Ideas for occupying 2 two year olds during school.

[Runningmom80]

Besides putting them in a cage. ;)

 

I'm sure there have been many threads on this topic, please feel free to link old threads if you have any in mind!

 

DS will be starting 1st grade this summer, and I don't think we will be able to get all of our schooling and activites done during nap time anymore. I would love ideas on occupying 2 year olds while schooling an older child. They love to color, but they are only 21 months, and there is still a high probability of crayon eating if I'm not watching them like a hawk. My dd is the sort that needs a lot of attention, and she's, I'll say "curious" when left to her own devices. they both also have a strong need to climb into precarious positions, so you can see my predicament here. :lol:

 

I'm trying to put together some Montessori type things for them to do, but I'd like other ideas as well.

[maizeydaizey]

I have shelves of his 'school' stuff (what we call it) and they are items like magnet boards, shape games, simple puzzles and games, specialty blocks (make animals and castles), a button board, his Leap Computer, etc. I also make him a few special games I laminated - like couting dinosaurs to 15 (mini dinos & cards to 14) and a big lacing dino, a color sorting dino set to play memory with etc. Just so he feels like it really is his school stuff... nothing over the top. He also does a ton of art and playdough. Writing with a chunky pencil for fun, tracing around objects and some Ipad apps.

 

He ONLY plays with these items during school time. I keep them seperate so that they are interesting to him for that time frame. For the most part it works pretty well. We school at a large dining table or the kitchen counter so he is right there with us for monitoring an inclusion.

 

Good Luck!

[boscopup]

My solution to the problem (only one toddler, but still a tornado :D) was to lower my expectations for 1st grade. :tongue_smilie:It all turned out fine, and as the toddler gets closer to 3, things are getting better. Next year should be easier than this year.

 

Focus on SKILLS with your 1st grader. Make sure those get done every day during nap time if necessary. Then the rest will fall into place. Don't fall into a trap of thinking you need to do 10 subjects with a 1st grader when it's stressing you out.

 

If he were middle school or high school, it'd be different, but then the child would be (hopefully) more independent anyway, and you'd be able to entertain the toddlers/keep them out of trouble while the older child is working. In first grade, obviously, you have to be there the whole time usually, so focus on the skills and don't worry if you don't get a lot of history and science in (whatever you do, even if it's just library books, will be more than what they do for those subjects in public school 1st grade anyway ;) ).

 

Your toddlers won't be toddlers forever. :)

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Besides putting them in a cage. ;)

 

I'm sure there have been many threads on this topic, please feel free to link old threads if you have any in mind!

 

DS will be starting 1st grade this summer, and I don't think we will be able to get all of our schooling and activites done during nap time anymore. I would love ideas on occupying 2 year olds while schooling an older child. They love to color, but they are only 21 months, and there is still a high probability of crayon eating if I'm not watching them like a hawk. My dd is the sort that needs a lot of attention, and she's, I'll say "curious" when left to her own devices. they both also have a strong need to climb into precarious positions, so you can see my predicament here. :lol:

 

I'm trying to put together some Montessori type things for them to do, but I'd like other ideas as well.

 

Here's a list of toddler activities that used to get passed around a lot.

 

IIRC, Dolly of the Ziploc bag activities used to be a poster here (at least in old board times).

[Runningmom80]

I have shelves of his 'school' stuff (what we call it) and they are items like magnet boards, shape games, simple puzzles and games, specialty blocks (make animals and castles), a button board, his Leap Computer, etc. I also make him a few special games I laminated - like couting dinosaurs to 15 (mini dinos & cards to 14) and a big lacing dino, a color sorting dino set to play memory with etc. Just so he feels like it really is his school stuff... nothing over the top. He also does a ton of art and playdough. Writing with a chunky pencil for fun, tracing around objects and some Ipad apps.

 

He ONLY plays with these items during school time. I keep them seperate so that they are interesting to him for that time frame. For the most part it works pretty well. We school at a large dining table or the kitchen counter so he is right there with us for monitoring an inclusion.

 

Good Luck!

 

Thank you! I will definitely have some things that are "school" time things only. That's a good idea.

[Runningmom80]

My solution to the problem (only one toddler, but still a tornado :D) was to lower my expectations for 1st grade. :tongue_smilie:It all turned out fine, and as the toddler gets closer to 3, things are getting better. Next year should be easier than this year.

 

Focus on SKILLS with your 1st grader. Make sure those get done every day during nap time if necessary. Then the rest will fall into place. Don't fall into a trap of thinking you need to do 10 subjects with a 1st grader when it's stressing you out.

 

If he were middle school or high school, it'd be different, but then the child would be (hopefully) more independent anyway, and you'd be able to entertain the toddlers/keep them out of trouble while the older child is working. In first grade, obviously, you have to be there the whole time usually, so focus on the skills and don't worry if you don't get a lot of history and science in (whatever you do, even if it's just library books, will be more than what they do for those subjects in public school 1st grade anyway ;) ).

 

Your toddlers won't be toddlers forever. :)

 

 

Thank you! I did decide that math will either get done in the AM when dh is around to help, or at nap time. I figure read aloud may have to be at bedtime sometimes, and that will be fine. And everything else will just get done when it gets done.

[Runningmom80]

Here's a list of toddler activities that used to get passed around a lot.

 

IIRC, Dolly of the Ziploc bag activities used to be a poster here (at least in old board times).

 

Thank you! I'll check it out!

[Mystie]

and if you can, strap them in booster seat at the table or put them in a playpen with the special activities.

 

That worked great for my daughter when she was 1-2.5, but hasn't so much for my current full-of-vim-and-vigor 2yo. He sits on my lap or gets into trouble. My mom got him a leapfrog alphabet toy that he'll be happy with in his crib sometimes.

 

I contemplated getting a playyard gate thing, but I'm pretty sure my son would just figure out how to climb over it.

 

Part of the way I deal with it is with my attitude. Training 1 & 2 yos is more essential than 1st grade with a 6yo imo. If math & phonics happen w/ 1st grade we're good. Audio books help us get read-alouds in while letting me still be free to manage the toddler, too.

[sagira]

I'm all ears :bigear:

 

This is my second (and last time, I hope!) time through, but I remember feeling very stressed out with my middle dd (I am an only child and was brought up in a place of order and quiet).

 

It's interesting that the PP said the training of 1 and 2 year olds was more important than the first grade.. Hmm.. I thought the opposite was true. Food for thought. I don't even really know how to "train", but I'm trying my best to teach her and take care of her. Maybe I need to print out the whole Laying Down the Rails book :)

Edited April 6, 2012 by sagira

[Runningmom80]

 

I contemplated getting a playyard gate thing, but I'm pretty sure my son would just figure out how to climb over it.

 

 

I got the link to work finally.

 

This is how well the play gate works. :)

 

Edited April 6, 2012 by Runningmom80

[Xilka]

When my ds was 2, I set him up a collage station -

a table with magazines and other cut-outable stuff,

paper, and glue...

 

We had it in the kitchen.

He would stay at his station for hours upon hours, and made some pretty interesting 2-yr-old art.

[KristenR]

We have a touch screen laptop that is pretty much designated as the kids. I am amazed at how easily navigable Starfall.com is. Each of my kids started on it at a very young age. My 20 month old plays around on it and I can usually by myself 15-20 minutes that way. Same goes with i-pad. Some apps are so toddler friendly that they require little if no assistance.

[Runningmom80]

We have a touch screen laptop that is pretty much designated as the kids. I am amazed at how easily navigable Starfall.com is. Each of my kids started on it at a very young age. My 20 month old plays around on it and I can usually by myself 15-20 minutes that way. Same goes with i-pad. Some apps are so toddler friendly that they require little if no assistance.

 

 

Do you think I'll be able to use this as an excuse to upgrade my ipad? "But, I need an ipad for each toddler, so your son can learn!" :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[AngelBee]

Taking notes....in need of inspiration

[abacus2]

I haven't found much to work well although I do have a suggestion for kids who like to color, but still eat crayons. The Crayola Write Start Colored Pencils are excellent. They color nicely and are very hard to eat or break.

[Runningmom80]

I haven't found much to work well although I do have a suggestion for kids who like to color, but still eat crayons. The Crayola Write Start Colored Pencils are excellent. They color nicely and are very hard to eat or break.

 

Thank you! Seriously, we have interesting diapers around here some days. :lol:

[Reflections]

:lurk5:

[MeganW]

My youngest is my drama child, and I finally decided to send her off to preschool a few mornings a week just to be sure I had a little time to focus on school with the others. Best decision I could have made!

[MeganW]

I have a friend who put her 3 youngest in the bath tub every single morning, and sat beside the tub with her oldest doing school. That kept the youngers occupied!

[ssavings]

My 2 year old did a lot of sorting by color, sorting by size, shadow matching, bead stringing, etc. Some of what she did is on my blog (raisinggeniusfish.com), under the label "tot school".

[squirtymomma]

My youngest is my drama child, and I finally decided to send her off to preschool a few mornings a week just to be sure I had a little time to focus on school with the others. Best decision I could have made!

 

I'm sending my soon-to-be-2-year-old to 2 days of MDO next year for our sanity. I still have to figure out what to do with her the other two days, but I think it will help.

[Runningmom80]

My youngest is my drama child, and I finally decided to send her off to preschool a few mornings a week just to be sure I had a little time to focus on school with the others. Best decision I could have made!

 

They will be going to montessori everyday when they are 3, so 2nd-4th with DS only in the AM should be much easier. :D

 

 

Perhaps I will look into a MDO, I was trying to save my money for two in preschool, but I may have to cave.

[Runningmom80]

My 2 year old did a lot of sorting by color, sorting by size, shadow matching, bead stringing, etc. Some of what she did is on my blog (raisinggeniusfish.com), under the label "tot school".

 

Thanks! I'll check out your blog. :)