How to Keep K-12 Students Active Over Winter Break

As a student, it’s hard not to be excited about winter break. Two whole weeks without tests or homework?

As far as teachers are concerned, though, the brain is a muscle — and when K-12 students stay active during the break, it’s easier to transition back into the spring semester. 

Of course, students need time to relax during the break, same as we do! That said, here are a few ways educators can help students use their holiday breaks to go deeper into topics they are already passionate about, ensuring the most effective learning. 

Reflect

Give students an opportunity to think about what they learned so far this year, what they enjoyed and disliked, and what they’d like to learn about more. 

It’s a useful exercise for teachers, who can collect feedback and validate students’ experience while it helps students become more effective learners in the new year. Encourage students to set 1-3 simple, achievable goals for the spring semester.

While younger students might write a page or share their thoughts out loud, encourage older students to keep a free-form journal. Be sure to let them know if you’ll be reviewing it or if it’s just for them. 

Make Handmade Holiday Gifts

In an era of increasing climate anxiety, making handmade holiday gifts is a great way for teachers to tie creative, meaningful, and environmentally friendly presents together. You can take students of any age outside to gather twigs, leaves, dried flowers, and other natural elements to create cards or zero-waste gift packaging with. 

As for the gift itself, elementary schools likely already have craft supplies like markers, glue, paper/magazines, scissors, and pipe cleaners to start with. Older students can gain a new skill by learning how to knit or do woodworking. They can even use other creative skills to write a song or play.

Share this list of potential projects with your classroom and let their imaginations take you further. This way, the creativity starts in the classroom, and continues over the break.

Collaborate with the Local Library

Local libraries are great places to keep students connected to their learning goals in a low-pressure environment. Check in with your library to see if they are hosting events during the break, and share a calendar with your students or their parents. You can also plan a trip to the library soon after students return to school.

Speaking of libraries, one of the best ways to help students keep their minds active is to encourage them to read, even when they’re not doing it for class! The Nation’s Report Card has found that average reading scores among 13-year olds are declining, highlighting the importance of young students finding joy in reading for pleasure. 

You can start by sharing Iceland’s Christmas Eve tradition called Jólabókaflóð, or “Christmas Book Flood.” This national tradition involves giving and receiving new books, and spending the evening reading the new titles together with family and friends (and maybe a cup of cocoa).

For students unlikely to appreciate a literary gift, consider a schoolwide reading challenge. The most basic form is to ask students to read just one book during the school break, and share what they learned once back. Another option is to ask students to log the books they read, with a small prize if students read more than a certain amount of books in a given timeframe (for a two-week break, one or two books is a good goal). 

A more ambitious program can involve a reading board with different challenges, like bingo; for example, rereading a favorite book, trying out a new genre, reading a graphic novel, or reading a book about a famous person. Not only are students motivated by healthy competition with each other, it’s also a great way to incentivize less screen-time over the break.

Visit Museums

Museum visits are a great way to learn about topics that interest us outside of the classroom.

The good news is, plenty of museums around the world offer virtual events and exhibitions to help students go deeper on relevant topics while they are on break. Google Arts & Culture has collaborated with some museums to make parts of their exhibits available online.

Share this list with your students:

• Visual art:
  • The Guggenheim Museum in New York features a famous spiral staircase flanked with world art for you to view.
  • The National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. displays different art genres (Renaissance painters, fashion drawings) and media (like graphite, watercolor, and etching) through time.
  • The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Gwacheon-si, South Korea can give students a different perspective on contemporary art.
• History and culture:
  • The British Museum in London, England has a collection that spans over two million years of human history and culture.
  • The Louvre in Paris, France has a world-famous art collection that features such famous examples of Western art like the Mona Lisa. Its tours are also great for students taking French!
  • The Smithsonian Institution (D.C., New York) is known for its in-depth insight into world history. Students can experience deep dives into the culture of Machu Picchu, religion in the Middle East, and the myths surrounding the Trojan War.
• Natural environment:
  • Even U.S. national parks offer virtual tours. The Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska is a particular highlight.

After Winter Break? Help Kids Reset

It’s normal for students to be nervous to go back to school after an extended break — even educators feel this way sometimes! 

The goal is to lead by example and model a healthy transition back to school. 

• Prep students. If your school uses a virtual classroom tool, send students a note a few days before school starts again, welcoming them back. This helps set the tone by letting them know what you need for a smooth transition.
• Check in. Back at school, give students a chance to share what they learned or observed during the break, even if it’s not related to academic subjects. 
• Ease into it. Use lots of visual aids to take pressure off students in the first few days.

Ease Back Into the New Year

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