Our homeschool routine changed the moment my baby started crawling and if you’re in that stage too, you know just how much a tiny explorer can shake up your day. Today we are going to dive into some real-life tips on how I homeschool with a crawling baby and two older kids in tow.
My youngest has entered the crawling stage and a several of my homeschooling friends have started asking the same questions about how they will handle the upcoming school year with a baby on the move.
- How will I teach effectively and keep baby safe?
- Will I be able to keep baby happy and provide a fun learning environment?
Alright ladies, you’ve got a newly crawling baby, a stack of homeschool plans, and your coffee?
LET’S GO!
Can a Homeschool Routine Survive a Crawling Baby?
Yes, your homeschool routine can survive a crawling baby—but it might need to look a little different than it did before those tiny legs started moving.
The biggest mindset shift I’ve made during this season of homeschooling is reminding myself that I don’t have to teach everything in one sitting. Babies have lot of needs—and let’s be honest, they aren’t exactly built for quiet, focused time blocks.
A common concern I hear from moms is about increased screen time for the baby while lessons are happening. To avoid that, I’ve created a Spotify playlist filled with Disney songs, instrumentals, and nursery rhymes. I play it on the TV with lyrics displayed—so while the screen is on, it’s just words scrolling across. If my baby pauses to watch, I figure he’s getting a head start on early reading, right?
Because babies can’t sit still long, I break up our day and aim to get the biggest chunk of instruction done during nap time. I also like to give baby an independent (sometimes messy) snack while we read or work through our morning basket. Snacks tend to keep him quiet and content—and he gets to feel like part of our school time.
When I notice he’s playing happily, I seize the moment for lessons. One way I encourage these calm stretches is by rotating the toys he has access to each day. A fresh toy rotation can work wonders for engagement!
Some moms like to use containers like a playpen or a Johnny Jumper—mine hasn’t taken to either, but that’s okay. I like to call him a free-range baby 😉—and we’ve made it work.
What About the Big Kids? Keeping Your Homeschool Routine on Track
Keeping our homeschool routine running smoothly means finding ways to help the big kids stay focused and independent—especially when baby needs extra attention.
My older kids love our littlest just as much as I do, so we stay together in the same space during lessons. I figure the more eyes and ears on baby, the better! Thankfully, our dining room and classroom are connected, which gives him plenty of safe space to explore while we work.
Before we begin our homeschool day, I give my older two clear instructions on what they can work on if I need to step away. This usually includes flash cards, handwriting, spelling words, worksheets, or reading time. I keep a set of workbooks that are one level below their current grade so they can complete them independently while still getting meaningful review.
And most importantly, I’ve learned to be flexible. If our routine is thrown off by a teething baby or an unexpected meltdown, I’m willing to pause, pivot, or pick back up later. If we don’t make it back to the lesson that day, I don’t stress—because my kids still had valuable learning time through their independent work. The rest can wait for tomorrow.
That’s the gift of homeschooling the flexibility to grow and learn together as a family. Babyhood is short, and I want this season to feel full of grace, not guilt.
If you’re wondering how we fit everything in without the pressure, I break it all down in my blog post on how we use a loop schedule—it’s been a total game-changer.
How I Include Baby in our Homeschool Routine
One of my favorite parts of our homeschool routine is finding simple, meaningful ways to include the baby in our day.
As you know, we’re big fans of the morning basket in our home and it’s so easy to add a few themed board books just for baby. We read them together during morning time, and they also become part of his play stations throughout the day to help keep him happy and engaged.
During our read-alouds or morning basket work, I give baby a safe snack. He loves sitting at the table with everyone else, munching away while listening to us read. If the book has great illustrations, we make a point to show him the pictures and talk about what’s happening—even babies can be part of storytime!
For early math exposure, I bring out our large counting bears and tangram pieces. These simple, affordable tools grow with your kids. Right now, my baby mostly tries to eat them or see how far he can throw a bear—but over time, we’ll use them to explore colors, shapes, counting, patterns, and more.
How I Set Up a Safe & Functional Learning Space
A big part of maintaining our homeschool routine with a crawling baby is setting up a space that’s both safe for him and functional for the rest of us.
In our home, the dining room and classroom are connected, which gives baby plenty of space to play and explore. I block off these two rooms with easy-to-open baby gates to create a clear boundary—he can move about freely, and I can keep a close eye on him while teaching.
Before we start lessons, we make sure the space is picked up and vacuumed. Even though these rooms are tidied regularly, I still want to be sure there aren’t any stray pennies or rogue pieces of dog food hiding in corners. Building this clean-up step into our morning routine helps me worry less and focus more during school time.
Within this space, I set up 3–4 “play stations” so baby can rotate through his own little circuit while we work. I try to switch these out daily to keep things fresh and exciting. His play stations usually include soft plushies, teething toys, board books, and pretend food. I keep a few musical toys tucked away for emergency use, but those are definitely a last resort.
(And yes we’re counting down the days until the mega blocks come out!)
When Baby Just Needs You
Even with the best homeschool routine in place, there are days when baby just needs you—and that’s okay.
This baby stage goes by fast. They need lots of milkies, snuggles, and mama time. While it’s helpful for baby to grow familiar with your routine, they won’t always be on board. On the days when you’ve followed the routine, set the stage, offered the snack—and they still just want to be held—it’s okay to scrap the plan.
Really.
Your older children can work independently on what they’re able to—have them read a few extra books, play outside, or pull out their review workbooks. Everything else can wait until tomorrow… or even next week.
When I returned to homeschooling after maternity leave, we spent a few weeks just deschooling—relearning how our family flows. And honestly, I see this as a tool I’ll keep using as we grow through the baby stage and into toddlerhood.
Teaching your kids is incredibly important—but being present with them is even more so. Let them witness you mothering with intention, flexibility, and love. Sometimes how you respond to a disrupted routine is the most impactful lesson of all.
If you’re not familiar with the concept, I have a post that explains what deschooling is and why it can be such a helpful reset—especially during big life transitions like welcoming a new baby.
Snacks, Meals & Feeding Everyone (Without Losing Your Mind)
I’m going to be completely transparent—these days, I have nothing to do with food in my home. My husband or my kids handle all the meals and snacks. And while there are many aspects of full-time homeschooling I truly miss, preparing food around the clock is not one of them!
That said, for years it was my responsibility, and I feel confident sharing what worked for us during that season.
As soon as I could, I involved my kids in the kitchen. We started small—cutting bananas or hot dogs—and gradually moved to stirring scrambled eggs or using the waffle maker. Now, they can independently handle breakfast and lunch with minimal guidance, and that early effort has paid off in a big way.
Snack time was honestly one of my favorite parts of the day. I’d put together a big “grazing tray” with a mix of fruit, veggies, pretzels, cookies, and applesauce. It was basically a homemade lunchable they could snack on throughout the day. When the tray was empty, snacks were done! I’d usually move it out of sight for a while and bring it back out during the mid-afternoon lull.
These days, I still love a good food theme—it keeps things simple and predictable, both for the kids and for meal prep. Breakfast was easiest to theme, and here’s what that looked like:
- Monday: Muffins
- Tuesday: Eggs & Toast
- Wednesday: Waffles
- Thursday: Oatmeal
- Friday: French Toast
- Saturday: Cereal
- Sunday: Donuts at church
We didn’t have a formal lunch theme, but we rotated through easy favorites like DIY uncrustables, deli meat sandwiches, noodles, and wraps.
Meal time doesn’t have to be chaotic. A simple plan helps you grocery shop more efficiently and prep ahead when you can. I rarely made things the morning of—most of our breakfasts (like muffins, waffles, overnight oats, and French toast) were prepped at the beginning of the week and ready to go.
A Flexible Homeschool Routine
A flexible homeschool routine means having a planning system that adapts to your family’s changing needs—not the other way around.
There are so many ways to plan out your homeschool routine, and truly, no two families do it the same. The key is finding a system that works for you and your unique season.
Your planning might live in a beautiful paper planner, a digital tool, or even a simple spiral notebook.
As a homeschooling mom who also works full time, I needed something easy to navigate and quick to update. I also wanted a system that could be shared with my husband—or even with my older kids—if I was unavailable. That’s why I chose Notion for my homeschool planning.
Within Notion, I’ve built a dashboard where I track attendance, plan lessons, organize field trips, keep a running list of things to buy, store book lists, and even upload monthly photo collages. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever stop adding to it!
I mention this because in the baby season, plans can shift quickly. And when that happens, you need to know where you left off and where to start again—without digging through piles of notes or trying to remember what week you’re on.
Whatever system you choose, just make sure it works for you—not against you.
Outings, Field Trips, and Co-ops With a Crawler
Outings, field trips, and co-op days with a crawling baby might require a little extra strategy, but they can still be a meaningful (and manageable) part of your homeschool routine.
When it comes to outings—especially those tied to homeschooling—the biggest thing I remind myself is that most of the moms planning these events have been through the baby stage. They get it. Don’t hesitate to ask questions so you can plan accordingly.
I try to keep communication open with the event organizer so I know what to expect. They’re often more than happy to let you know if the event is baby-friendly and can even help you think through alternatives if it’s not.
When I’m planning the outing just for our family, I have a little more control over the experience. My go-to strategies:
- Keep it low-cost. If baby is fussy and we need to leave early, I don’t feel guilty walking away from a free or inexpensive activity.
- Go during baby’s happiest part of the day (usually the morning) for the best chance at a smooth outing.
Some of our favorite low-cost adventures include trips to the library, local festivals or markets, and open park days. These are things we do regularly, so my older kids understand if we need to leave sooner than expected.
If there’s an opportunity your older children really want to participate in but your baby can’t tag along, consider these options:
- Arrange for a sitter so you can chaperone the big kids.
- Team up with another mom in your homeschool group who’s already attending and see if she’s willing to bring your children along too.
I don’t have much support when it comes to childcare, so most of the time, if baby can’t come—we can’t go. But if you do have support, know that you have options.
Final Encouragement—You’re Doing More Than You Think
Even if your homeschool routine feels messy and interrupted right now, you’re doing more than you think—and it absolutely counts.
The baby stage is a constant reminder that homeschooling is simply an extension of parenting. You’re teaching your baby to crawl, to explore, to communicate—and that learning is just as meaningful as any formal lesson. Learning is for everyone, at every stage.
In our home, we focus on the core subjects during this season—mainly math and language arts. Anything else we fit in is a bonus. And honestly? Being able to pivot your day with grace and patience teaches your children more than any history lesson ever could.
Mama, if you’re homeschooling with a crawling baby underfoot, give yourself credit—you’re doing something beautiful, even on the messy days. This season won’t last forever, and the flexibility, creativity, and love you’re pouring into your homeschool routine are building something far more valuable than a perfect checklist.
If this post encouraged you, I’d love to invite you to join my free homeschool community, In My Homeschool Era. It’s a space for moms like you—juggling babies, lesson plans, and real life—to share ideas, ask questions, and find support from other homeschoolers walking the same path.
🩵 You don’t have to do this alone. Come be part of a community that gets it.
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