6 Holiday Activities to Boost Literacy and Numeracy Skills

Holiday Activities to Boost Literacy and Numeracy

The school holidays are a time for kids to relax and recharge in preparation for another term. Students need a break from the daily routine, but this doesn’t mean learning has to stop altogether in the holidays. For this reason, it is good to consider certain holiday activities to boost literacy and numeracy. Also, it never hurts to consider approaching a home tutor to strengthen learning.

There are many simple things kids can do at home which will keep their brains active.

These holiday activities to boost literacy and numeracy will keep children entertained and inspired:

Take a Camping Trip

The purpose of this activity is to get kids involved in planning the trip. Even a camp out in the backyard with some friends is fine for younger kids. Ask your student to work out how many tents and sleeping bags are required, and what supplies to pack. Give them a budget to plan meals and tell them to write a list of ingredients. Older kids can shop and manage money. If camping is not your child’s style, they can plan a picnic or a small party.

Design a Picture Book

Reading is very important during school breaks, but children need to keep writing too. Designing a picture book is an ideal way for kids to express themselves creatively and develop their literacy skills. To get them started, look through some of their picture books together and ask them about the story and images. They can draw or paint pictures for their own book or find them online. When it’s finished, they may enjoy reading it to a younger child.

Start a Garden

Many kids will jump at the chance to get their hands dirty. Encourage them to start their own garden in the backyard or buy a planter box for a balcony or windowsill. They will need to research appropriate plants, read labels and estimate how much room to give each plant. They’ll also have to work out how much fertilizer and watering are required. Encourage your child to document the garden as it grows by taking photos and even creating a blog.

Watch Sports

Watching sports and following a favorite team is something many young people enjoy. You can turn this into a learning activity without taking the fun out of it by talking about game statistics. Encourage kids to research their team’s performance and discuss things like batting and bowling averages, strike rates, possessions and the ratio of goals scored compared to attempts made.

Do Crossword Puzzles

Crossword puzzles are an easy and fun way to enhance literacy skills. You can do them with your child or challenge each other to complete a puzzle a day. The trick is to find puzzles that are appropriate but still challenging. There are many great puzzle books available to buy or you can find quality free puzzles online.

Try Some Online Activities

Gaming is a popular pastime for young people, and there are many excellent educational resources available online to boost numeracy skills. Examples include Prodigy and Dragonbox. You can also find an endless supply of free maths quizzes and activities by doing a Google search.

These cost-effective activities are fun and educational!