The holiday season is a magical time of year filled with joy, celebration, and cherished traditions. For families, it offers a perfect opportunity to reconnect, create lasting memories, and enjoy quality time together. Yet, amidst the whirlwind of Christmas shopping, festive gatherings, and endless to do lists, it’s easy to overlook the importance of calm, meaningful moments with our children.
At Edx Education, we believe the holidays are a prime opportunity to embrace play-based learning, encouraging children to develop vital skills like resilience, persistence, and critical thinking all while strengthening family bonds.
The Magic of Calm Play
The holidays can often feel overwhelming for children, with sensory overload from bright lights, loud gatherings, and packed schedules. Creating moments of calm through play not only soothes children but also offers them a space to think, explore, and connect with family.
Our Busy Play range, featuring open-ended toys like Pattern Blocks, Pentominoes, Tangrams, and more, provides an affordable and creative way to foster this calm. These toys are perfect for structured and unstructured play, helping children build focus and problem-solving skills while having fun. Whether it’s designing patterns with tangrams or solving puzzles with pentominoes, these activities offer children a sense of accomplishment and confidence that lasts beyond the holiday season.
Building Memories Through Play
Play isn’t just about keeping children occupied; it’s about building memories and creating traditions that they’ll carry with them into adulthood. Sitting down as a family to solve a puzzle, build a tower, or create a pattern can spark conversations, laughter, and bonding.
In the hustle and bustle of the season, setting aside even 15 minutes for play can have a profound impact. It’s a time to engage with your children, listen to their ideas, and connect on their level. These moments of shared joy help children feel valued, loved, and secure, laying the foundation for strong family relationships.
Teaching Children to Think
The holidays are also a wonderful time to encourage children to think critically and creatively. By incorporating play into your family’s traditions, you can inspire curiosity and foster a love of learning. Here are six ways you can encourage your children to think during the holiday season:
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Choices
Let your children make choices, even small ones. They could choose decorations for the tree, decide which holiday movie to watch, or pick ingredients for a festive recipe. Explain the reasons behind their choices to help them understand decision-making.
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Exploration and Risk-Taking
Encourage exploration and safe risks. Let them build forts with wrapping paper rolls, create their own Christmas games, or experiment with making holiday crafts. These activities teach persistence and creativity.
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Experimentation
Turn everyday activities into experiments. For instance, while baking cookies, discuss why certain ingredients are essential, or while wrapping gifts, talk about geometry and how shapes fit together.
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Listening and Engaging
Take time to listen to your children. Whether they’re explaining their new toy or sharing a story about school, ask open-ended questions to encourage them to articulate their thoughts and ideas.
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Opportunities and Experiences
Try new activities together as a family. Visit local holiday markets, explore different cultural traditions, or cook festive meals from around the world. These experiences broaden their horizons and spark curiosity.
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Shared Interests
Share your interests and childhood memories with your children. If you loved building snowmen or creating holiday cards as a child, do these activities together. They’ll appreciate the connection to your own history and family traditions.
Resilience and Persistence Through Play
The holiday season often comes with its own set of challenges, from waiting patiently for presents to handling unexpected changes in plans. Through play, children can learn valuable skills like resilience and persistence. Activities like solving puzzles or building with blocks teach them to work through challenges and find solutions—skills that will benefit them for a lifetime.
Creating Family Traditions
As you navigate the holiday season, consider how you can incorporate calm, meaningful play into your family’s traditions. Whether it’s a family game night, a puzzle solving competition, or a quiet morning spent creating patterns with tangrams, these moments are more than just fun they’re the building blocks of your child’s development.
At Edx Education, we’re here to support you with toys, downloadable resources, and our Play, Learn & Create podcast. Together, let’s make this holiday season a time of connection, calm, and creativity.