Curriculum News 

What can we do in the holidays to support learning?

Holidays are a golden opportunity for primary students to keep their minds active through fun, everyday activities that sneak in learning without feeling like schoolwork. Here’s a treasure trove of practical ideas to boost both Maths and English skills while enjoying the break: 

           Everyday Maths Activities

         These help build number sense, measurement, and problem-solving skills:

• Cooking Together: Measuring ingredients, doubling recipes, and timing the bake are great for understanding volume, fractions, and time.
• Shopping Challenges: Give your child a budget and a shopping list. Let them compare prices, calculate totals, and estimate change.
• Road Trip Games:
  • Car Cricket: Score points based on car colours or types you spot.
  • Playlist Math: Create a music playlist that matches the exact duration of your trip.
• Packing for a Trip: Estimate how many items fit in a suitcase - great for understanding capacity.
• Map Navigation: Let them read and follow maps at the zoo or shopping centre to build spatial awareness.

• Board Games & Puzzles: Games like Monopoly, Uno, or Rubik’s Cube teach strategy, counting, and logic.

   

  Everyday English Activities

         These build vocabulary, comprehension, and communication skills:

• Daily Journaling: Encourage them to write a few sentences about their day, using descriptive language.

• Story Time: Read together or listen to audiobooks. Ask questions like “What do you think happens next?” or “Why did the character do that?”
• Play Word Games:
  • I Spy with Descriptions: Instead of just letters, use clues like “I spy something that keeps you warm and starts with ‘j’”.
  • Shopping List Memory Game: “I went shopping and bought…”—builds memory and sequencing.
• Write a Letter or Email: To a friend or grandparent. It’s a fun way to practice sentence structure.
• Create a Nature Journal: Describe animals, plants, or weather during outings.

• Put on a Play or Puppet Show: Let them write a short script and perform it - great for creativity and oral language.

   

  Bonus: Combine Both!

• Baking & Writing: Bake cookies and write a recipe card or a review of the treat.

• Scavenger Hunt: Create clues using rhymes and measure distances between hiding spots.
• Build a Robot Poster: Use shapes for maths and write a story about the robot’s adventures.

Working together for our students,

Leanna Langlands

Instructional Specialist