Homeschoolers Finish Strong! Ten Easy Activities to Keep Preschoolers Busy!

Many of us want to finish strong and complete a few things before we call it quits for the school year. Homeschooling with toddlers and preschoolers can definitely add challenges towards that goal. One thing that helped me through those years with my toddler was to do the more important subjects during nap time. Also I noticed if I spent one on one time with my little one first before I started with my school age child, it satisfied their need for mom-time right off the bat.  For families with multiple children, scheduling each school-age child with easy activities to keep preschoolers busy helped create a peaceful home and nourished the young child’s need to be involved with the family.

 Toddlers are some of the busiest people in the world! With some creativity, you can keep those little hands busy while developing their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination to boot!

Time spent on getting these activities together will reap big rewards! Preschoolers can glean loads of educational skills with their “school” assignments and grow in independent learning.

1. Toddler Tube-drop pom-poms through a cardboard tube that spills into a bowl over and over-http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikespohr/activities-that-will-keep-your-kids-busy-all-sum?sub=3235568_2927444#.jfzqBjZjgg

2.  Pipe cleaners and a colander will also keep toddlers occupied and develop fine motor skills. https://www.pinterest.com/janmay2012/preschool-fun/

3. Use masking tape and lay out your ‘track’ roadway on the couch and furniture for match box cars.  Make it fun by going down onto the floor and up the side of the couch. http://frugalistamamas.com/2013/07/how-to-keep-little-boys-busy-for-more-than-5-minutes.html

4. Use a tub of hot wheel cars (or other toys) and colored construction paper and instruct your little ones to park the cars on the matching color. http://www.littlefamilyfun.com/2011/09/car-color-matching.html

5. Build a dinosaur with cut out shapes of rectangles, triangles and circles! http://www.littlefamilyfun.com/2013/09/build-dinosaur.htmlhttp://www.littlefamilyfun.com/2012/03/crafts-activities-for-boys.html

6. Preschool Shape Hunt - Learning activity for three year olds with very little set up required- http://frugalfun4boys.com/2015/10/01/preschool-shape-scavenger-hunt/

7. Set up a Pouring Station Activity for toddlers with different size containers into a large plastic tub-this is good for tons of fun! http://busytoddler.com/2015/09/pouring-station/

8. Scoop and transfer different kinds of dried beans from bowls into dry ice cube tray. Great for developing small motor skills! http://busytoddler.com/2015/09/scoop-and-transfer/

9. Thread dry pasta on straws stuck in play dough. http://laughingkidslearn.com/pasta-threading-activity-for-toddlers/

10. Contact Paper Collage-Have the child rip strips of construction paper and put them into a small box. Then tape a piece of contact paper onto the table, sticky side up. Show the child how to put the torn up bits onto the contact paper. http://creativewithkids.com/5-quiet-toddler-activities-ideas-for-independent-play/