Keeping the Young Ones Busy

It is a challenge to keep the younger children busy and occupied during Gavin's school time. The best solution I've come up with is not to simply "keep them busy" but to involve them, too!

Maddie is four and mature enough to sit and do work at the table with us. This year she will be beginning the Get Ready For the Code series. This is a series of 3 fun workbooks that teaches letter sounds. (The best part is, once the work is done, there are lots of little line drawings to color in!) She will also continue working through a fun little workbook we got last year from Rod and Staff called Counting With Numbers. Her "school bag" is also filled with sewing cards, a small coloring book, pencils, etc. When it is time to move away from table time into reading time (history) , Maddie comes along with us. Her comprehension level is well beyond that of a four-year-old so she keeps up and learns just as much Gavin.

Owen (almost 2) is a bit more of a challenge. Last year, he chose school time as cry time! Some days he would sit on my lap and cry through an entire school day. This year, he is older and has benefited from another year of being trained to listen and sit still. I've given him his own "school bag" this year. I put in a pack of jumbo crayons in a zipper pouch so he can clean up on his own. I also included a sketch pad and a set of alphabet cards for him to occupy himself.

Very informally, I am starting Before Five in a Row with the two little ones this year. All you do is read a picture book 5 days in a row and talk about it or do a short activity! So simple! I don't know if we'll do this every week. I'm also not sure whether we will do this during Gavin's table time or some other time of the day.

Even though it sounds like we do a lot, we really only spend about 2 hours a day in formal school time. Of course, we also do lots learning activities like reading, taking walks, playing, and watching nature throughout the day. It is easy to learn without even knowing it!