Youngsters look forward to Christmas vacation longingly. Two weeks with no text books or tests, sleeping in late every morning. But you can help your child stay sharp during this time so that going back to school in January is not such a jolt to their brains.

McNeil Pediatrics, a division of McNeil-PPC,Inc is the manufacturer of Centris, a drug that is meant to help children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) stay focused. They have published suggestions for parents to help their children during the Holiday season. Because these ideas are terrific for every student, I’d like to share them with you.

SMART ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN TO HELP MAKE HOLIDAYS HAPPIER
Creative Ideas to Help Your Child have an enjoyable Break while staying in an Academic Frame of mind.

READING
Encourage your child to read holiday-themed and seasonal stories and
books. Getting the whole family to read aloud together makes it even
more fun. Consider asking your child’s teacher to recommend a list of
age-appropriate books.

MATH
Go from the classroom to the kitchen. Have your child help you measure
and mix ingredients of a favorite recipe for cookies or other dessert.
Cooking and baking help develop concentration and patience while also
using essential math skills like addition, subtraction, fractions and time.
Plus, it will make your child feel a part of your family’s holiday traditions.

WRITING
Create and write holiday cards to friends and relatives for practice
with spelling, penmanship and art skills. It also reinforces the idea of
relationship-building in your child.
To keep your child writing, encourage keeping a diary, journal or
scrapbook about his or her holiday break or any other seasonal subject.

ARTS & CRAFTS
Get your child or teen in the holiday spirit by making snowflakes or
holiday decorations out of paper, cardboard or other materials. He or
she can also make a winter diorama or holiday village out of clay, wood
and/or paper mache. He or she will be incorporating math concepts like
geometry and symmetry while using their creativity. It’s also a good way
to get siblings and friends to work on something positive together.

THEATER
Gather friends and siblings to put on a holiday talent show or play.
It will use skills like memorization, reading, project management and
working with others. Plays can come from a favorite holiday story
or something they make up themselves.

GAMES
With family and friends gathering together, the holidays are a
perfect time to play everyone’s favorite games. Most games
incorporate plenty of reading, math and memorization skills,
and they’re a great way for everyone to join in on the fun.

© McNeil Pediatrics, Division of McNeil-PPC, Inc. 2007 November 2007 60CON07

Remember: This list is just a suggestion. I know you can come up with lots more ideas.

Tomorrow I’ll post the suggestions for teens.

Have a great day!
Brennan

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