How Parents Can Help with Early Learning Activities During the Holidays

Many parents believe that they are undoubtedly best placed to decide what's best for their children. While this is, of course, an understandable position to take, many adults "carry forward" some of their habits and experiences from their own childhood, which may not be necessarily as healthy as they could be these days. Furthermore, many parents are extremely busy and are often under pressure when it comes to spending quality time with their kids. With holiday time ahead, what can parents learn from educators, who are dedicated professionally to the welfare of children?

Striking a Balance

Perhaps the most important keyword for parents to consider is "balance." Certainly, holidays are meant to be fun and a chance to get away from predictable, daily life, but this does not mean that they should be a time of overindulgence. In fact, parents should focus on spending time with their children around healthy activities, as it's crucial for young children to be active when they are going through their early learning stages.

Being Extra Active

To address this, parents should consider scheduling several, short bursts of activity throughout a given day. This can take place in the back garden, in a local park, on a nearby beach or in another natural setting. In the evening, the parents could set up a dance party and play popular songs that everyone can enjoy.

Christmas time "down under" is of course a time to enjoy the warm weather and it's certainly fun to develop some outdoor games with that seasonal feel.

Many jurisdictions have leisure activities that are designed for parents and children and focus on bringing everybody back to nature. See if you can get involved in one of these programs, which encourage you to visit nearby parkland and prompt the young ones to go through a range of motions in a natural setting.

Focusing on Food

When the children are in an early learning centre, their diet is well planned and this should be carried forward throughout the holiday season. It can be tempting to cut corners and save time by serving them processed foods, but certainly this should be balanced with healthy nutrition, as well. Get hold of some cookbooks that are made for children, so that the treats you come up with are not just good for them, but fun to eat as well. Consider substituting ice cream on a hot day for frozen fruit snacks instead or think about freezing a banana to make it into a tasty popsicle.

Crafting Your Plan

Have a word with educators at your early learning centre to come up with some additional ideas, so that you all enjoy the upcoming holiday season to full effect.