READ, COUNT and EXPLORE

School Holiday Activities to Make Literacy and Numeracy Fun at Home

The school holidays are a wonderful time for families to relax, spend quality time together, and keep learning alive through everyday experiences. Literacy and numeracy don't need to feel like schoolwork—many of the best learning opportunities happen naturally through games, conversations, reading, cooking, and play. These simple and enjoyable activities can help children maintain and build important skills while creating positive family memories during the holidays.

Literacy Activities

Prep – Year 2

1. Create a Family Reading Routine

Set aside 10–15 minutes each day to enjoy books together. Read before bed, after lunch, or during quiet time.

2. Become Story Detectives

As you read, talk about:

What might happen next?
Why did the character do that?
What is happening in the pictures?
Which part was your favourite?

3. Retell the Story

After reading, encourage your child to retell the story in their own words, act it out, or draw their favourite scene.

4. Family Reading Challenge

Create a holiday reading chart and track books read together. Celebrate milestones with a special family activity.

5. Read Everywhere

Read recipes, shopping lists, signs, instructions, menus, and catalogues to show how reading is used every day.

6. Be Reading Role Models

Let your child see family members reading books, magazines, newspapers, or instructions for enjoyment and information.

Years 3–6

1. Start a Family Book Club

Read the same book together or share different books and discuss them over dinner.

Questions to explore:

How did the main character change?
What message was the author trying to share?
Would you change the ending?
What connections can you make to real life?

2. Book-to-Movie Comparisons

Read a book and then watch the movie adaptation. Discuss similarities and differences.

3. Holiday Reading Bingo

Create a bingo card with challenges such as:

Read outside
Read a mystery
Read a non-fiction book
Read for 20 minutes
Learn five new words

4. Word Detective Challenge

Keep a notebook of interesting new words. Use a dictionary to discover meanings and challenge family members to use the words in conversation.

5. Interest-Based Reading

Encourage reading linked to hobbies and interests such as sport, animals, cooking, technology, history, or craft.

6. Create a Reading Nook

Design a cosy reading space at home to encourage daily independent reading.

Numeracy Activities

Foundation – Year 2

1. Kitchen Maths

Help measure ingredients while cooking. Talk about:

Full and empty
More and less
Cups and litres
Heavy and light

2. Count Everything!

Count:

Steps around the house
Pieces of fruit
Toys
Cutlery
Cars passing by

Challenge children to count forwards and backwards from different numbers.

3. Number Hunt Around the House

Search for numbers on:

Clocks
Calendars
House numbers
Phones
Food packaging

See who can find the most numbers.

4. Play Shop

Set up a pretend shop using household items.

Add price tags
Use play money or coins
Buy and sell items
Compare prices

5. Card and Dice Games

Play games such as Snap, Memory, or simple dice games to practise recognising numbers and counting.

6. Shape and Pattern Hunt

Go on a scavenger hunt to find:

Circles
Squares
Rectangles
Triangles
Patterns around the home and garden

Years 3–6

1. Sports Statistics Challenge

Use favourite sports to explore maths:

Compare scores
Calculate winning margins
Record results
Estimate outcomes
Investigate scoring systems

2. Family Weather Station

Record daily temperatures and rainfall.

Create graphs
Compare temperatures
Identify weather patterns
Make predictions

3. Cooking with Fractions

Cook together and:

Double recipes
Halve recipes
Measure ingredients accurately
Compare cooking times

5. Money Matters

Build financial literacy by:

Comparing prices in catalogues
Calculating change
Planning a budget for a family outing
Setting savings goals

4. Holiday Travel Planner

Plan an imaginary holiday or day trip.

Read timetables
Calculate travel times
Compare routes
Work out costs and budgets

6. Board Games and Problem Solving

Play games that involve strategy, counting, money, or probability to strengthen mathematical thinking while having fun.

Holiday Learning Tip

The most effective literacy and numeracy learning happens through everyday conversations, play, reading, and real-life experiences. Whether you're reading a story, baking together, playing a game, or planning an outing, every activity provides an opportunity to build skills, confidence, and a love of learning.

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