How to Teach a Preschooler With a Toddler in Tow

Have you ever used dry lima beans as manipulatives with your kids?  They're an awesome, cheap tool with endless options.  We have plain limas and limas that I wrote the ABCs and numbers on with Sharpie markers.  My preschooler likes to sort and count, but my toddler isn't as interested.  Here's how I work around that.  While my preschooler sorts and practices counting, my toddler moves his trucks and cars in a pan of beans.  He also like to practice scooping the beans in and out of containers.  

Solution - both toddler and preschooler are practicing age appropriate skills at the same time and mom isn't chasing after a toddler while teaching.