Toddlers and preschoolers of homeschooling families see their school-aged siblings as being privileged. They watch as mom or dad spends a great deal of one-on-one time homeschooling each of them. Consequently, homeschool to little ones seems the prestigious and grownup thing to do so they want to be a part of it.
Any homeschooling parent with a toddler or preschooler has experienced one or more of them acting up periodically during school time. That’s how they divert mom’s or dad’s attention from their older siblings to themselves, even if it means being disruptive and naughty. What you then have is an out of control preschooler and a chaotic homeschool where no one learns anything except how to be exasperated. Yet, that can be remedied with just a few specific changes made by the teacher.
Most toddlers and preschoolers aren’t reading at their age so the things they’re able to participate in concerning school activities are limited. For that reason, parents need to integrate things into their homeschool that will be appropriate for them. As a homeschooling teacher you have the responsibility of teaching your children, but as a parent, you also have household chores that need to be done, and many of them can incorporate the help of your little ones. Call these things “help school” and let your toddlers and preschoolers do just that; help you.
Of course, older children have their own required subjects to complete which are often far above the preschooler’s level. However, you can save the homeschool book teaching for the little one’s naptime and let the older ones work on art projects, read for a book report, or practice their penmanship part of the time.
For example; when you’re teaching homeschool while folding laundry, show your toddlers and preschoolers how to fold dishcloths, washcloths, and towels, then have them match socks and lay them on the owner’s bed. Hold up individual clothing pieces and have your child identify each of them by saying “mom’s shirt” or “dad’s pants”, etc.
Give them a whisk broom and let them sweep the entryway or inside the dog carrier. Make a cloth bag with handles, put their name on it and have them use it to pick up their toys and put them away. Buy plastic dishes or paper plates from a dollar store so they can set the table for lunch and clear it afterward. They can water floor plants, help open mail, feed and water the dog and then take him for a walk INSIDE the house.
Let them stack and nest plastic kitchen containers, blocks of wood, or anything else that’s safe for them. They can also be included by having them sit next to you while you read a story to the entire class. Or, have them quietly playing close by with a cup of dry cheerios or raisin snacks.
Use your ingenuity and adapt any of these ideas to your own “help school”. They’ll love you for it.