Toddler in toe

I took an online class this morning about keeping your toddler entertained while homeschooling the other children and boy did I need that! Lately I have felt like I have been neglecting Ella and not giving her her share of me. There were so many fabulous ideas on how to keep them happily occupied, and that sparked some of my own ideas of things that Ella would love to do. She was still sleeping when I took the class and I was so excited to try some things, I could hardly wait for her to get up. Here is a list of some of the great ideas...

A box of special toys used only for school time

blocks

paint (we have an easel on the back porch so this is an easy one for us)

special "school" books (reading, coloring, and drawing) again just for school time

dominoes, cards

online learning sites (we do abcmouse.com love it!)

a game where they get to cut up junk mail as long as they sit in a laundry basket

play with letter magnets and puzzles

string beads or macaroni

bubbles

chores

and her favorite...

a bath!

I have been going at this school stuff all wrong, trying to get us all ready in the morning and house clean before starting school. This morning I had Samantha quickly get ready and start school but had Ella wait for her bath until Samantha and I were working on phonics. Ella will be 4 in just over a month and our bathroom is centrally
located on the main level, so I could hear her without staying right in the bathroom with her. She is always begging to take long baths but we are always rushing to get ready so this was quite a treat for her and we were able to finish phonics! Everyone was happy :-)

She also did her school books and computer preschool program. This is the first day we were able to have school done by lunchtime!