Keeping toddlers busy

[TracyP]

I am trying to get some ideas for keeping the smallest kids busy while I work with the others. I know there have been threads on this before and links to some blogs with great ideas. I must be searching the wrong thing this morning because I am not finding anything.:tongue_smilie: Anyone have blogs, links to old threads, ideas for me?

[Mama2Many4]

I have a 2 year old, and while my 2nd grader and K'er are working I give her puzzles to do, dot art markers and pictures, play dough, crayons and paper, books to "read", blocks, her piggy bank and coins (this one amuses her for awhile at one coin at a time) and just about anything else she can do. Hope that helps some. She works at the table with us.

[melissel]

Here's one thread:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=191271

 

I searched for "occupied" -- that might give you some help. For us, it was (and still is, actually) paint, play-doh, file folder games, and putting her in the bath with plenty of toys while we sat in the bathroom or just outside the open door. I also allowed some computer and the occasional video, but that really distracted my schooling kid, so we tried not to do that. You could also school during nap/quiet time and get your older kid up a bit earlier or adjust your little ones' sleep schedule so they sleep a bit later in the morning (if that works in the grand scheme of things, of course!).

 

HTH!

[SweetMissMagnolia]

I'd get any pre-school workbook type thing or something like dot to dot or puzzle books---maybe even teach them to write their name with preschool paper? just an idea---or plain old color books---

[johnandtinagilbert]

I decided to blog about this recently, as it is so important and so often comes up.

[TracyP]

Thanks all! I have a list going.

 

Melissel, occupied is a much better search term. Why couldn't I think of that?;)

 

Tina, I love your blog. So helpful especially for a large family. Hee-hee, it reminds me how easy I have it. I can finish teaching in two hours a day. I have to go back later and check out how you feed your crew. It seems like I spend all day preparing, feeding and cleaning up meals. :tongue_smilie:

[daughterofsarah77]

In my quest to figure out what to do with my little guy while we school, since he no longer takes good naps, I found this blog with great ideas:

 

http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/ForTots.html

[nova mama]

I decided to blog about this recently, as it is so important and so often comes up.

 

Thanks for sharing. I'm saving the blanket time idea for when my newborn reaches that age. :)

[lisamarie]

My DD colors, looks at books, plays with her ABC magnets and a magnetic white board, plays with the base ten rods, shape blocks, a jar of pennies or buttons and counts them, and lacing shapes. She turned 3 in August and already knows all of her letters both upper and lower case because of playing with the letters so much. Some days I will have one of the big kids sit with her and go over the letters or numbers with her. She also likes to draw on the little dry erase board but she's death on markers so that doesn't happen very often.