You quick your job to stay at home and teach your little one but you need some help to get started. feeling overwhelmed? I get it, Pinterest can feel overwhelming when you are just starting and don’t know where to start when it comes to homeschooling your toddler.
Don’t worry! I’m here to guide you to get started and get you set up for this new homeschooling toddler journey. Teaching your little one at home can be challenging but fun. All you need is a plan, get organized, and shop!
This post is part of a series I did on Instagram sharing with you how to get started and my tips and tricks to set up my learning environment at home. You can see our candid conversation here (saved on our Instagram Homeschool highlights) and below is a guide to each article where we talk in detail how you can get set up and started.
Some people want to skip this step and jump straight into looking for activities, but I have found that if you plan a little beforehand, get a few essentials, then the whole year becomes a lot easier.
We deal with a lot of challenges as it is, so why not try to get set up so we don’t have to deal with unnecessary hiccups!
homeschooling a toddler series:
Here is a summary of everything to need. Click on each link to be directed to a more extensive article explaining each step or useful printables and resources to help you plan your homeschooling.
Setting up a learning environment
The first thing you need is to set up a learning environment. Without it, you can’t keep your toddler engaged in learning activities.
First of all, designate a learning space to homeschool a toddler get a study table, chair, and learning schedule. Designate an area that is close to a window or source of natural light. The brighter and fresher the learning area, the more engaged your toddler will be.
Ensure that the learning area has proper storage space for learning materials and doesn’t have any distractions.
Creating a homeschooling a toddler schedule
To homeschool, your toddler regularly creates a comprehensive schedule and stick to it. Kids have a shorter attention span, creating several small activities that are fun, engaging, and perfect for learning.
Use an activity planner to create a detailed schedule. Create a good mix of art activities, fine motor activities, and outdoor activities.
Understanding what to teach at what age
Toddlers, preschoolers, teens, and adults all have different learning capabilities. Therefore, you need to learn which activities your toddler can perform. Depending on your toddler’s age, learn about sensory plays, language skills, color games, number games, and other activities that one-year-old and 2-year-old toddlers can do.
How to create learning goals
Once you know the activities your toddler can perform, the next thing is to create learning goals. The learning goals vary according to the age of toddlers, so plan accordingly.
- 1 year old learning goals (PDF)
- 2 year olds learning goals (PDF)
How to track progress
Use a tracker document to track the progress of your toddler through his/her homeschooling. After each day, write learning goals your toddler has accomplished. It will help you determine the activities and skills your toddler needs to learn.
- 2 year old assessment (PDF)
How To Create Lesson Plans For Toddlers (Homeschool At Home)
When creating lesson plans to homeschool a toddler, make the following consideration:
- Always consider the age reference milestones to ensure that you include activities that are age-appropriate for your kids.
- Identify learning goals; keep the activities simple, fun, and engaging
- Also, consider the interests of your toddler
- Include theme-based activities
- Search for age-appropriate activities
- Use sensory bins and printables as part of the learning materials
How to create lesson plans for toddlers (Homeschool at home)
- Choosing lessons
- Choosing activities
Choosing a learning curriculum
When looking to homeschool a toddler, choose a learning curriculum that is interesting, easy, and useful. The learning curriculum should be age-appropriate for your toddler. Take the pressure off from creating the lessons and planning and use an already planned and designed curriculum aimed at developing your child and helping him/her reach his/her milestones. The learning curriculum should be easy-to-follow for your kid and you as well.
Purchasing supplies to aid your teaching goals
The last part includes purchasing supplies for teaching goals. Once you have created the lesson plan and knows the material, you’re going to need to homeschool a toddler, gather all the stuff. It pays to collect the material beforehand so you can spend more time teaching your toddler.