How to Keep Learning Going Over the Holidays
The holidays can be both an exciting and stressful time for families. The regular routine of school is interrupted, and life takes on a more unstructured pace which can be enjoyable for some and unsettling for others. With the help of our divisional MVSD Programs and Planning team, we have put together some great activities that families can select to enjoy together while incorporating some learning in a fun way.
GAMES:
Board games are a great way to keep the learning going through the holidays! There are great choices for all ages and interests. Consider playing word building games like Spelligator, Bananagrams, Scrabble, or Boggle. Games like Snakes and Ladders, Adsumi, Set, and Qwirkle can build a variety of numeracy skills. Or get the whole family talking (and laughing!) with a game of charades, Apples to Apples, or Hedbanz. There are also many fun games you can play with a simple deck of cards. Games like War, Speed, Golf and Kings in the Corner just to name a few. Check out Today’s Parent, ’10 Kid-Friendly Card Games’ online for additional games and the rules of play.
FOOD:
Who doesn’t love some delicious holiday treats? Baking or helping with cooking a meal together fosters collaboration, builds numeracy skills and encourages creativity. If you want to expand your menu and learn about traditions different then your own, try a new recipe or dessert. Check out the Taste of Home website that features ’19 Christmas Dinners from Around the World’ for some great meal ideas with videos showing how each meal is made.
GET OUT THERE:
Get outside of your home for a fun adventure and learning experience. Instead of building a snowman, challenge your family to work together to build a snow town in your backyard. This could require some planning, so be sure to map out what you are going to include in your town and where each building will be located. Look around your space to see what natural elements in addition to the snow, can be used to decorate your town. Then take a picture of it, share it with friends, and encourage them to do the same. This type of activity encourages creativity and collaboration, while including physical movement outdoors in a fun way.
Are you looking for a little adventure beyond your own yard? Why not participate in a volunteer activity like reading to seniors or caring for the pets at the shelter for an hour to foster citizenship? You can also head to your local library and check out some new and familiar holiday stories. Each member of the family can pick their favorite and share why their selection is the ‘best’. You can also keep the reading going as you travel, by listening to an audiobook while driving to your next visit. Audiobooks are a great way to share stories together, while building communication and literacy skills as well as working on focus and attention.
GET CRAFTY!
This holiday, why don’t you create a gift that can keep on giving year after year by creating a journal with family members to record your families holiday traditions. This is something you can add to each year. Or how about engaging your creativity and imagination by constructing a craft out of materials that haven’t quite made it to the recycle bin yet. Look online for endless DYI ideas. Another crafty project could be constructing something out of the building toys you may already have on hand such as Lego. Create a Lego challenge for your family members by giving them a limited number of pieces, then an item they have to build such as a sled, or tree. See who can make something closest to the real thing out of the pieces they have. This activity allows everyone to be creative and show off their problem-solving skills.
Whatever activities you chose to do this holiday break, we hope that you and your family take some time to be together in fun and positive ways. And of course, as we are educators, we hope you sneak some great learning opportunities into the mix as well!
Submitted by the MVSD Programs and Planning Team