I forgot to mention Flyswatters. We keep a few workbooks aimed at toddlers, on topics like same or dirrerent, counting,shapts, colors and the like. I will go through one of these when the older student is doing some workbook exercises or other work for a few minutes. Our saxon math manipulatives make great "toys" for the pre-schooler here and we have gotten our moneys worth with just that use alone. We will start with safety scissors and glue sticks soon.
I just went to a Preschool Activity Swap. There's a book out there called "Preschool Activities in a Bag". About 16 of us did two different bags - we made 16 of each activity we were assigned to, then we swapped them. I left the swap with 32 different activities for my 2 year old (okay, they're geared more towards 3 and 4 year olds for dexterity purposes). Some of them are REALLY cool. It was only about $1 a bag to make them, and sooooo fun. Even my eldest help me make them and put them together, we had soooo much fun, it was a neat bonding experience with my daughter AND with all the other moms who were in the same boat.
Thought of this yesterday when he was playing with them...I had printed off the characters from Brown Bear, Brown Bear (I think from dltk-kids) intending to do a felt board thing, but he just loves to play with them and act out stuff. He can really entertain himself for a long time with stuff like that. We say he is going to be a writer!
Ladies, ladies! Watch it!!! Enough of the spewfest!! All such WONDERFUL ideas!! I have had a toddler and a preschooler when i was homeschooling my oldest, and I did NOT have it together, that's for sure! It was a very stressful time for me. I finally realized it was MUCH easier for me if I INCLUDED the baby, toddler, preschooler....into our school day. At first it will take extra effort on your part, but it will eventually make your days run MUCH smoother!! I have had success with ideas already mentioned here and learned some new ones! Thank you!