How to Homeschool with a Toddler (Without Losing Your Mind)
Toddlers are full of energy, inquisitive, and let’s face it — downright exhausting at times. Despite being cute as can be, they talk over you, make lots of noise, and often destroy things in their wake.
So how in the world can you homeschool when you have a toddler?
I’m a first year-homeschooling mom of a 3rd grader with a boisterous 3 year old along for the ride. My toddler was 2.5 when we started, and to be honest, this journey has been really hard at times.
On my worst days, my “How to Homeschool with a Toddler” list has looked a little something like this:
Gather kids together.🙂
Open classic work of fiction to read aloud.🤓
Get really frustrated when toddler won’t stop jumping on the couch, body slamming me, and grabbing the book from my hands.🥴
Start to lose patience when ten minutes after breakfast, both kids announce they are starving.😬
Yell at everyone.😤
Turn on Story Bots.📺
Cry myself to sleep.😭
I’m mostly kidding (sort of).
By some miracle, quite a bit of learning has actually occurred in our homeschool this year. This happened in spite of all the jealousy, frustration, and displays of BIG emotions from both of my boys at various times.
We’ve persevered through the hard moments, and the good moments have been wonderful.
I’ve learned however, there is no magic solution to make your homeschool run smoothly 100% of the time--with or without toddlers.
But it is possible to homeschool your children when you have a toddler in the house.
Here are my top tips for homeschooling with toddlers without losing your marbles.
Establish a routine
The beauty of homeschooling is that you can tailor your schedule to fit your family’s needs. You don’t have to follow a rigid schedule. Simply create a predictable flow of activities and transitions each day.
This will strengthen your toddler’s sense of security and confidence and help them accept that “school” or “learning” time is a normal part of the day. The goal is to develop a realistic rhythm the whole family can get used to.
Fill your toddler’s emotional cup
All of us function much better when our needs are met, toddlers included. It’s so much easier for my toddler to accept that I have to work with his brother when his emotional cup is full.
As a parent, you know your child’s love language best. For my son and I, quality time together helps him feel loved and valued. Sometimes we read a book, build with blocks, or just sit and color.
This one-one-one time reminds my toddler that he’s important to me, and helps to mitigate feelings of jealousy that are bound to come up when he isn’t the center of my attention.
Make use of meal times
If you have an especially vocal toddler, read-aloud time can quickly turn into a nightmare. Take advantage of the times your children are seated at the table and chewing because that, my friend, is when you have a captive audience.
I now reserve all our read-alouds for meal and/or snack time. The beauty of this trick is that your little one is less able to form words when they have a mouthful of food.😏
I find that even my eight year old listens better at breakfast or lunch time.
Work when your toddler naps
If your little one still takes a nap in the morning and/or afternoon (lucky you!), use this time for one-on-one instruction with your older children. When your toddler is awake, ask your older children to do whatever school work they can independently.
Art & activities are your friends
Sensory bins, playdough, and Do-A-Dot markers are all lifesavers when you need to keep your toddler busy. Just be sure to keep an eye on them so you don’t end up with marker all over your wall.
If you know you’ll be distracted, here are some links for mess-free art activities:
Reserve screen time for when you need to instruct your older children
If you’re comfortable with screen time, save it for those moments when you need your toddler to be occupied. My 3 year old recently started using the ABC Mouse and Reading Eggs apps on my phone and I only allow him to do so when I need to work with his big brother. Reserving it for these times only makes the activity seem extra special.
Audio books
My children have learned so much this year through listening to audio books during car rides. There is something magical about a recorded book.
My toddler happily listens, even when the contents are a bit beyond his understanding. We’ve listened to The Wild Robot, The Chronicles of Narnia, Little House in the Big Woods, and many more.
My favorite audiobook app is Scribd. The membership only costs $8.99 a month and unlike Audible, there are no limits on how many books you can listen to each month. The membership even includes unlimited ebooks, so you have the option to listen or read.
Include Them
Most toddlers want to be just like their big siblings. Capitalize on this natural tendency by including your little one in your lessons whenever possible.
Working on math problems with your elementary aged student? Great! Print off some free number coloring pages for your toddler and let them “do math” with you!
Doing an art project? Give your toddler some construction paper and child-safe scissors and let them go to town.
Including your toddler in your school time is a win-win. Their minds are so absorbent at this age and they will learn along with your older children, I promise.
Encourage independent play
Playing independently is an important skill for toddlers to learn, and as a bonus it can give you time to work with your older children. Some toddlers (mine included) are clingy and prefer to play with others, but it’s good for them to practice playing solo.
I was recently introduced to the idea of creating a “yes” space. A “yes” space can be any area of your home or yard where your toddler can play safely and independently. The idea is that hazards are minimized and your child can roam the space and freely use their imagination.
If your child reeeally hates playing alone, sweeten the deal by keeping a small stash of “special toys” that only come out during school time. Your toddler will look forward to playing with those items when it’s time for mom or dad to work with their big siblings.
Breathe
This is my top tip for homeschooling--period. But it’s especially helpful if you’re trying to do it with little ones in tow. When your toddler dumps the entire contents of your art supply container on the floor—breathe. When they scribble all over their older brother’s math page, just breathe.
It’s all going to be ok. Remember that this stage will not last forever.
Above all—give yourself grace. You got this, mama.
I’m rooting for you.💜