Creative Ways to Occupy Preschoolers
How do I keep my preschoolers busy when I am homeschooling older siblings? Families who are educating several children of various ages frequently ask this question. Our family, with six children, spanning eighteen years, has faced it for numerous years.
Though we try to involve preschoolers in our school activities, it is not always possible. When we need to occupy our preschoolers, we are intentional about providing activities that will engage their active minds and bodies in purposeful, meaningful ways. Our intention is never simply to give them something to do.
Pattern Blocks
Give each preschooler several handfuls of blocks and encourage him to make patterns and designs. Working with pattern blocks introduces foundational geometric principles and develops problem-solving skills. Pattern Animals: Puzzles for Pattern Blocks by Sandra Mogensen (Learning Resources, Inc., 2002) is our favorite pattern block resource.
Outside Play
Outside play burns off extra energy, keeps bodies healthy, and develops large muscle skills. We spread out a picnic blanket on our front lawn and older siblings and I work on school assignments while preschoolers ride bikes through a hand-drawn city on the driveway. They also create driveway art with chalk and paint. When preschoolers tire, we put supplies in a plastic box for easy storage. We keep picture books on our blanket for preschoolers who wander our way.
Pretend Play
Preschoolers love pretend play. We collect props for our pretend play at garage sales, thrift stores, and office supply outlets. Old cash registers, calculators, computer keyboards, receipt books, price tags, paper clips, pens, envelopes, discarded oatmeal containers, and empty cereal boxes help our preschoolers open restaurants, libraries, and grocery stores. Older siblings who finish their schoolwork join the fun. Times for pretend play allow preschoolers to link math and social studies concepts to their developing language and conversational skills. Pretend play items are stored in a large plastic bin.
Play Dough
Play dough, another favorite pastime for our preschoolers, strengthens and refines small motor skills. You can also introduce sculpting techniques. Our preschoolers work at a small child-sized table or on the opposite end of the kitchen table from their older siblings. Play dough and sculpting tools are stored in a plastic bin in our art cabinet.
Puppets
Puppets are versatile. You can utilize them at home or tuck them in a car seat pocket for travel. Our preschoolers love finger puppets, glove puppets, homemade sock puppets, and hand puppets. Impromptu theaters can be set up behind a couch or by draping a sheet over a card table. Puppets and sheets are stored in the puppet box for easy clean up.
Preschoolers can learn while being occupied. If working alongside older siblings is not possible, try one of the activities listed above. Often these activities will lead to other educational experiences. Most importantly, enjoy the preschool stage. It will not last forever.
©2009 Homeschooling Today magazine, Nehemiah Four, LLC