When I first decided to homeschool, my oldest child was just four years old. His younger brother was a two and a half year old toddler. Like most toddlers his age, my second son was active, curious, and always wanted to be in the middle of whatever everyone else was doing, as were all of my other toddlers who came after him.
Many times this led to beautiful family moments but sometimes, it led to struggles with space, supplies, energy, and attention.
If you’re juggling at-home learning for your older children while also caring for a toddler at home, here are a few tips and tricks that have helped me over the years.
Make sure the basic needs are met first.
Whether it’s for you, your toddler, or your older child, making sure the basics are met is an important first step for helping your days go smoother. This means ensuring that everyone gets good sleep, eats a good meal, and your toddler’s bathroom needs are met before you try to attempt any lessons.
Have extra supplies ready.
Toddlers are curious. This means they’re likely to want to engage in whatever you and your older child are doing. Supplying extra materials just for your toddler can help keep them from feeling left out or wanting to snatch at your older child’s work and supplies.
If your toddlers are anything like mine were, providing fake versions of what your older children are working with won’t be good enough. Toddlers can easily recognize the difference between toys and the real deal. I always found it more productive to give them their own stash of the same supplies my older children were working with (as long as it was safe to do so!). Doing this can help your toddler feel truly included and help keep them busy while you work with your older child.
Try audio books if reading aloud gets difficult.
With all my children, there was a time during their toddlerhood they hated hearing me read out loud to other siblings. They would cry, snatch the book, and throw themselves on top of me and their siblings for attention. It felt impossible. Audio books were a lifesaver in times like these. They allowed us to continue enjoying family story times without constant disruptions and tantrums.
Work around nap times.
Toddler nap times can be excellent times for one-on-one work with older children. I found saving formal lessons, like math and writing, for when my toddlers were asleep allowed me to give the most focus possible to my older children.
Meet up with other homeschooling friends.
Sometimes, arranging meetups with other friends who are learning at home can be all you need to find a balance between your children. Meeting with friends that have similar family dynamics can help provide your older children with friends to learn with while your toddler can make new friends to play with, too. It also gives you much needed time with other moms who can help.
Seek out family-friendly learning experiences.
Just because your family is learning at home doesn’t mean all the learning has to happen at home. Many times one of the best ways to manage your toddler’s needs and the needs of your older children at the same time, is to get everyone outside!
Libraries, science centers, nature centers, museums, living farms, and numerous other community resources exist to provide families just like yours with the opportunities to learn together. At the very least, you and your toddler can get in a lovely walk while your older children engage in interesting courses and activities.
Remember that your toddler is a lesson, too.
The best way to ease the path forward to learning at home with a toddler is to help everyone in the house learn to love and be patient with their toddler.
If your older children get frustrated, validate their feelings, and then remind them what it was like when they were toddlers as they likely behaved in much the same way. Help them understand that when toddlers snatch or interject themselves it’s because they’re curious, want to spend time with the family, and generally just want to feel loved.
With patience, understanding, and a few adaptations, learning at home with your toddler can become an enjoyable experience filled with lasting good memories for the whole family.
Melissa Barreto is a home educating mother of five children and the Co-Founder of Wildflower Homeschool Collective, a homeschooling organization based in Northern New Jersey.
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