Take children on trips to memorable places or new environments to broaden their perspectives and offer fresh experiences
By Nandi Bette
The long vacation is here once again. For many parents, it offers a temporary sigh of relief—a welcome break from the early-morning rush of preparing kids for school, afternoon pickups, and late-night homework supervision.
However, this break brings its own set of challenges. Guiding and engaging children throughout the long break requires active effort to ensure they stay productive, especially given the old adage: “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”
The Misconception of Holiday Lessons
It is common to hear parents complain that children play too much, cause disruptions, or eat constantly during the holidays. To solve this, many parents immediately send their children back to school for “holiday lessons.”
However, this may not be the best approach.
The education experts who originally designed the academic calendar intentionally created the long vacation to give children a complete break from formal academic work. Young minds need time to rest, recharge, and process what they have learned throughout the school year.
Rather than repeating classroom routines, the long vacation should be a time for practical, hands-on learning—focusing on life skills, creativity, and personal development.
Key Skills Children Can Learn During the Vacation
In an evolving world centered on innovation and entrepreneurship, children need skills that go beyond traditional school curricula. Parents can take this opportunity to introduce their children to valuable practical abilities:
Adventure & Exploration: Take children on trips to memorable places or new environments to broaden their perspectives and offer fresh experiences.
Coding & Digital Literacy: Encourage learning computer programming, basic IT skills, or typing—preparing them for modern computer-based exams and a technology-driven world.
Culinary & Home Skills: Teach children basic cooking and baking skills. Every child—boy or girl—should at least know how to prepare basic meals, make tea, or boil water safely.
Safety & Security Awareness: Train children on basic safety protocols and how to respond appropriately to security threats.
Family Support & Basic Commerce: Involve children in family activities, such as accompanying parents to a store or market to learn basic bookkeeping and customer service.
Health & Personal Hygiene: Instill habits of cleanliness, personal care, and maintaining a tidy home environment.
Arts & Music: Encourage them to pick up a musical instrument, draw, or practice crafts and sewing patterns to beautify the home.
Gardening & Agriculture: Introduce them to planting flowers or backyard farming. For children in rural areas, participating in farm work fosters a healthy appreciation for agriculture and the dignity of physical labor.
A Time for Family Bonding
Parenting extends beyond paying school fees, buying supplies, and providing basic needs. The long vacation presents a critical opportunity for parent-child bonding.
In today’s fast-paced world, many working parents—particularly fathers—leave home before their children wake up and return long after they have gone to bed. The long holiday provides a rare window to slow down, spend quality time together, and strengthen family relationships.
Instead of sending children right back into the classroom, let us use this vacation to help them learn life skills, explore new interests, and deepen their connection with family.