10 Winter Break Learning Activities

Every child and parent looks forward to winter break as a chance to take a breather from the hectic school schedule and just relax. But did you know that during the holidays, some students can lose up to 22% of what they’ve learned?

If you’re a parent or an educator, this statistic may be alarming. How can we ensure that our children have fun but also continue to learn during winter break?

This is where you can step in and provide them with winter break learning activities!

Here are 10 fun and educational activities to keep your child’s brain sharp during the winter vacation.

1. Read a Good Book

To read is to learn – no matter the subject.

Reading is a fun learning activity because it creates an imaginary world for your child to explore. It also enhances their vocabulary, comprehension skills, and grammar.

Take a trip to the bookstore or open your tablet, and let your child choose a book that interests them. It is important here that you do not judge the book they choose as long as it’s appropriate for their age.

Encourage them to read independently but also take turns reading together out loud.

To add a twist to this activity, you can even have your child create a book review after finishing the book – summarising what they liked and disliked about the story.

2. Bake or Cook

Who doesn’t love freshly baked cookies or homemade soup during the cold winter days?

Baking or cooking involves much more than just mixing ingredients—it involves measuring, following instructions, and using critical thinking skills.

For example, you can have your child measure out the ingredients for a recipe or ask them to figure out how much they need if they want to double the batch.

Let your child take the lead in the kitchen by choosing a recipe they would like to make (with your supervision, of course).

3. Visit a Museum

To practice history and cultural learning, take a trip to a nearby museum.

Winter break is the perfect time for your child to learn more about different cultures, events, and historical figures.

You can even make it extra fun by creating a scavenger hunt with specific exhibits or artefacts for your child to find and learn about.

Here is a list of the most popular museums you can visit in South Africa:

• Apartheid Museum
• Cape Town Diamond Museum
• Nelson Mandela Capture Site
• West Coast Fossil Park
• Rupert Museum
• Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex
• South African Naval Museum

4. Go For a Hike

Hiking provides you with physical exercise and an opportunity to explore nature.

Take your child on a hike and have them observe the different plants, animals, and landscapes they encounter. You can even turn it into a learning experience by researching the types of flora and fauna in the area beforehand.

For example, if they’re learning about different insects in school, you can have them look out for specific insects and teach them about their characteristics.

Hiking also teaches children important skills such as navigation, teamwork, and perseverance.

5. Have a Board Game Night

Board games such as Monopoly, RummiKub, and Scrabble all have educational value.

Monopoly teaches children about money management, Scrabble improves their vocabulary and spelling skills, and Rummikub triggers math skills.

Gather your family and have a board game night where everyone can bond and learn together.

6. Make Arts & Crafts

You don’t need to have a special occasion to do arts and crafts with your child.

There are so many benefits to engaging in creative activities, such as developing fine motor skills, boosting self-confidence, and enhancing problem-solving abilities.

You can find countless craft ideas online that use everyday household items (making it a budget-friendly learning activity!)

You can start by picking out a theme or subject, such as animals or space, and have your child create different crafts related to that topic.

7. Start With A STEM Project

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activities are perfect for hands-on learning and sparking curiosity in children.

Engineering is a field that many children are not exposed to, and it is important to introduce them early to inspire future engineers.

You can start with a simple project like building a paper aeroplane or constructing a basic structure using toothpicks and marshmallows. Volcano eruptions, homemade slime, and balloon car races are also fun and educational STEM projects.

Go crazy and have fun with these projects while your child learns the fundamentals of STEM!

8. Go Ice Skating

Ice skating is a fun and challenging activity that can improve balance, hand-eye coordination, and strength.

It also provides an opportunity for your child to learn about perseverance and resilience as they work on mastering the skill of skating.

Most ice rinks offer lessons or group classes for children if you or your child are new to skating. You can also make it a family outing and spend quality time together while getting some exercise.

9. Have a Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are a great way to get children excited about exploring and problem-solving.

You can create a list of items for them to find around the house or backyard, using descriptive words to challenge their vocabulary skills. For example, instead of just saying, “Find a book”, you can say, “Find a thick, hardcover book with the title in yellow letters”.

You can also make it more interactive by adding riddles or clues for them to solve. A good riddle will definitely get their critical thinking skills going!

10. Incorporate Learning Into Screen Time

Let’s face it: children love screen time. But rather than letting them mindlessly watch cartoons or play video games, why not make it a learning opportunity?

There are countless educational apps and games available that can teach various skills such as coding, math, science, and even foreign languages. You can also find educational shows or documentaries on streaming services like Netflix or YouTube.

Try These 10 Winter Break Learning Activities!

Don’t let your child’s brain go into hibernation mode during winter break. Try incorporating some of these fun and educational winter break learning activities to keep their minds engaged and growing.

Remember, learning doesn’t have to be confined to a classroom – it can happen anywhere, even during school breaks!

At Tutor Doctor, we believe in continuous learning and are committed to helping students reach their full potential. Tutoring sessions during the holidays can be a great way to keep up with academic progress and prevent any learning loss.

Contact us today to learn more about our personalised tutoring programs.