Truth Be Told

Let’s face it, Homeschooling was very manageable, but that was before my Baby became a Toddler! How do Mom’s do it?! I had my set up and it was working great, but that was because my little one was still very easily pleased. As an Early Childhood Expert, I found myself laughing because I mainly worked with First Time Parents and by the time the Parents were on their second child, I was helping them get their first born into a good Pre-K program. I sat down and analyzed our family dynamics and this is what I have done to keep my sanity! I hope to share some facts that might help out another Homeschooling family, looking at the same circumstance too.

Toddler Corner

Did you know that Toddlers 18 months and older have such a short attention span that they will switch their attention at least 18 times per minute! Watch your Toddler and time them, you’ll see, or you already know! I wanted to ensure that our Toddler Corner would have everything that I would expect a great Pre-K to have. Here is a list to consider:

Library – Making sure that books were in our corner, was super important! Literacy is SO vital, make sure to read my post on Literacy for more. I just Love the large books for Toddlers! They truly make story time fun and will keep your Toddler engaged.
* Tip*. As your child grows, the books should shrink down*

Music – Our Toddler Corner also consists of musical instruments and an old fashioned Strawberry Shortcake CD player. We have Alexa, but I love the fact that my Toddler has learned to grab a CD, place it into the player and pushes play! She even knows which button is to skip to the next song. Music is the magical way that Toddlers learn directions and songs, best!
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T.V. – We are working on getting a t.v. mounted on the wall so that she will not have access to it. Safety is first here, too. Screen time should be limited to 30 minutes every 4 hours. We use Toddler shows that use music and teach Nursery Rhymes as well as Sign Language and dance. It is a great way to get your Toddler dancing and moving around!
Baby Dolls – Whether you have a boy or a girl, having a Baby Doll is always useful. It encourages play, dress-up, imagination, feelings and bonding/attachment. It comes in handy too, if a Parent is expecting another Baby.
Pillows – We use a giant bear that I purchased at Costco years ago for my first daughter. We only paid $25 for it, it was SUCH a deal! Now, years later, it is used as a “chair” for my Toddler to sit down and read/look at books on her own.
Developmental Toys – In our Toddler Corner we have building blocks used for stacking and as puzzles. We also have shape sorters and my favorite developmental cubes, by Melissa and Doug. Engaging a child’s mind involves keeping their senses occupied!
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Dress Up – My Toddler has a little Princess Chest that contains safe tutu’s for dress up. She is still too little/short for the 3 year old Princess dresses that were my daughter’s, so we are sticking to tiara’s, wands and tutus. I’ll be adding lots of hats and fun scarfs, once she grows up more, but dress up is so important for imaginary play.
Sensory Play – I have yet to add a sensory area to our Toddler Corner, but I do encourage one. There are some really amazing set ups that I love. Ikea has some really cute sensory play furniture for Toddlers/Little Ones, but you also don’t have to spend to make it fun and easy clean up. Using a deep plastic tub is what we’re doing, for now.
Tunnels – If you want to encourage gross motor skills, problem solving and balance, try using tunnels! We use them periodically and the best part is that you can fold them up and store them away after you’re done.
Writing Area – Our writing area consists of a larger white board for drawing, while standing up. We also have a mini chalkboard and whiteboard, which is used for sitting and writing.

Safety

As with all things Toddler, safety is always first! Making sure that your little one stays safe should be any Parent’s first priority. So, how do you Toddler Proof your play area? In short, here are my rules for ensuring safety:

Anything that can fit into a toilet paper roll, CAN fit into your child’s throat! Scan the area for small objects, daily and just keep it clear of anything that can be placed into the mouth. *Tip* I always encouraged Parents to lie down on their stomach and look around. Chords should not be in reach or sticking out. All sockets should have plugs and all shelves should be above the toddlers reach. For more on Toddler Proofing, look at my post on Safety.
Toxic – Making sure that anything your Toddler does put into their mouth, is safe, will also play a big role in your Toddler Corner. Avoid things that contain food coloring when it comes to sensory play. It’s not recommended because studies have shown it to increase hyper activity.

What’s My Technique?

After breakfast, my kids work on things that don’t require my attention. This includes Handwriting, Typesy, Reading, Bible or P.E. After lunch, my Toddler goes down for her nap and this is when I will help my kids with Math, Science and Language Arts. That’s it! So, it is possible to homeschool with a Toddler and older kids. Is it still challenging? Absolutely! We still have days where my Toddler’s schedule will just be thrown off. Luckily, homeschooling is flexible and we make adjustments where needed. My older kids are now 11 and 9, so they are self-directed with keeping track of their duties, while Mommy tends to their Baby Sister. All families have their own dynamics. Making yours work will bring more peace to you and your home. I hope this encourages you in your Homeschooling journey. Thank you for reading!