December 16: Winter Movement Activity

If it’s too cold to play outside, or your kids need to get out some extra energy during the day, try playing a game of Penguin Freeze Dance!

Put on your favorite holiday playlist. When the music is going, everyone has to bust out their best penguin dance moves! When you stop the music, everyone has to freeze until the music starts playing again. Switch up your dance moves by trying other winter animals, such as reindeer, polar bears, walruses, or arctic wolves. 

December 17: How to Practice Social Skills Over Winter Break

• Getting your kids involved in helping with holiday planning and tasks can help them practice valuable skills such as planning, time management, and independence. Have them help you make lists for tasks for holiday parties or household chores, and let them complete any tasks where they can be helpful. Help instill independence by giving them a special task to do at a holiday party, such as putting away people’s coats or helping set the table. 

• If your child has difficulty with communication, practice conversation skills before holiday gatherings or group events. Some helpful things to practice include:
• How to greet others and say goodbye
• How to use polite words such as please and thank you
• Practicing how to answer common questions they may be asked about themselves, such as what they are learning in school or their favorite activities
• Preparing a few questions that they can ask others in a conversation
• How to be a good listener

• Read holiday-themed books together that have themes about friendship, perspective taking, independence, and problem solving. Check out our book recommendations for ideas!

• Practice kindness and gratitude by making homemade gifts or cards for others, or writing thank you notes to send to family and friends who gave them presents.

• Have a family game night to practice sportsmanship skills and following rules. Or practice playing a favorite game that they can bring to a holiday gathering to play with others. 

• Teach your child to recognize when they are feeling overwhelmed and need to take a break during a party or event. Talk to your child about anything they may be worried about before an event, and come up with solutions ahead of time that they can use. 

December 18: Book Recommendations

Here are some more book recommendations for your kids to read over winter break:

Ages 3-5:

Construction Site: Taking Flight! by Sherri Duskey Rinker - A fun story for kids who love construction that emphasizes working together and the joy of a job well done. 

Big by Vashti Harrison - A moving story with lessons about fitting in, standing out, and the beauty of accepting who you are. 

We Don’t Lose Our Class Goldfish: A Penelope Rex Book by Ryan T. Higgins - From the author of We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, this cute story centers around learning to face your fears. 

Ages 6-8:

The Little Kid With the Big Green Hand by Mathew Gray Gubler - a heartwarming story about creatures, colors, connection, and the power of empathy.

Creepy Crayon! by Aaron Reynolds - a hilarious book for kids who love spooky (but not too scary!) stories.

The Barnabus Project by Terry Fan - a picture book about the adventures of Barnabus, a half-mouse/half-elephant who learns how to follow his dreams and find self-acceptance.

Ages 9-12:

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead - a story of a little free library guarded by a cat and the boy who discovers the mystery it keeps, with themes about owning your truth, choosing the life you want, and the power of a good book.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan - an award winning fantasy series about adventures in the world of Greek mythology.

Jawbreaker by Christina Wyman - a charming and relatable novel about life as a pre-teen, that covers everything from sibling rivalry and dental drama to socioeconomic disparity. 

December 19: Winter Break Learning Activity

To keep your kid’s mind active over winter break, try out one of these learning activities!

Two Ingredient Fake Snow

For kids who love sensory play or science, this fake snow recipe uses ingredients you probably have in your house! 

Snow ingredients:

• Baking soda
• Shaving cream
• Bucket or container for mixing

Instructions:

• Pour a box of baking soda into a bucket or container. 
• Add some shaving cream and mix it into the baking soda with your hands. Keep adding shaving cream until the mixture is the consistency of snow!

Winter Word Search

Your child can work on their visual perception and discrimination skills with this fun winter word search!

Download or print the word search here: Winter Word Search.

December 20: Holiday Crafts

Here are some fun holiday craft ideas to help improve fine motor skills and keep your kids entertained over winter break:

Tissue Paper Art

If you have leftover tissue paper from wrapping your holiday gifts, your kids can use it for this fun art project!

Start by having them draw a winter picture on a piece of construction paper, such as a snowman or a snowflake. You can also print out an outline of a picture they want to make! Have them tear off small pieces of tissue paper and crumple them into a ball. Then use glue to attach the pieces of tissue inside their drawing.

Play Dough Snowmen

If you live in a place that doesn’t get a lot of snow, let your kids use play dough to make their own snowmen! Roll white play dough into three balls: one small, one medium, and one large. Stack the balls on top of each other. Use different colored play dough to create eyes and a nose, as well as fun accessories such as a top hat or buttons!