Most schools take a break about this time. It’s important to find ways to keep our students’ minds engaged while we are on break. There are plenty of ways to do this without simply printing math problems off the computer and making your child bored to tears—although something is certainly better than nothing!
Visit a museum
There are countless museums in the Maryland area. Think about the activities and history your child is interested in, and take them on a trip to learn more about it. Plan questions in advance to give your trip purpose, and then go and see how many questions you can answer.
Read a book and watch the movie version together
Pairing a book and a movie can help turn an ordinary reading assignment into something more exciting. Choose a book with a recent movie version and read the book together. Talk about what you picture and how you imagine the movie will be. Then, watch the movie version and discuss how it meets your expectations.
My favorite books with movies include:
Elementary school:
- The Lorax
- Charlotte’s Web
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Middle school:
- The Harry Potter series
- The Hunger Games series
- Ender’s Game
High school:
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Pride and Prejudice
- Wuthering Heights
Visit a park
Fall break is the perfect weather to go outside and take a walk. The air is crisp, the sun is warm, and the leaves have changed to beautiful autumn colors. Leave technology behind and go outside to observe nature or engage in imaginative play.
Children who play outside are more likely to be active and healthy as adults, and studies show that children are more likely to have better concentration in school if they spend some time playing in the sun.
Nature breaks are also a great time to talk to your children about being green. Have conversations about how we treat our planet and how we hope to make it last. Look with your child for some signs of pollution and think critically together about how we could change it.
If you know a lot about trees, birds, plants, and other common animals found outside, help your child identify them. If you don’t, look up facts about the park you are visiting beforehand to give you specific things to find.
Check out these guides for more nature play ideas:
How will you engage your child’s brains this break?
Natalie Mangrum is the founder and CEO of Maryland Teacher Tutors. She is a reading specialist with a bachelors in elementary education and masters in education. As a parent to two young adults, and prior teacher, Natalie knows all too well the benefits of one-on-one tutoring and coaching for students. Her mission is to ensure that every aspect of MTT is done in a spirit of excellence! She enjoys alleviating the concerns of parents so they can breathe easy knowing their children are in good hands!