As the holidays quickly approach, students go on winter break and families develop hectic schedules, meaning education often takes the back burner. Giving your child a learning-free break for those two weeks could mean that many of those important lessons they learned during school could go right out the window. So what can you do? Here’s a few tips from our teachers to help keep your child’s brain fresh and active during this time of relaxation.
- Read a book!
We hear it over and over again, but it still remains true that the best way to keep your kids reading skills sharp is to keep books in their hands. Make sure to pick books that are not only at their reading level, but also interest them. - Play with LEGOs!
Use LEGO bricks to practice math concepts or to build representations of literary or historical figures. Visual reinforcement of skills and knowledge learned in school can help ensure they stay fresh with your child. - Encourage Creativity
Have your child color, paint, draw, or work on arts and crafts related to the season to keep their imaginations engaged and to spark their creativity. The internet has tons of crafts available for all ages; www.kids.gov, for example, is loaded with a variety of ideas. - Explore the Environment
The Winter Break is a perfect time to take your children to neighborhood parks, woods, or state and national parks to teach them about plants and wildlife. You can even bring a field guide to help identify different birds, butterflies, plants, and trees. - Educational games
The iPad and other tablets have done wonders for at-home learning, and the App Store is loaded with tons of interactive games that can engage your child while helping them review skills they learned in school.
