How to Keep a Toddler Busy While Homeschooling Older Kids
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Need ideas for keeping your toddler or preschooler happily occupied while you teach older siblings? These low-prep activities encourage independent play while building fine motor skills, creativity, and early learning.
One of the biggest challenges of homeschooling isn’t always teaching the older kids—it’s keeping the little ones happily busy at the same time!
I remember trying to explain multiplication while my toddler wanted to climb into my lap or dump every toy onto the floor. If you’re homeschooling children of different ages, you’re definitely not alone.
The good news is that toddlers don’t need elaborate activities. A small collection of simple, engaging ideas can keep them occupied long enough for you to work through a lesson with your older children.
Here are some of our favorite toddler activities for homeschool mornings.
Create a Rotation of Busy Bins
Instead of leaving every toy available all day, create several small bins or bags filled with special activities that only come out during homeschool time.
Ideas include:
- Wooden blocks
- Magnetic tiles
- Animal figurines
- Cars and ramps
- Duplo or LEGO bricks
- Wooden trains
- Plastic stacking cups
- Pom poms with tongs
- Felt pieces
- Pipe cleaners and a colander
Rotating these every few days helps keep them feeling new and exciting.
Sensory Play
Sensory activities are one of the best ways to encourage independent play.
Try filling a bin with:
- Dyed rice
- Dried beans
- Water beads (with supervision)
- Kinetic sand
- Oats
- Corn kernels
- Shredded paper
- Tapioca Pearl sensory play
- Cloud Dough
Add scoops, measuring cups, funnels, toy animals, or small construction vehicles for even more fun.
Play Dough Invitations
Play dough never gets old. Make some easy homemade play dough.
Offer rolling pins, cookie cutters, toy animals, plastic utensils, craft sticks, or natural materials like leaves and rocks.
Simple Art Activities
Keep a small art basket ready to grab.
Ideas include:
- Dot markers
- Watercolor paints
- Crayons
- Stickers
- Sponge painting
- Finger painting
- Water painting books
- Washable markers
- Try this Mess-Free Finger Painting activity
A dedicated “art time” can easily buy you 20–30 peaceful minutes.
Fine Motor Activities
Little hands love practicing fine motor skills.
Try:
- Lacing beads
- Lacing cards
- Pom poms and tweezers
- Hole punch art
- Rubber stamps
- Pipe cleaners in a colander
- Cutting strips of paper with child-safe scissors
- Sticker scenes
Educational Toys
These toys naturally encourage independent learning.
Some favorites include:
- Wooden puzzles
- Shape sorters
- Pattern blocks
- Magnetic tiles
- Peg boards
- Building blocks
- Gears
- Marble runs (with larger pieces)
Quiet Learning Activities
Offer simple activities they can complete independently.
Ideas:
- File folder games
- Matching games
- Color sorting
- Letter matching
- Shape tracing
- Pattern block mats
- Simple counting activities
Active Play Breaks
Sometimes everyone—including Mom—needs a movement break.
Try:
- Riding scooters
- Obstacle courses
- Mini Trampoline
- Dance party
- Ribbon wands
- Bean bag toss
- Pop-up tunnels
- Balloon volleyball
Then everyone comes back ready to focus.
Save Screen Time for Your Hardest Lesson
There’s no shame in strategically using educational screen time.
Choose quality programs like:
- PBS Kids
- LeapFrog videos
- Numberblocks
- Alphablocks
- Story podcasts
- Audiobooks
Sometimes 20 minutes of focused teaching is worth it. See my full post on 35 Best Educational Shows for Kids (Parent-Approved Picks)
My Best Tip: Rotate, Don’t Replace
You don’t need dozens of expensive activities.
Choose 10–15 favorites and rotate them each week. When toys disappear for a while, they become exciting all over again.
I also found it helpful to save a few “special homeschool toys” that only came out during math or reading lessons. Those toys quickly became something my toddlers looked forward to each morning.
Check out these Educational Ideas for Toddlers, too.
More Resources You’ll Love
- Busy Bags
- Rainbow Rice
- Pattern Block Mats
- Play Dough Mats
- Sensory Play Ideas
- Homeschool Preschool Ideas
- Letter of the Week: Preschool Letter A Activities
Great list! Sometimes I think it takes more effort to keep the younger ones busy than it does to teach the older ones:)
Lots of fun idea =)
Thanks for linking up at TGIF! Have a great week,
Beth =)