Ideas for "home education" over the holidays?

[MarisaSF]

Any fun ideas for keeping your kids in a school-like routine over the holidays?

DD is 4 and in pre-K (Montessori). We are taking her out for 3 weeks to travel to see family. Though I know this is not going to cause long-term academic damage :wink2:, *she* really craves the routine and activities she gets from school. After keeping her home and not doing anything very structured over the summer, we had to deal with some behavioral issues and I'd like to avoid that happening again. I'm sure her teachers will appreciate that as well. ;)

We thought we'd do at least an hour a day of "Mommy and Daddy school" while on vacation.

She likes to read, write, draw, and "do experiments." Is starting to do some math. We'll cook and garden and read books. I'll bring an activity book with mazes, and seek-and-find stuff. She likes to be challenged, which is where I get stuck. Her teachers are much better at finding new things to challenge her with, whereas I give her a lot of things I know she can do.

Would love more ideas!

[lorinick]

I have no extra ideas. I think reading and fun learning games would be enough. I love when school is out. The homework for a third grade is crazy in my school district. We all love the break.

[C99]

can you have her do the punchout cut-outs -- she cuts a shape out by poking lots of holes along its perimeter?

[MarisaSF]

can you have her do the punchout cut-outs -- she cuts a shape out by poking lots of holes along its perimeter?

I love those! "Pushpin work," they call it. That's one of the things she's "bored" with though. She did those last year in the "toddler room" and now doesn't think they are big girl works. :blahblah:

Maybe I can make it more challenging with more intricate shapes? Any other "big kid" tweaks?

[hellokitty]

The library has tons of preschool curriculum/activity type of books. Check a few of those out, schedule out what you'd like to do each day and there you have it. Preschool at home.

[AngelaS]

Read lots of books, including longer picture books and maybe even chapter books.

Play counting games, string patterns of beads, sort things--buttons, crayons, etc..

Play board games.

Visit a museum, the art museum or the aquarium.

Dont' feel bad about letting her have break from structured 'learning'. At that age, all of life is a learning experience and she's learning even when you don't think she is. :)

[MamaKath]

Plate crafts- have her punch holes around the perimeter of a paper plate, lace a string around the edge (a few ways to do that :)), tie the ends in a bow (she can practice that skill), then draw/make handprint/glue picture in the center.

Cards- Have her use Christmas/holiday cards to make ornaments; let her glue glitter on them

Composition book- Have her keep a journal of the trip. She can draw pictures and write sentences with help (you may end up writing the sentences, but it will be a nice reminder of the trip). Add things like poscards, tickets, maps, etc.

Make a book of letters- Take a binder and construction paper with holes. Put the alphaa letter on a sheet of paper, look for things in a magazine that start with that letter, glue on.

I'll add more later. :)

[mytwosons]

What about working on thank you cards for the gifts she receives over the holidays? Each one could be a different "art project" of her chosing, and she can practice writing.

What about if she keeps a journal to record her break? She could draw a picture of what she liked best about that (or previous) day, and then add whatever words she wants at the bottom.

My maze-crazed son also loves connect-the-dots, even though they are way too easy for him - still fun!

[MamaKath]

Okay this is part of my summer vacation list of suggestions :)

Read

Journal

Visit new story times (library or book store)

Count

Read the clock

Play store

Play cards and board games

Count things throughout your day (how many of ___ signs you see, how many Christmas trees, How many blue cars, etc)

Write tally marks (goes well with the above how many games)

Cook together

Make bubbles and wands out of household materials

Observe the moon and mark it in a journal or on a calendar

See what sinks and floats

Play with magnets

Build and fly paper airplanes

Draw a map of your house/hotel room/house you are visiting, etc

Highlight your route on a map (Cracker Barrel has free ones that mark their locations)

Make a mobile or collage about a book or news event (lots of stuff about obama and his family in every magazine, also things like holiday traditions, farms, etc)

Make a family tree

Draw

Sing

Practice the alphabet- You can do things like alphabet aerobic where the child punches to the opposite side, touches the opposite knees, etc while saying the letter to the first side and the sound to the other side. Do this with all the soft vowels and then c like cat and g like goat. These are typically the sounds they get first on those.

Check out momsminivan.com for travel games for the car ride also. :-)

Have a great trip!!! :)

[SnuggleBuggles]

Lots of great ideas on here! Of them, we do:
-cooking together
-writing thank yous
-playing board games
-doing crafts

Beth