The presents will have been opened, the last of the leftovers consumed, and all the guests will have gone home. Kids will be bored, and adults will be in the process of getting back to work/reality. If we’re being honest (no judgement here), by week two of winter break, most kids will be parked in front of a screen, brain idling in neutral. Parents, in the midst of taming the chaos of the week before, will walk by them and sigh, thinking “I really should do something about that.”
Here’s the thing: kids don’t like being bored and passively slumped in front of a device any more than their parents like seeing them bored and passively slumped in front of a device. Even bloated with holiday carbs and lack of sleep, their brains still need exercise, and it’s okay for you to ask them to think, and dare I say it, learn while they’re away from school. They’ll moan and groan a little, but in the long run, they’ll be much happier for the remainder of their time off.
First off, kick them outside for a little while. The blast of chilly air and the exercise will do them good. Once they’ve come in, we’ve got some things to keep the home fires burning in their minds until they go back to school.
Check out all the free resources we have on our Teach page. It’s got fun, creative, downloadable activities that will get things rolling again. Inevitably, when they gravitate back to their devices, give one or two of our apps a try (a new one is just about to be released)! If your kid decides to come up for air, and wants to actually read a book, we’ve got that covered too (and Amazon will trudge through the snow to get it to you).
Happy holidays, everyone, and a think-y new year!