7 Fun Activities to Keep Your Toddler Busy

Homeschooling with an active toddler is a touch challenging at times. You sit down to teach an older child how to carry in addition, and your toddler decides to dump every trashcan in the house. Here are 7 activities to keep your toddler busy while homeschooling.

7 Fun Activities to Keep Your Toddler Busy

1. Snack Foods

Sit your toddler down in their high chair with plenty of snack food to eat, such as bananas, cheerios, and raisins which are enjoyed by toddlers everywhere. Snacking on the finger food will entertain your toddler for several minutes, long enough to possibly complete a math lesson with your older child.

2. Edible Finger Paint

Every toddler eats anything you put in front of them so I’m always hesitant to allow my toddlers to play with regular finger paint. However you can use edible finger paint for your little one to paint their high chair tray or the table. Simply add a touch of food coloring to vanilla pudding, rice cereal, or yogurt. Your toddler will have a blast smearing and painting their high chair tray. You’ll have the time you need to teach.

3. Special Toys

Keep a bin of special toys near your homeschool area. Pull these special toys out only when you’re homeschooling your older children. These toys can be electronic, puzzles, large beads, or board books. Your little one will adore having special school activities just like the older children, and you’ll have the quiet you need to focus on homeschooling.

4. Crayons

Find the large crayons for your toddler to color with while you’re working with your older children on handwriting. You may wish to tape the paper to the table so it doesn’t slide all over the place and frustrate your little one. The coloring will develop the fine motor skills your child will need to write in the future. Your toddler will also be delighted to join the big kids in their work.

5. Sensory Bins

Sensory bins are buckets of filler and objects for children to play with. These bins may be filled with birdseed, rice, water, pom-poms, or craft sand. Add some toys, measuring cups, and spoons then let your child explore and play. Just keep an eye on what your child is putting in their mouth or use an edible filler which your child can eat or drink. You can even create theme based sensory bins on topics such as penguins. These bins are so exciting even your older kids will want to join in the fun.

6. Pots, Pans, Spoons

If you don’t mind a bit of noise, let your toddler play with the pots, pans, and spoons. They’ll adore banging the pots like drums or stirring up a dinner for the family. The pots and pans will survive your toddler’s pretend play, and you’ll have a few minutes to focus on other children.

7. Collection of Large Boxes

Everyone knows how much toddlers adore boxes, so pick up boxes in a variety of sizes. Big refrigerator boxes can turn into play houses while smaller boxes can be filled with toys. Keep a variety of boxes in the house for your child to open, close, climb inside, and play with while you homeschool your big kids.

The trick to homeschooling with toddlers is to keep them busy in a location near you. Choose one of these activities, set your child up, and have some time to focus on the older children while your toddler plays happily.

How do you keep your toddler busy?