Keeping Young Minds Active Over the Christmas Holidays

The Christmas holidays are the perfect time to slow down and enjoy family life - but they can also be a great opportunity to keep little minds ticking over. With just a few minutes a day, you can help your child stay confident with their maths and English, without it feeling like schoolwork.

Here are some simple, fun ways to keep learning alive over the festive break.

Maths Made Easy at Home

You don’t need a worksheet to practise maths. Everyday activities are full of learning opportunities:

• Baking together - let your child measure ingredients, double or halve recipes and read scales.

• Shopping - ask them to add up prices or estimate the total before you get to the till.

• Board games - games like Monopoly Junior, Sum Swamp or even Snakes and Ladders build counting, turn-taking and problem-solving skills.

If they enjoy a bit of screen time, here are some excellent free sites for maths practice:

• Top Marks - a huge range of quick, fun maths games for all ages.

• BBC Bitesize Maths - short videos and practice tasks that match the national curriculum.

• NRICH - puzzles and challenges to stretch curious minds.

Keep Reading and Writing Fun

Encourage your child to read a little every day - whether it’s a bedtime story, Christmas joke book or a recipe for gingerbread biscuits!

A few easy ideas:

• Write Christmas cards - great for handwriting and spelling.

• Keep a holiday diary - just a few sentences each day builds writing stamina.

• Story time swap - take turns reading pages or acting out a character’s voice.

• Make a scavenger hunt - write clues for family members to find hidden treats!

Try these online resources too:

• Oxford Owl - free e-books sorted by reading level.

• BBC Bitesize English - grammar and writing help explained clearly.

• Phonics Play - fun phonics games for younger readers.

Learning Through Family Time

Not everything has to be structured. You can build learning naturally through festive activities:

• Cooking - reading recipes, weighing, timing and talking through each step.

• Crafting - following instructions, measuring materials and using creative language.

• Days out - visiting a museum, zoo or even a winter walk encourages curiosity and conversation.

• Games night - Charades, Guess Who, Scrabble Junior or Dobble are brilliant for communication and vocabulary.

Final Thought

Learning doesn’t stop when school ends - it just looks a little different. Small moments of curiosity and fun add up to a big difference. And if you’d like a little extra support in the new year, we’re always here to help.

Get in touch to book a free chat about how we can support your child’s confidence and progress.