Including Toddlers and Preschoolers in Your Schola Rosa Homeschool Day

IMG_0932Childhood is a magical time. A time of discovery, a time of wonder, a time to touch, taste and explore everything, and a time to get into everything, making hug messes!  What happens when your house is full of children — some older and some younger? In some households, the homeschool day becomes a cluttered mess of everyone needing the mother’s attention and no one ever really getting the time they need. The challenge of the homeschool mother, then, is balance.

How does one balance the needs of everyone while keeping little ones happy and busy with direction and purpose?

Recommendation ~ Give your little ones a sense of belonging and structured direction.

Help little ones feel included in the schooling by setting up a few learning activities that are just for them. These different learning activities allow your child to learn and discover without one-on-one adult help.


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How-To Instructions

Once you have your activities picked out and set up, it is important to introduce the activity before giving your child access to it. When introducing an activity to your little one, make sure to take the time to show him or her how to use the item(s) properly. This can be done with or without words. Remind your child that the item(s) be cared for and put away before moving on to something else. This teaches your child to respect the activity and learning environment.


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Minimum Clean-Up Activities:
Practice cutting tub
Farm animals with paper and crayons to create a farm
Pinecones, leaves, rocks, and magnifying glass
Colorful buttons and an egg carton for sorting
Magnetic letters matching (upper and lower case letters)
Stacking rings
Russian doll set
Tracing paper, drawing pencils, and pictures of artwork
Practice sewing or lacing with a needle and thread or lacing cards.       
Microscope with slides
Journal and pencils
Blocks and a picture of a building or castle to recreate
Cylinder Blocks
 Legos
 Drop pompoms into a milk jug
Ice cube tray, tweezers, and tiny objects                               
 Treasure Hunt with Bag

Picture6More Clean-Up Activities:
  Pattern bocks
Books and a small pillow
Stamps, ink, and long strips of paper to make patterns
Popsicle sticks and glue stick
Salt or sand and small cookie sheet for sand writing
Dried Beans, measuring cups, funnels, and bottles
IMG_1903-2Play dough and cookie cutters
Small amount of water, bowl, and objects that float
Tongs or tweezers and small objects Watercolor set and paper
Dirt, sand, trucks, shovels, digging tools
Sponges, colored water, and paper
Pouring Rice, Beans, then Water
Picture3Cutting Paper (Free Style)
Wash Vegetables for Supper
Stir Dough/Batter for Lunch/Supper
Prepare Simple Snack
Prepare Simple Sandwich Lunch
Get out supplies for lunch

One Comment:

  1. Pingback: Preschool Activities when there is No Playground (or for Rainy Days) - Schola Rosa: Co-op & Home Curriculum

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