While the Mommy's Away, the Toddlers Will Play

So, the mice toddlers are playing nicely as you begin your school day; however, 2 minutes into teaching square roots, and they have disappeared. An eerie calm overtakes the house. You hear squeaky laughter intermittently escaping from somewhere down the hallway. You follow said laughter only to find all family members 3 feet and under sitting in the bathtub playing happily, covered in bubble bath.

Sound familiar?

So, what's a mom to do?

Well, here's my Top Ten List of

What-the-Toddler-Does-While-Mom-Homeschools
(plus a giveaway on another blog!)

1. Sleep
This one works great when you have elementary aged children and younger. School does not take as long in those early years, so it can easily be fit into the toddler's nap schedule. For years we homeschooled at 1pm every day because that was when the toddler napped.

2. Play Pen
My toddler LOVES to keep his younger brother company in the play pen. No, it's not a cage, but hey, even if it was...what toddler doesn't love a cage?!

3. Pretend School
My toddler has his own crate and box of supplies just like the big kids. He spends a goodly amount of time sitting right beside us "working" away.

4. "Quiet" Games
These can be everything from clothespin games to file folder games to bears and a balancing bucket. (see giveaway at the bottom of this post!)

5. Lauri Puzzles
and other toddler activities suggested by My Father's World curriculum.

6. Cardboard boxes
Need I say more?

7. A box of toys just for school time
It could be soldiers, it could be horses, it could dress up clothes...but whatever it is, it is ONLY for school time!

8. Board Books
Not just for reading. My children create the most amazing "book houses" with their board books. You might have to show them how to do it once or twice, but after that their plastic McDonald's toys will be living in the lap of luxury.

9. Playdough & Paint
Yep, I just saw a couple of you cringe. Get washable paint and use the recipe for playdough I posted and I promise you, it isn't that bad. It could be worse...it could be glitter! (anyone else DESPISE that stuff???)

10. Let 'em run and clean up later
Some days are just like that.

So, you wanna win your very own file folder game?
Visit Peace Creek on the Prairie and sign up!

and don't forget the SpellQuizzer giveaway ending this coming Monday, November 9th!

For more ideas on keeping toddlers busy:
Raising Olives
Smockity Frocks
Too Many Kids in the Bathtub
and
Miscellaneous Musings of a 5x Mom
(whom I am indebted to for compiling all these great links!)
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