Teaching and Learning Update
School Holiday Activities
The school holidays are a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time together as a family. Some of the best learning doesn't happen at a desk – it happens while cooking dinner, shopping, playing games or exploring the community.
When children practise their English and Mathematics skills in real-life situations, they begin to see how learning connects to everyday life. These shared experiences also build confidence, encourage conversation, strengthen problem-solving skills and create positive memories around learning.
Here are some simple ideas to try over the holidays.
English Experiences
Read together each day, taking turns reading aloud and talking about the story.
Visit your local library and let your child choose books that interest them.
Cook together and read recipes, discussing the steps and ingredients.
Encourage your child to write a shopping list, holiday journal or postcard to a family member.
Play word games such as Scrabble, Boggle, Hangman or I Spy.
Listen to an audiobook together and discuss your favourite characters or events.
Talk about your day, asking open-ended questions such as "What was the best part?" or "Why do you think that happened?"
Maths Experiences
Involve your child in grocery shopping by comparing prices, estimating the total cost and working out the best value.
Cook or bake together, measuring ingredients and doubling or halving recipes.
Count coins and notes, calculate change and discuss different ways to pay for items.
Read timetables when catching public transport or planning a day out.
Measure objects around the house or garden and compare lengths, heights and distances.
Play board games or card games that involve counting, strategy and number skills.
Ask your child to estimate and calculate while travelling, such as how far you've driven, how long it will take to arrive or how much fuel might be needed.
The most valuable part of these activities isn't getting every answer right—it's talking, thinking and learning together. A few minutes of conversation each day can make a big difference in building your child's confidence and helping them see that learning happens everywhere.
We hope you enjoy creating some wonderful holiday memories together.
Tawny Harkness
Assistant Principal – Teaching and Learning