The holiday break is a great chance for our students to unwind and catch up on family time, but we don’t want them to stop learning just because they’re out of the classroom.
There are plenty of fun activities you and your children can do together that will keep their skills sharp and get them excited about learning over the holiday break:
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Set time for reading
Reading is beneficial for children in so many ways. It boosts vocabulary and understanding of language, it sparks imagination and develops critical thinking. Get your kids excited to read by buying them new books at the beginning of break, and set aside time to read together or for independent reading time. Talk about the story with your child to help them understand and make deeper connections to what they’re learning.
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Perform a play
Especially if you have younger kids, performing a play together can be a great family activity that teaches your children critical skills that will help them when school starts again. Let your kids take the lead picking a play or writing their own, and give them creative freedom to create the set and costumes. Performing for friends and family will boost their confidence, and they won’t even realize that they’re improving their memorization and language skills too.
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Write holiday cards or letters to Santa
Sharpen your child’s language and writing skills by having them write letters to Santa. This is a fun and easy way for your children to get creative and get excited for the holidays. Once they open their gifts, continue to work on their writing skills by teaching them to write thank you cards to family members and friends that helped make the holidays special.
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Cook a meal together
Make the kitchen your classroom by cooking a meal together as a family. There are so many great ways to incorporate learning into this activity: have your child take the lead and decide what to cook, let them write out the grocery list and go shopping with you, and show them the science involved in cooking as you combine ingredients to create new foods and flavors. As an added bonus, cooking as a family gives you some much-needed bonding time too!
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Start a DIY project
With extra time around the house, this is a great chance to start a do-it-yourself project with your kids. Using your hands to create something new has been shown to activate multiple parts of the brain and promote critical thinking, whether it’s something as simple as building a gingerbread house or as complex as making a table or furniture. Your kids get a chance to get crafty and find a new hobby, and those DIY projects can make great holiday gifts as well.
Looking for guidance as you homeschool your child? The South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools has been offering expert advice and academic planning for homeschool families for the last 30 years. Reach out to one of our trained counselors today to find the path that’s right for you.