Looking for ideas to keep your younger child busy while the older ones are remote schooling?
This post is in partnership with Priddy Books and Moms Meet. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.
This post is born out of my own necessity – my oldest, Edison, starts Kindergarten remotely on the same day my youngest, Bennett, turns two years old.
Meanwhile, I’m also continuing to squeeze in blogging, YouTube, and professional organizing during naptime. And I know I have it SO easy compared to so many of you who are working FULL-TIME and helping your children remote-school, and then keeping the littlest ones busy too!
Together, we’ll get through remote schooling without pulling out all our hair:
1. Create a routine together.
Some of this may be dictated by your older children’s remote schooling class schedule. In our case, I’m anticipating Edison needing to be on Zoom for an hour each day live with his class, so I’m building our routine around that hour, making sure we’re up, did chores, breakfast, and are ready for the day in time and he’s ready to work. Then I’ll utilize some of the other tips I’ll go into detail on below to occupy Bennett quietly for that hour.
Work backwards from whatever hard deadlines you have, and add in buffer time in case some mornings getting dressed or getting up takes a little longer. That way, you’ll hopefully avoid the last minute stress of trying to get your kindergartener online while your toddler is wreaking havoc in the background!
We incorporate snacks, lunch, “recess” and naps into our routine too, but it’s definitely not as structured as an actual classroom. We have a routine, not a schedule – meaning, we do things in the same order each day, but not necessarily at the same time.
Knowing what comes next gives everyone a sense of stability and progress as the day moves along.
2. Set up a morning basket
Here’s a homeschool idea that kept popping up on my Instagram feed. It’s just what it sounds like – you put together a basket with books and activities inside that you can do with your toddler each morning. The activities and books can be themed, focus on an important skill, or dive into your child’s interests. Really, the options are endless. Here are some options for inspiration:
- Rhythms: 5 Tips to Create a Simple Morning Basket (shown above). I love the structure of having three important topics that are always covered, but adding in poetry, music, and themes if wanted.
- Morning Baskets for Toddlers – I’m definitely creating a version of this for Bennett.
- Morning Time With A One Year Old – a great jumping off place to create your own spin on these Waldorf/Montessori activities.
I could write a whole post on our morning basket, but the main component in our morning basket are books! Which leads me to #3…
3. Read books together
A few months ago during Bennett’s Zoom-call 18-month appointment, I talked to our pediatrician about my concern with Bennett’s lack of vocabulary. “Read lots of books together!” she suggested, before referring us to get a speech assessment. Easier said than done, I thought. Bennett never stopped moving long enough to look at books!
COVID postponed plans for a speech assessment, so in the meantime, we followed our pediatrician’s advice to try reading more books. Slowly but surely, his wordcount has improved, he’s mimicking constantly, and also, he’s discovered a new love for books!
I realized he gravitated toward a certain specific type of book: books with real people, animals, and objects on flat white or colored backgrounds, and touch and feel books. We didn’t have many like this, so I’d check them out from our library … back when it was open. So, imagine how excited I was when Moms Meet sent me these Priddy Books for free to use and post my honest opinions!
Not only does each book have the bright photos and simple backgrounds Bennett likes, but they also have TEXTURES! Even the book about color has texture on every page. They’re simply beautiful, as well as STURDY!
We received the First 100 Numbers; See, Touch, Feel (above); Alphaprints: Colors; Bright Baby: Touch and Feel Baby Animals; On the Farm; At the Zoo; and Perfect Pets; My First Play and Learn Farm; and a milestone blanket, all of which (and many, many more) are available on Amazon.
See, Touch, Feel might be his favorite; the pages have raised textures to explore, finger trails, and a shiny mirror.
But the animal books with different fur, skin, and scales textures are a big hit too. Because the text rhymes and includes animal facts, both boys enjoy listening to them.
Although First 100 Numbers is a bit long for his attention span right now, he loves flipping to the pages with tractors, trains, trucks, and boats! He points to each picture and imitates my counting.
Bennett’s favorite thing is going to the family farm owned by Brian’s relatives and seeing the tractor. Unfortunately the only book he hasn’t been able to enjoy much yet is My First Play and Learn Farm. This book has reusable stickers for matching, sorting, and making patterns, but sadly, all Bennett wants to do with them is chew on them! Thankfully Edison loves playing with this book and the activities are just the right level for him right now.
All of the books are incredibly sturdy, and we’ve put them to the test. In the past, we’ve had many board book casualties. Bennett has had these books in his room for a couple of weeks now, and not one is torn!
A few nights ago, I woke up to the sound of Bennett crying around midnight. I opened the door to his room, planning to rock him back to sleep, and found him curled up right inside the door. He was holding the First 100 Numbers book. He held it while I rocked him and tucked him back into bed! Suffice it to say, he’s a big fan.
I’m stocking my morning basket with these, and I’m looking forward to our time reading together!
4. Create zones.
Edison needs a quiet zone for his remote schooling where Bennett won’t disturb him. We set him up in the office with his own “desk” and chair. This is our “work zone,” which works well since I also do most of my work here too.
We use baby gates to block the doors. Since the office is right next to what I’m calling the “play room,” I can supervise both. The “play room” was our rarely-used living room, and I’ve rearranged the furniture to create different play “zones” for Bennett. Some of the zones you could make include:
- Duplos or other building toys
- Age-appropriate puzzles (only a couple)
- Stuffed animals
- Playdough (only a few tubs of dough and tools on a tray)
- A selection of picture books in a basket
- A sensory bin
- A craft project (if I can supervise him)
- An active zone (a mat and wooden rocking boat, or plain-old couch cushions seem to work fine too!)
Pick three or four zones that your child is interested in and will enjoy. Don’t feel like you need to create all of them at the same time!
5. Easy toddler activities (but only a couple at a time!)
Chances are you’ve already done what I would do; go on Pinterest and read posts about “50 Things to Do With Toddlers,” or “100 Craft Projects for Two-Year-Olds.”
So here’s my advice – pick ONE. Maybe two. Try that activity every day until your child really gets it, or until you determine it’s just not for them. Then move on to the next one.
Don’t feel like you have to go out and buy all the things and set up all the things. This season is already overwhelming! And if your little one doesn’t like an activity or isn’t ready for it yet, it’s okay. You can try it again in a few weeks, and move on to something else.
My friend Allison has amazing suggestions for littles!
6. Let them help you around the house
Normally I would try to occupy Bennett with playing while I sneak off to do the dishes or laundry. But I’ve realized that one, Bennett LOVES helping, and two, it’s a great learning opportunity for him!
Now, I’ll wait until Bennett can help me unload the dishwasher, push the laundry basket for me, swiffer the kitchen floor, or wipe down the front of the dishwasher. Even if Bennett just gets into the linen closet while I start laundry, it’s still a good experience for him to observe how I do laundry.
Yes, it does take longer! But it’s more fun, and it’s also buying Edison uninterrupted remote schooling time.
7. Bake or meal prep together
Along with helping with laundry and cleaning, I’m also involving Bennett in some baking and meal prep. I’ll do all the measuring and let him dump the ingredients in the bowl, and watch the mixer.
We have a tall step stool, but this kitchen helper stand would also make it a lot easier. These kitchen knives for kids are also on my list – they’re plastic and very safe.
8. Playdough
Making your own is a lot easier than I thought (and another thing you might be able to make with help from your toddler) but store-bought playdough is my go-to for keeping Bennett busy. Switch out a cookie-cutter, spoon, plastic knife, toy animals, dinos, or even small cars to keep it interesting!
9. Ask for help
You’re not in this alone. You’re not in this alone. I know it feels like most days, but you’re not alone.
If you have family members that you’re not quarantined from, ask grandma or an aunt to babysit once or twice a week so you can focus on helping your older children. Or form an isolation pod with another parent and take turns helping the remote schooling kids or babysitting the toddlers and babies.
This will take some thinking outside the box. Consider who you know and your circle of reach. Help may come from someone, or in some form, you wouldn’t expect.
10. Give yourself grace
Somedays, everything is going to hit the fan.
You’ll miss the alarm, the wifi will cut out, your kindergartener won’t get dressed, your two-year old dumps milk on the keyboard… or you will just wake up with the crushing weight of anxiety about the state of the world on your shoulders.
You will get through this.
We will get through this. You have gone through tough seasons in life before and you made it through.
This season will end. I’m comforted by the reminder that humans have survived world wars, plagues, and natural disasters of all kinds with creativity, compassion, and courage.
If you, or your kids, need to take a mental health day, do it. Let your teacher know how much you appreciate them, but be honest too. Remote schooling is hard for everyone. Give yourself grace, and extend it equally to others, too.
If you have ideas or a strategy for occupying your little ones while the bigger ones are remote schooling, I’m all ears! Leave a comment below or message me on Instagram!
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