie:

[workingmom]

Those with crawling/walking little ones, how do you school upper elementary kids who still need you for teaching/desk work?

 

Up till now dd 8 months was very easy and last year when we where finishing up she still enjoyed sitting in the bouncer during lessons. now ds 8 starts fourth grade next week and i'm wondering if i should send dd to the sitter for a few hours each day for us to get a chunk out of the school day or keep her home?

 

she really wants me in sight and while plays ok for short periods of time alone in starting to climb up onto everything. i've seen great ideas for the 2-3 year olds but what about the 9-12month crowd?

[Jenny in GA]

When my youngest (a boy) was that age, honestly, nothing worked very well. I would trot out the usuals -- puzzles, play-do, Mr. Potato Head -- and he had hardly any interest. Something like coloring was out of the question.

 

A snack would keep him still for 5-10 minutes. A video would buy us a little time. I could usually get him to go in his room and play for about 20 minutes. And the girls would take turns playing with me.

 

That was about the best I could do. Now he is in a pre-school program.

 

Jenny

[ladydusk]

Paula's Archives lists a lot of ideas for preschoolers and for other things too!

[Guest]

I am looking at setting up a little program from my little guy. He is 19 months old now and very very active. He also sleeps very little and gets very angry if he is not included when we are doing something. For now if we are reading I just give him some of his board books and that keeps him busy for a while. I am planning on working with him (he is my early riser) first like some others suggested. The books I have been researching (I just get them from the library although I have purchased one of the Totline) are the books from Totline and also books by Pam Schiller. Here are some links if anyone is interested:

 

- Pam Schiller books

 

- Totline books

 

I have picked up and am picking up pretty much every. single. copy. from these two that my library has to offer :D. I will be using many of the ideas starting in November and all through his preschool years. I have picked up many other resources also but these are the main ones.

[workingmom]

I think my problem is most of the "activities" are geared towards almost two year olds where is dd is 9 months so not really able to do much of that

[skueppers]

Up to this point, my strategy has been to do school stuff with my older child during my younger child's naps.

 

This fall, he'll be in preschool in the mornings and I'll do school with her then.

 

I have never managed to get a lick of work done with her while he was awake and at home.

[tiredbuthappy]

Last year, I instituted "sibling time" which worked well to combat many issues and I think I am going to use it again this year. We have a pretty detailed time schedule (because my ds8 CANNOT stay focused unless he has a time limit/schedule for subjects). Late in the morning, close to the lunch break, I scheduled time where my dd6 would have sibling time with ds3. I had a "project" or activity scheduled each day. This included things like playdough, stamping (tape butcher paper all over the table and use huge stamps to stamp wherever and whatever), painting with water books, puzzles, matching games, etc. They would work together for 20-30 min. I would use that time to work on whatever subject my ds8 needed the most help with or that I wanted to remain uninterrupted (like reading). This way I knew ds3 was occupied by dd6 and that she was keeping an eye on him. After the alotted time, ds8 and dd6 would switch. ds8 would play with ds3 on the same activity/project and I would work with dd6. The main rule was that this was time for ds3. Even though ds8 or dd6 was also playing with playdough, for example, their main priority was to HELP ds3. They could not become so absorbed in their own project that they were not engaged with ds3.

 

A few great side effects happened. Of course, I was able to spend precious alone time with each school aged child (I had always already made time for ds3 myself earlier when the olders were doing independent work). ds3 ended up spending much more time on this activity (40-60 min!) than he ever would have himself. You would think he would have gotten bored after the first 20 min with dd. But, that was not the case, because switching siblings made the activity seem like new. lol! dd6 and ds8 have entirely different styles of play, that ds3 was happy to continue with a new sibling. Lastly, and probably best of all, they all seemed to get along better, even after school hours. dd6 and ds3 are OFTEN at odds with each other. This scheduled play-together time seemed to help that somehow. I think because dd6 started to develop more patience with ds3. Sadly, that has flown out the window this summer! lol

 

I plan on changing the projects this year to include some actual learning for ds3, like ABCs and counting, etc. My only problem is that this time was always scheduled last year during ds1's morning nap. Well, sadly, he now only has one nap a day (gasp) and ds3 has one at the same time. I do get a lot done with the school kids during that nap, but I really enjoyed having that sibling time. So I just need to figure out what to do with the 14 month old during this time!

 

HTH

Sorry I am so wordy!!!:glare:

[bbsweetpea]

My little usually sleeps late so I try and get the things we need to concentrate the most on done before she gets up.

 

I did let my Baby girl pick out a Tinkerbell folder and she has "letter lessons" each day. She just calls it that though. Really it is a magnetic letter in front of her and a letter page that she colors. She trys to trace it and draw around it.

 

She colors, "writes", puts stickers, glues items etc on her papers. Then when she is done she shows me for a big hug and puts it in her folder like brother and sister.

 

I also have on hand and at her reach (well most of it)

lacing beads

chalk board and chalk

dry erase board and markers (her very own)

felt boards with tons of felt items

doll house and figures

dolls and doll clothes

dress up clothes

puzzles

lacing objects

train and track

cars

lots of little plastic animals and dolls (she loves to play with these)

books

color books

play doh

plus we have net flix that I leave logged on the computer. She is only 2 years and 4 months but knows how to click on a show she wants and watch it (blame daddy for the tech skills so early). I keep it on the instant que and have shows she can watch in the first 4-5 slots. (usually just watches half of a 20 minute show)

She also will play on Starfall.com a little bit

 

Usually at the end of school we have to play a clean up game just to pick up after the 2 year old. She tries to put everything up before moving to something else but there is always a handful of each thing she played with around the house.

[Guest]

Those with crawling/walking little ones, how do you school upper elementary kids who still need you for teaching/desk work?

 

Up till now dd 8 months was very easy and last year when we where finishing up she still enjoyed sitting in the bouncer during lessons. now ds 8 starts fourth grade next week and i'm wondering if i should send dd to the sitter for a few hours each day for us to get a chunk out of the school day or keep her home?

 

she really wants me in sight and while plays ok for short periods of time alone in starting to climb up onto everything. i've seen great ideas for the 2-3 year olds but what about the 9-12month crowd?

 

I think my problem is most of the "activities" are geared towards almost two year olds where is dd is 9 months so not really able to do much of that

 

Yes that's right, you did mention a 9 month old. I know exactly what it's like to have a very highly active baby. Malcolm slept 12 hours overall (if I was lucky) when he was 9 months and now at 19 months he sleeps 11 if I'm lucky :tongue_smilie:. When he gets a full night's sleep (meaning 10 1/2 hours for him) most of the time he won't take a nap. He will nap on me for 10 minutes and then he is good to go. There's a reason why his nickname is Napoleon ;). He was also walking while holding onto things by 9 months and has been a climber since that age also. I do use a playpen though. I have a large square one, which he has now almost outgrown weight wise. I have to warn you, since I had to take my oldest to daycare/ preschool while I was still working, I am biased when it comes to them and will find any way around having to take my child to one. That's just me of course :) and my opinion has been colored by my experience so please don't be affected by it.

 

I was fortunate with Malcolm that he does like educational toys and that will keep his attention for a while. I just change what I give him and have been doing that since he was younger than 9 months. I have many Fisher Price toys (you can see some of the Amazon links in our blog on the right sidebar if you scroll down). He also likes board books and they hold his attention also but those I started giving him in his playpen and high chair when he was about 13 months old (or so), after I got hold of a copy of Jim Trelease's book and read about doing that to help the child learn to love books and also how to handle books. He has damaged a few when I have turned away a few times and I have had to put them back together :tongue_smilie: but he is getting a lot better now. Also, I do let him watch educational DVD's. He is a big fan of Sesame Street and Baby Einstein. Not sure if this helps you at all but this is how I survived a very busy/ active baby that hates sleeping because he seems to feel like he is missing something.

 

ETA: Oh, I forgot, I have always had baby time with him also. During his baby time we read board books, I sing to him and we do finger play, which he loves. I also read him other books while he is in his highchair or playpen if they are books he can rip.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Guest

[Sukale]

I love these ideas. I will have about 2 hrs everyday alone with my 2 1/2 yr old. Dad will have the 11 yr old at softball. These are the kinds of things I want to do with her during that time. With school for the 11 yr old, cooking and cleaning, errands and all the other stuff life gives us to do, I sometimes feel the 2 yr old doesn't get enough of my undivided attention. She want to do school sooooo bad. I think I will call our play time school for her. She may learn a little but I want it to be all about the fun time with mommy.

[HollyDay]

We had a "school time" box when my youngest was little. I rotated what was in it on a regular basis. But generally, it had some combination of the following:

 

lace up activities, I'd rotate the cards or felt or wooden

 

coloring books and various mediums- chalk, crayons, "bingo blotters", colored pencils, "magic colors", etc.

 

some sort of building toy; Bright Builders from Discovery Toys was a major hit!l Lincoln Logs, basic blocks, tinker toys, etc

 

memory game

 

I had girls so we usually some sort of doll/play house/dress up things.

 

This box was only for this child for "school time". It was not a "together" box for playing with siblings, it was special for her.

[TKDmom]

:lurk5:

[Mom-ninja.]

My older boys built a fort and my little one loves to play in it. He will spend a long time playing there right now.

 

I'm sure it'll wear off but for now it's keeping him busy.

[FairProspects]

Any additional ideas for VERY active 3 year olds with no set attention span? This is my kid who started crawling at 6 months and hasn't sat still since. Even his hand print pictures are blurry since he is always moving!

 

Lately, all he seems to do is try to wreck school!! I have tried everything - puzzles, 6 different craft drawers only for school, separate school activities, and it will keep him busy for maybe 10 minutes, and then he is back to distracting ds#1. He is going to a Montessori preschool this year, but that still leaves 2 days per week he will be home, and I'd like to get something accomplished on those 2 days!

[Guest]

Any additional ideas for VERY active 3 year olds with no set attention span? This is my kid who started crawling at 6 months and hasn't sat still since. Even his hand print pictures are blurry since he is always moving!

 

Lately, all he seems to do is try to wreck school!! I have tried everything - puzzles, 6 different craft drawers only for school, separate school activities, and it will keep him busy for maybe 10 minutes, and then he is back to distracting ds#1. He is going to a Montessori preschool this year, but that still leaves 2 days per week he will be home, and I'd like to get something accomplished on those 2 days!

 

Have you tried giving him school type stuff to do instead of just crafty stuff? It seems to me he wants to be doing what big brother is doing rather than an activity that will keep him away from his big brother :tongue_smilie:. Have you tried printing some activity sheets or buying an activity book for him? You could try doing some handwriting or some sheets from the pre ETC books. Just a suggestion. While I will be preparing activity boxes for my little one also, with fun stuff, this is another reason why I am planning on school stuff with him too. In spite his age I will also be printing some worksheets for him with the letters of the alphabet, numbers, shapes and colors. These will be for when we are doing workbooks with my oldest since I know the little one will want to do what his brother is doing. His brother can do no wrong and he always chuckles when his brother does silly things and his brother does silly things to make him chuckle. The two of them will be getting into so much trouble together getting older :lol:. I can see it now.

[thepoteetteam]

Such GREAT ideas to read through! I am so going to be using these!