Tips for the Holidays

It’s that time of the year! The holidays are upon us. Our hard-working kids definitely need a break – time to rest their brains and recharge their batteries. That being said, you may be wanting to strike a balance between letting your child ‘chill out’ and not losing any of the hard-earned progress they have made this year. If that is the case, here are some fun activities that can keep some of the momentum going over the holidays.

• Let your child help in the kitchen. Following recipes will give them practice with reading as well as math concepts such as measurement.
• Get your child a crafts activity book for Christmas. There are lovely books available from Reader’s Warehouse that will give your child a fun way to work on their fine motor and visual perceptual skills.
• If there is one routine not to break, it’s the habit of bedtime stories. This special quality time between parent and child helps your child develop a love of reading as well as practice literacy skills. Takes turns with your child to read, let your child follow along as you read, and ask your child questions about the story as you go along.
• Play games! If your child struggles with impulse control, there are lots of games you can play. The rules are easy to find online. Examples include Stuck in the Mud, Simon Says, Red Light Green Light, and Wolfie Wolfie What’s the Time? If your child needs to work on their memory, card games like Memory Match will be helpful. Games like Guess Who? are great for language development.
• Out out out! Don’t allow too much screen-time and instead get your child to go outside and play the good old-fashioned way. Outside play tends to be more interactive, allowing opportunities for your child to practice their social, gross motor and language skills. It also encourages creativity and good health.
• Instead of dishing money out as needed for activities, get your child to look up the costs involved in the activities they want to do, work out how much they will need, and count it out from your stock. Money = math!

For suggestions specific to your child, please contact your Catch Up Kids supervisor.