The holidays are fast approaching and the kids are hanging out for some freedom!
We ALL need rest and recreation and often just a change of routine, place, pace will make a massive difference!
We always notice how fresh children appear to be during our holiday learning sessions and at the beginning of term. Even a few days without school routine can work wonders!
These holidays represent a little more of a challenge for parents as the weather is colder, wetter and children are often cooped up inside.
Rather than cave in and allow wall to wall TV, Minecraft and such like- how about trying a few of these?
(We know that unlimited screen-time will not benefit children and may do real harm.)
Note: Even though most Aussie kids don’t see much snow- they WANT to! To that end, some of these suggestions include fake snow and so forth!
20 Things to do in the Winter holidays
- Make snow- flakes- these are sufficiently detailed to help concentration and maths skills to develop. When finished paint with saturated solution with water and Epsom salt to add a glittery surface and hang up!
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-6-Pointed-Paper-Snowflakes/
This one is sufficiently complicated to really absorb them and to teach them about geometry!
Mix up some water and epsom salts and paint the snowflakes. This will give them a glittery appearance and when dry they can be hung up.
- Do lots of WINTER art projects- I have included lots of beautiful winter pics and art ideas in this pinterest board:
https://au.pinterest.com/victoriacarlton/winter/
- Plant a winter garden- give your kids a small plot, some seeds and seedlings and ask them to dig, plant, water and fertilise. Children LOVE to do this and note progress of THEIR plants. Hopefully we will have enough dry spells for this to happen. Otherwise some indoor herb plantings will help!
http://www.familyfoodgarden.com/growing-eating-fresh-greens-52-weeks-of-the-year/
- Plant some bulbs with children. They will LOVE watching them grow.
http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/02/learning-about-spring-bulbs-older.html
- Learn to knit a warm scarf or learn to crochet.
http://www.lionbrand.com/blog/teaching-kids-to-crochet-and-knit-why-waldorf-schools-incorporate-crafting-into-their-curriculum/
- Teach your kids how to make a warm winter soup
• Make hot chocolate with marshmallows to enjoy just before bedtime with some great stories.
• Have a PJ day where EVERYONE stays in PJS all day and draws, reads, watches TV together and makes wintery food such as hot chips and fresh bread. (Forget your diet for just one day.)
• Make a wintery gratitude tree:
http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/47813/gratitude-tree-for-kids
e.g. I am grateful for cold wintery nights so I can curl up under the blankets and feel cosy!
• Curl up with a good book:
https://au.pinterest.com/victoriacarlton/books/
• Catch up on great movies:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/50-movies-all-kids-should-watch-before-theyre-12
• Play in puddles. (Boots on first or even bare feet for extra enjoyment.) They could make paper boats to make this even more fun!
• Learn their tables by singing them to popular tunes- app http://www.mathsrockx.com/
• Make fake snow and construct a WINTER TRAY complete with wintery trees (sticks), lego figures, small plastic animals etc
http://www.twosisterscrafting.com/disney-frozen-diy-play-snow/
• Bonfire nights: if you have a fire pit enjoy rugging up and toasting marshmallows and sharing stories.
• Have a good book and toy clean out and donate to a charity so they can get ready for Christmas donations.
• Write wishes for elves and hang on trees. (Elves hang about during the mid-winter time and they have been known to grant a wish or two!)
• Have long warm baths and play with materials such as moldable soap:
https://au.lush.com/products/fun/monsters-and-aliens
• Alternatively they can make their own bath products- a few for you as well! There are HEAPS of recipes here:
https://toilettreeproducts.com/diy-rainbow-bath-bombs-bath-salts/
• Write some Winter haiku poems
http://kids.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Haiku_Poems_for_Kids
Enjoy the wintery holidays and remember- Spring is on its way!
Contact us if you would like to know more about our school holiday programs.
