To me this is the most challenging stage when we are homeschooling older children with toddlers in our homes. None of the others have needs as great as these little ones who are learning about all sorts of things as they go about their lives. There are few things that will keep toddlers busy for the 2, 3 or 4 hours that you may set aside for schooling, so I say with much love and understanding -grin and bear it and when times get tough find someone in a similar position and share your frustrations.

As we have always had our children at home with us, I have learnt to homeschool alongside babies, toddlers and preschoolers. I find that it is finding the balance between these two quotes:

“By the age of three years old, your child will have developed at least 70% of their brain cells. Experts agree that the most critical time in the development of a child will be between birth and three years old, and it doesn’t take much money. The first five years of your child’s life are the most important years.

Like any building, a life without a strong foundation is virtually doomed from the start. You wouldn’t build a house without a good foundation and wonder five years later why the house is collapsing. The same is true when it comes to children. And with a strong foundation, you'll be amazed at the results.” From the Sonlight Forums.

And "In this time of extraordinary pressure, educational and social, perhaps a mothers first duty to her children is to secure for them a quiet and growing time, a full six years of passive receptive life, the waking part of it for the most part spent out in the fresh air.” Charlotte Mason.

So how do you do it?

You start the juggling act. You balance the time spent in the schoolroom with time spent without. You use your afternoons wisely and limit your running from one extramural to the next. We owe it to our younger children to give them as much freedom as what the older ones had when they were little.

Here are some ideas:

What we do is picnic every Friday in the Garden, in the greenbelt, at the botanical gardens, at a park with swings. Even in winter we head outdoors every chance we get.

There will be times that you can allow your elder children to sit at a garden table where you can oversee while the younger ones run and jump and climb.

Reading can be done on a blanket in the sun, while little ones romp around.

Take those daily nature walks, let the younger child help with lunch, set aside a baking time with them, read to them everyday the books that they choose and cuddle them more.

"I venture to suggest what not is practicable in any household, but what's seems to me absolutely best for children... a journey of twenty minutes and a luncheon in a basket will make a day in the country possible to most town dwellers: and if one day why not many and even every suitable day?" Charlotte Mason. Take careful note that she does not specify the age here – all children of all ages should be outdoors every day.

There will always be those times when you have to be in your schooling area and preschoolers are going to need to have some form of toddlers activities to keep them busy so you can deal with that difficult concept in maths or help your early reader along. I feel it is important also that the preschool child is involved in the school day, in the sense that they see the workings of it so that they are used to how the time is spent.

Each age presents its own challenges, such as when my third child was in the eighteen month to three year stage. We all know how inquisitive and into everything children are at this age and there were times when I was tempted to only do schooling when she was sleeping. Some moms do this or get a helper to care for them during school time, but then the child never learns the proper behavior in the school time hours.

But with the advent of our third child's second birthday, I was astounded at how well she behaved in the schoolroom, how much she already knows and how she wants to take part in the morning. This pattern has repeated itself with our fourth child.

Other toddlers activities in a homeschool

Story tapes and music with ear phones;

The odd video;

Resilient books;

Special school only toys (knob puzzles, dizzy discs, threading, pegboards, cash register, beanbags, duplo, puzzles etc).

A housekeeping area to play in;

Dressing up clothes to go with it;

Play dough;

Bottles and lids;

Roller ball paints.

It is also important that we remember to do as Charlotte Mason advises - to keep the lessons short and follow a taxing lesson with an easier one. This serves a dual purpose in that the younger ones are entertained with the changes in activity and the older ones are not able to dawdle. The change in lesson type allows for a child to have a sense of achievement after a tough brain stretching session.

Many a mom is plagued by feelings of guilt for their younger children when most of the morning is spent getting through the required schoolwork for the older children. This is a feeling that I have not escaped either. I so wanted to be able to give all our toddlers the same amount of time that our first had, also the extended outside hours and never ending patience with toddlers activities like painting and crafts.

After laying this before the Lord I have found peace in knowing that they have a very special place in the family being the second, third and fourth children and have constant companions in their siblings and that they do not in fact expect things they do not know.

I make certain now that I find time for each of them individually in different ways daily. I have also structured my week to allow for a relatively free day on Friday so that we can go on outings, to a farmyard, for a walk, a picnic. This is also our art and craft day or our poetry and tea afternoon or a general breathing space.

So you see, planning toddlers activities in the homeschool can bring you a little order and enjoyment in your day.

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