Our Winter Break for the 2024-25 school year is upon us! It is an exciting time of the year for our scholars as they get to unwind, spend time with loved ones, and enjoy the festivities that come along with the holidays.
Holiday Learning Loss
While relaxation during this time is crucial, we encourage our scholars to engage in learning opportunities and practice their new learning skills. Prolonged time without these kinds of activities, even for two weeks, can cause “Holiday Learning Loss”. This happens as a result of being away from structured learning environments for extended periods of time.
Younger scholars are more susceptible to this as they need to interact with academic material more routinely to create long term memory. Returning from holiday breaks and getting back into the swing of things can be challenging for our scholars, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are some ways you can implement engaging learning opportunities for your scholar this holiday season.
Four Learning Activities for the Break
- Bake holiday treats. Have your eye on a savory or sweet holiday dish recipe? Use this as an opportunity for your scholar to practice math with measurements or problem solving/organization by creating a list for the ingredients!
- Play board games. Scrabble Junior, Hedbanz, or even classics like puzzles are a great way to keep their minds engaged and focused.
- Write Thank You/Holiday Cards. This is a great way for them to continue practicing their handwriting and using vocabulary words!
- Read holiday books together. Incorporate reading time into their days, whether it’s together or through quite reading time. There are plenty of options out there! Here is a list of some of the best holiday-themed reads for your scholar for 2024.
Tips For Preparing for Back to School
- Mark your calendars with your campus return date!
- January 8, 2025: Texas (Austin, Brownsville, El Paso, Houston, Permian Basin, San Antonio, Tarrant County), Louisiana, and Florida (IDEA Hope and IDEA Lakeland)
- January 7, 2025: Florida (IDEA Bassett, IDEA River Bluff, and IDEA Victory Vinik)
- Be sure your child’s uniform is ready for their first day!
- Practice routine throughout the break. This will make the adjustment of going back to school easier on your scholar. Simple things like getting ready for the day and bedtime routines are great for them to continue during the break to keep them adjusted.
Remember, school is still in session! It is important for students to stay engaged every day in school as we head into the Winter Break. Attendance during this time is crucial for your child’s academic success.
There will also be holiday festivities and dress-up days! For more information about events happening at your campus, visit their campus Facebook page. We wish our Team and Family a safe and happy holiday season! We are looking forward to having all our scholars back in the classrooms and ready to take on the second half of the 2024-2025 school year.
