When it comes to early childhood education, long school breaks can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, they can help children decompress so that they can return to learning with a clear mind. Conversely, the downtime can often make for a challenging transition back to the classroom. To keep your child’s mind sharp while they’re out of school, here are some actionable guidelines.

3 Tips to Help Stimulate Your Child’s Mind During Long School Breaks

1. Encourage Good Reading Habits

You may remember receiving summer reading assignments from your early childhood education days. Teachers give these out at the end of the school year with the purpose of keeping kids mentally engaged during summer vacation. You can adopt the same principle during the shorter holiday breaks by encouraging your child to read. Foster their reading habit by taking them on trips to your local library, purchasing books at the bookstore, or exposing them to literature at home. Encourage them to discuss what they’re reading as they go to ensure they’re actively engaged and absorbing the material.

2. Limit Time Spent on Devices

Sometimes school breaks will be an excuse for students to mentally check out by spending most of their time on their devices. While some time watching television, playing on a tablet, or surfing the Internet is fine in moderation, make a point of limiting access to electronics. Giving them about an hour or so a day is okay for the purpose of unwinding, but it’s best if you can steer them toward more productive outlets such as reading, writing, drawing, or early childhood education games.

3. Play Educational Games

Educational games are an excellent way to intellectually stimulate your child and enhance their mental capacity. Scrabble®, for example, teaches children several valuable skills including vocabulary building, planning strategies, intellectual fortitude, and confidence. As opposed to studying material that may feel foreign, the beauty of educational games is that they’re hands-on and fun, enabling your child to learn through entertaining interaction.

If you’re looking for an affordable preschool where your child can develop through hands-on learning, look no further than Carrier Learning Center in Bristol, CT. Accepting children from as young as six weeks old all the way to 12 years old, they ensure every child has the opportunity to grow and succeed at their fullest potential. For more information on their pre-k classes or to enroll your child in early childhood education today, give them a call at (860) 589-3000 or visit their website.