5 Tips to Entertain Your Toddler While Teaching Your Older Kids

Okay, it’s time to do some coursework with my 6-year-old daughter, BUT my toddler is a stage-five clinger. My only solution? Lock him in another room so I can focus on one kid at a time. Sound familiar?

It took almost my entire first year of homeschooling to figure out how to keep my toddler entertained without feeling guilty or constantly getting interrupted. Here’s what I learned!

3 Things I Try to Remember

1. He wants to be just like his older sister.
2. He wants my attention, too.
3. He wants to feel included.

5 Tips to Help With This

1. Find little ways to include them. Toddlers love to feel helpful! If big sister needs a green colored pencil, let little brother be in charge of finding it.
2. Give them something to “work on.” If there’s anything on your older child’s page they can do, let them! Or make a quick toddler version on a separate piece of paper. (It doesn’t have to be fancy—toddlers don’t care!) Bonus tip: Use a sheet protector and a dry-erase marker so they can color over a real worksheet without ruining it.
3. Let them sit with you—but set rules. Sometimes, they just want to be close! Let them sit on your lap as long as they aren’t disrupting their sibling. If they do, they have to get down.
4. Use your natural breaks to give them attention. When your older child is working independently, take a few minutes to engage with your toddler.
5. Keep a special "school time" toy box. These are toys they only get to play with during lessons—making school time exciting for them, too!
   
   

5 Activities to Keep Them Busy

Since toddlers have zero attention span, having a variety of activities helps!

1. Simple puzzles – Two or three-piece puzzles that are easy to put together and educational.
2. Sensory bins – Hide objects related to your lesson or things your toddler loves. Bonus: Hide puzzle pieces inside for extra fun!
3. Activity pages – Keep age-appropriate worksheets on hand, along with markers, colored pencils, and stickers.
4. Dress-up box – We keep a variety of hats at the table for impromptu costume changes!
5. Playdough (with a twist!) – Add unexpected items like dried spaghetti noodles, beads, or toothpicks to keep things interesting.
   

One Last Tip: Keep a snack bowl nearby. Because let’s be honest, someone is always hungry.