10 Holiday Activities To Keep Your Child On Track
Just because school’s for the holiday season out doesn’t mean the learning has to stop! The holiday season is the perfect time for students to engage in fun, enriching activities that build core skills in subjects like math, science, writing, reading, and art.
Check out these exciting and engaging holiday activities that combine learning and fun!
Holiday Activities That Develop Math Skills
1. Have Your Child Help Pick Out Groceries
Turn your next grocery shopping trip into a learning experience!
Asking your child to help calculate quantities and costs helps build essential mental math skills. For instance, if you’re cooking two hamburgers for six people with two people being vegan, challenge your child to figure out how many patties to buy. Older kids can tackle more advanced questions, like determining the cost per unit in a package. Not only will this boost their math confidence, but it will also make them feel like an important part of the family routine.
2. Holiday Baking Fun
Baking isn’t just delicious—it’s educational.
Invite your child to measure ingredients and explore basic unit conversions. For example, ask, “How many millilitres fit in a cup?” as you bake together or ask them to double or triple the recipe. These activities strengthen math skills and teach real-world applications while building confidence and creating sweet holiday memories.
Here are three great baking recipes to try:
Holiday Activities That Develop Science Skills
3. Take a Walk Outdoors
Exploring nature is a wonderful way to foster curiosity and observation skills. Visit a park or green space, and ask your child questions like, “How do you think this landscape was formed?” or “What animals might we see here?” You can make it even more interactive by setting up a scavenger hunt and encouraging your child to classify items by colour, shape, or size.
4. At-Home Science Experiments
Bring the wonder of science into your home with simple experiments. From building a baking soda volcano to constructing paper towers, these activities make science fun and engaging. You can even turn it into a family competition—whoever builds the tallest tower wins the right to choose the next experiment!
Holiday Activities That Develop Writing Skills
5. Write a Letter to Santa
If your family celebrates Christmas, have your child to write a letter to Santa. This fun tradition improves handwriting, spelling, fine motor skills, and creativity while keeping the season’s magic alive.
Santa’s address:
Santa Claus
North Pole
H0H 0H0
Canada
6. Holiday Cards for Family Members
Let your child take charge of the family’s holiday cards. Writing thoughtful messages fosters communication, time management, and writing skills. Plus, it’s a rewarding experience to create something meaningful for loved ones.
Holiday Activities That Develop Reading Skills
7. Read Together Every Night
For younger children, nightly storytime is a great way to practice reading. Guide them through the text, point to pictures, and read aloud together. Older children can enjoy a novel over the break—set a goal to finish the book before school resumes for an added challenge.
8. Learn a New Game
Pick up a new board game for the family to enjoy. Have your child read the instructions aloud to practice reading comprehension and public speaking. Helping them with tricky words will build confidence while making family game night even more fun.
Here are some great games:
- Monopoly teaches money management, decision-making, and basic math skills.
- Scrabble helps build vocabulary, spelling skills, and critical thinking.
- The Game of Life introduces real-world decision-making, financial literacy, and planning for the future.
Holiday Activities That Develop Art Skills
9. Perform a Holiday Play
Have your child to write and perform their very own play for friends and family. Offer to help set the stage, find costumes, or review lines—but let the creativity be all theirs. This activity develops storytelling, public speaking, and teamwork skills.
10. Film a Holiday Video
Filming a holiday video is a fantastic alternative for kids who prefer to be behind the scenes. They’ll learn about directing, planning, and visual storytelling while creating something they can enjoy for years. Bonus: There are many services that you can use to make a holiday e-card video that you can send to friends and family. Here are a few:
Whatever the Subject, Oxford Learning Can Help
Whether your child needs extra support in a specific subject or wants to sharpen their learning skills, Oxford Learning is here to help. Our team works closely with your child to set and achieve learning goals, ensuring their success both in and out of the classroom.
Make this holiday season a time for learning and fun with Oxford Learning!
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