When I was first considering homeschooling, it overwhelmed me to think of teaching multiple children. How do you orchestrate the day so that everyone gets enough attention?
And what if you find yourself blurry eyed from lack of sleep because of a sweet newborn? Or in the races as you daily chase a never-stay-put toddler?
Is it possible to successfully homeschool with little ones underfoot?
If you’ve ever wondered the same, here are a four ideas to keep your smile and your sanity while juggling littles and learning.
1. Practice strategic timing.
Having babies on hand requires doses of both strategy and flexibility to ensure a successful school day.
You may want to plan your most important school subjects for when your little one is napping, so you can focus on your older children. Likewise, you’ll be setting yourself up for failure if you schedule an intense science experiment right as your two-year-old is getting cranky for dinner.
So look at what you need to accomplish in a given day and plan around the needs of your littlest students.
2. Trade off with older children.
Photo by www.nicolesfromtheheart.com
If you have slightly older children in your home, they can be assigned a daily 30 minute block of time to care for or play with your littlest. Older children can practice their reading skills with a picture book as a young child listens. This playtime can take place in an adjoining room, allowing you to supervise if necessary.
This pairing off creates family bonds, allows siblings to develop deep relationships, lets your older child learn responsibility, and provides the practical break you may need to help another child with his spelling.
3. Plan activities.
Rotate a list of activities for your baby or toddler–something he or she can do to feel part of the action during school time.
When my boys were babies they had “Playpen Time” everyday. For 20-30 minutes, they entertained themselves with a few toys in their playpens. This enabled me to accomplish a short task–while knowing they were in a safe place. A homeschooling mother could use this time to work one-on-one with an older child.
Babies may enjoy time in a high chair or exersaucer (or in a snuggly attached to you!). Older toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy a variety of play tasks. I suggest a different box or bag for each day of the week. Bring it out only when you need to work with another child.
Make sure you pick activities that your little one can do without direct assistance (Some ideas: playdough, pouring/sorting beans, crayons and paper, lacing beads, blocks, and so on.)
4. Remember that flexibility is the key.
Photo by Ashlee
The only thing you can predict when you have little ones is that things will be unpredictable.
That’s why you must remember that family relationships are just as important as the other three “R’s.” Through spending extended time together each day, our children develop a closeness and security that will provide a stable foundation to their relationships as adults.
The baby is the lesson. So don’t wish your little one away. They’ll be gone soon enough.
Instead kiss those little toes, chase and tickle that chubby toddler, and be thankful for the richness they add to your homeschool.
How do you orchestrate school in your home with a baby or toddler on the scene?
I’m currently homeschooling my six year old in first grade and taking care of my four year old and one year. Things get crazy at times. But I try not to rush us too much in the morning. I’ll assign my four year old to take care of the baby, like watching a baby einstein together or playing upstairs together. My baby still takes very long naps so I try to do math and reading during that time. Now that the weather is nicer we may head outside for school. The baby seems much more content when she’s outside on a blanket. She hates grass so she actually stays put on the blanket. LOL
Awesome article! Flexibility is the key! I used to feel guilty because I did not do school like my parents did when they homeschooled me. We were very formal and traditional doing our pledges at 9:00 sharp. We finished around noon. It was very structured, etc. But my brother and I are 18 mo. apart so that schedule was actually possible for her. Not so much for me though.
Wow, I never thought of this before and I know it is not easy. Thanks for sharing.
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Great post. My wife currently homeschools our seven- and eight-year old daughters while also looking after our six-month old son. I often wonder how she does it. It turns out she uses a lot of the methods you describe and this helps her to keep her sanity. You have packed a lot of wisdom into this article. Thanks for that!
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We limit computer time for our kids each day and I’m not a huge fan of setting little ones in front of the computer/TV too much, however….. I have started allowing my 3 1/2 year old small amounts of time on starfall.com while I work with my older 2. It teaches her about letters/sounds/reading and she feels like one of the big kids with her own computer time.
Great website for pre-schoolers through early readers!
I only have a 3 and a half year at the moment and I could not imagine what it would be like to have two kids to look after, let alone homeschool. Thank you for this, this has been helpful for me to work out how I will juggle things when we have another baby and my son is older.
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Well said Jamie. It has been fun homeschooling my kids and the juggle is always what to do with the darling ones under foot. I so very much agree that you should just take time to enjoy the fact that they are there instead of wish they weren’t interupting your school time with the older children. Thanks for the good advice. It’s always nice to see others successes and try them out:)
Thanks for the awesome tips. A link to your article is going out in my next newsletter.
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I know this post is a couple of years old, I have 18 month old twins that I’m planning on homeschooling if even until they’re 4 (I’d like to do longer but I don’t know if it will be feasible).
Where do I start? Yes, we read books and go over colors and I count when I’m buckling them in their car seats. We go out side a lot, if I turn on the TV (doesn’t usually happen, especially during the day) they look at it for 30 seconds and run off to play (I am proud of that). They play with magnetic letters, sort beans (not a lot). I feel like there is something else that I could be doing. Writing it out makes it seem like a lot but during the day I think “what now?”.
We maintain four children, two in diapers. At times my preferably half just conveys two or three diapers, a not many wipes, a one of void baggies and a pacifier exactly in her tote. We keep some additional garments in the rear of the minivan. The whole else is sauce.
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