If you are a parent with a busy work schedule, your days off are a real joy and an opportunity to have fun, even at home. The time spent with your child is valuable for both of you, especially if you opt for recreative and educational activities.

Early education specialists tell us that the child’s recreative activities are as important as the educational ones, if the parents know how to choose the right games and get involved.

„A child should not be over busy during the holidays. Still, it’s useful for his or her development to review some of the things learned in the nursery”, explains Daniela Dica, Early Years Team Leader Popa Soare.

                                                                    Holiday routine

41598631_909099895942410_4344105716185825280_oBefore thinking about what type of activities you should choose for your child, you should know that it is very important to create at home a routine which is similar to the one in your child’s nursery.

Start the day by having breakfast with your child, after that you can allow an hour of free play, followed by educational activities such as painting, arts crafts, construction etc. Lunch should be followed by a well deserved break and in the afternoon outdoor games.

 

How should we play during the holiday?

We came up a list of activities from the nursery which are also easy to do at home. All of them focus on your child’s emotional, social and personal development, as well as on cognitive and creative development.

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  • Make a farm from Lego, construction blocks
  • Bake together something easy that can be decorated
  • Make funny figures out of fruits
  • Dance
  • Have a theme day. This may be butterflies, pirates, princesses, fairies, dinosaurs or a particular color.
  • Make an inside obstacle course with cushions, pillows, boxes, chairs and blankets.
  • Play dressing up and put on a show.
  • Go on a color hunt around your house. Collect objects of a certain color and take a photo of your finds to make a collage.
  • Buy a note book and ask your child to keep a holiday diary by drawing
  • Do general gardening or plant a vegetable or herb garden.
  • Pick flowers and press them
  • Coloring
  • Make dolls out of paper or other recyclables
  • Make a robot out of cardboard boxes
  • Make a treasure hunt outdoors: hide toys around the garden/park and have your child find them
  • Origami
  • Make a collage
  • Make an imaginary city using toy-cars and boxes as buildings
  • Make a puzzle
  • Play board or card games: Monopoly, Pictionary, Snap, Taboo, Hungry Hippo, Categories, Old Maid.

As a parent, it is extremely important that you play alongside your child in order to create a context for learning.  And if you are very busy all year long, the holiday gives you the chance to make up for it!

Have fun playing!