Keeping Literacy Skills Sharp Over Winter Break (Without the Stress!)

Let's be real – winter break is for cozy blankets, hot chocolate, and yes, maybe watching Harry Potter for the hundredth time (no judgment here – I'm currently curled up on my couch doing the same!). But as an educator, I know we also want to keep our kids' minds active without turning break into a homework marathon. Here's how we can sneak in some literacy practice without anyone feeling like we're ruining the holiday spirit.

Winter Break Ideas For Your Elementary School Bookworms

Quick Phonics & Phonological Awareness Games (I promise, they're actually fun!)

1. Commercial Break Challenge (2-3 minutes) During TV commercial breaks, play "Sound Swapper" – pick a word from the show and challenge your child to change one sound to make a new word. Example: If you're watching "Frozen," start with "snow" → "slow" → "glow" → "grow."

1. Grocery Store Detective (While doing your regular shopping) Turn your shopping trip into a sound game (practicing key phonological awareness skills!) Ask your child to find items that start with specific sounds or have certain patterns. "Can you find something that rhymes with 'peak'?" (Greek yogurt, anyone?)

1. Magnetic Letter Minutes (5 minutes while cooking) Keep magnetic letters on your fridge. While you're cooking, call out simple words for your kids to build. For older elementary students, challenge them with longer words or ask them to make as many words as possible from a given set of letters.

   
   

Writing Made Painless

• Gratitude Sticky Notes: Keep sticky notes handy and have your child write one thing they're grateful for each day. It can be as simple as "my warm bed" or "hot cocoa." Bonus: These make great keepsakes!

• Text Message Stories: Let your child send short stories to grandparents or cousins through your phone. Even a few sentences about their day counts as writing practice!

Winter Break Ideas For Your Middle School Readers

Binge-Worthy Books and Their Screen Companions

Perfect for those "I can't move from this couch" days:

• "The One and Only Ivan" (Katherine Applegate)

  • Short chapters

  • Available as a Disney+ movie

  • Can be read in bite-sized chunks

• "The House with Chicken Legs" (Sophie Anderson)

  • Modern take on Baba Yaga folklore

  • Chapters you can finish in one sitting

  • Perfect for cozy winter vibes

• "New Kid" (Jerry Craft)

  • Graphic novel format (less intimidating!)

  • Relatable middle school experiences

  • Quick read that packs a punch

New Kid by Jerry Craft

Sneaky Writing Activities That Don't Feel Like Work

• Family Movie Review Blog: After watching a movie adaptation, have them write a quick comparison to the book. No formal essay needed – even bullet points work!

• Social Media-Style Book Reviews: Let them create Instagram-style posts about books they're reading. They can include:

  • A catchy caption

  • Their rating out of 5 stars

  • A brief "if you liked X, you'll like this" comparison

Remember, Parents...

The key isn't doing everything on this list – it's finding one or two activities that naturally fit into your family's rhythm. Maybe it's just magnetic letters while you cook dinner, or letting your middle schooler stay up 15 minutes later to read their graphic novel. These small moments add up!

Research consistently shows that short, regular engagement with literacy activities is more effective than lengthy, irregular sessions. So don't feel guilty about keeping it simple. Even five minutes of intentional practice can make a difference.

And if some days all you manage is cuddling up and watching a movie adaptation of a book? That counts too! Just throw in a quick conversation about how it compares to the book, and boom – you're sneaking in literacy skills!

Happy reading (and relaxing),

Taylor Sofranko-Sutherland

Founder, TAS Literacy