Hurray, school's out! Now what? Kids need some time to just chill out, but Winter Break shouldn't signal a time-out from learning. It helps to give your kids' break schedule some thought in advance, so you don't end up using the TV, computer, or gaming device as your babysitter. Here are some ideas to keep your kids busy and their minds' engaged:
Go deep sea diving
OK, so a visit to Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach won't take you 20,000 leagues under the sea, but it will blow your kids' minds as they discover thousands of amazing aquatic creatures like the upside-down sea jellies now on display in the Jewels of the Pacific exhibit.
Explore educational websites
Try to direct at least some of your child's screentime toward educational activities. Here's a few educational websites that keep kids entertained while boosting their math, science and reading skills: Starfall, PBS KIDS and Math Playground .
Get crafty
I'm a big fan of Disney's Spoonful magazine for their extensive collection of kid-friendly craft ideas. Visit the website for dozens of clever winter craft ideas, like the one posted yesterday on our blog!
Make a holiday scrapbook
There's no reason why the chore of chronicling the holidays should always fall to us moms. Older children can create a yearly holiday scrapbook by taking and printing photos, creating page layouts, and journaling. It's a great indoor project for chilly nights and builds creative writing skills.
Visit a galaxy far, far away
Don't miss the Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit at Discovery Science Center. Boys (and little Princess Leias) will love this exhibit where kids can build and test their own speeders and robots; ride a hovercraft; see real artifacts, costumes and props from all six Star Wars films; and explore the technology of droids and landspeeders. Talk about fun learning!
photo from Microsoft Office image gallery
Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools
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