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Any break from school means an opportunity to spend some time relaxing and enjoying family. On the flip side, this time off can quickly lead to cabin fever. So, how can parents battle holiday boredom while also creating opportunities for academic growth during school holidays?
The key is to make the experiences and learning opportunities meaningful to kids. Some simple ways to do this are to focus on a child’s existing interests and offer choices so they can guide their own learning. Time off from school is a great time to help kids pursue their own interests and develop hobbies that can be their own sources of development and learning.
Boredom pops up quickly when activities get too repetitive. A school vacation is the perfect time to offer up some new learning experiences for your kids. Here are a few ideas:
1. Help you child develop a new interest by visiting a museum and following up on their favorite exhibits with a visit to the library.
2. Take advantage of extra time to be active outdoors by visiting a park, hiking trail, or other natural space.
3. Look online for inexpensive craft ideas, or turn their screen time into learning time by working together to learn a new skill. Check out this list of free winter activities in the Denver area to help spark ideas.
By using holiday time to help young learners further develop their own interests you can help them become more motivated and independent learners. Then when the next school break rolls around, they might already know how to cure their own boredom.
