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Community Corner

Top Winter Learning Activities to Keep Students Engaged

With winter break right around the corner, students are positively buzzing with excitement and anticipation, but  even a short time away from school can result in some learning loss. Parents can do many things over the holidays to keep their students engaged and excited about education, so they return to school next year sharp and ready to learn. Here are a few fun activities and science experiments from Capistrano Connections Academy educators to keep kids learning this winter break.

  1. Drive Home Math and Spelling Skills – With so many of us traveling for the holidays, a car trip is a great time to review math problems and spelling words. Play a game with your student to spell winter-related words. Or challenge your kids to do as many addition, subtraction, or multiplication problems they can solve in the time it takes to drive to the grocery store.
  2. Read Every Day – U.S. Department of Education research indicates reading to children is “the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading.” With so many great stories to read related to this time of year, why not have your student read you a story every night, or write one? You can help them work through any words they don’t know, and if family members are visiting, your student can read to an audience.
  3. Family Game Night – Games are a great way for children to bond with relatives, so find some time for game night. Chess supports children’s analytical and problem-solving skills, and Scrabble helps boost spelling and vocabulary skills. You can play the board game, or even play free online versions, if your tech-savvy students prefer.
  4. Go to the Park – One of the perks of living in Southern California is the beautiful weather, and your family can take full advantage by taking a field trip to a local park or historic site. In addition to the health benefits of physical activity, many kids love the outdoors and can learn lots about science while strengthening analytic abilities and having fun. Remember to ask park officials if they have any free student guides or activities for your kids. There are also many places that do historic stage re-enactments of living in a previous time—school, home life—that really brings history to life for children.
  5. Do a Science Experiment – in Your Kitchen! – Connections Academy’s Science in the Kitchen club has a lot of great science experiments you can conduct at home with your children. You can make a battery out of a lemon, create homemade play dough circuits, or even use eggs to create your own geodes!

What are you doing over winter break to help your children stay connected to learning? 

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