The holidays can be a great distraction in the homeschool classroom. Public school is out and your children want to know why they have to study. There is so much to do within the home to get ready for the holidays and the constant distractions of family, friends and the media. It is a wonder you get any lessons done at all during the end of the year months. Here are some ways to combine the spirit of the holidays and include learning for your homeschool students.
Introduce Holiday Literature to the Curriculum
While watching movies based on Christmas and Thanksgiving is a generally accepted activity, it would make more of a difference to your homeschool students reading abilities if they were to read books based on the holidays instead. It doesn’t have to be a long book, it can even be simple Christmas carols. Just make sure that some reading is done everyday. You can even have a read out loud session each day if your young ones are too small to handle difficult words.
Put the Crafts and Arts to Good Use
There is an overwhelming number of ideas for crafting activities related to the holidays available online. Complete boards of activities and projects can be accessed on Pinterest with a simple search. Making cards to send to relatives and friends. Putting together decorations to decorate the home, tree and the classroom. Take your pick from projects which come with detailed instructions. Put together the activities that would most interest your homeschool students and you are set.
Public Speaking is a Skill to Hone
Poem recitations, putting on skits or plays, and even participating in local events around the holidays is a more creative use of time than simply doing nothing. Encourage your homeschool students to get more involved with activities that can allow them to showcase their creativity and enhance their public speaking skills in the local community. Fins out what’s happening and ensure that your young ones participate it in all. This will also help them make friends and close childhood connections and memories to treasure later on.