Do you know what I think? Kids should be sleeping late, playing video games and watching television all day, after a busy school year. Don’t you think so, at least for the very first week? This is a good way to relax their brain before school resumes.
But, after relaxing for a week or two, kids should break out of their comfort zone and maximize the rest of the vacation. There are different meaningful ways to achieve this.
Come along, let’s profile 10 things kids can do/learn during their vacation.
#1: Arts and Crafts
Do you have a knack for arts and crafts? You can turn your hobby to a skill that will generate money down the road. That sounds cool, huh?
So, go ahead and enroll for arts and crafts classes. Need an idea of arts and crafts to choose? Examples include Origami, Hand-print art, Painting on Canvas, T-shirt printing/Tie-dye, Candle making…and more.
If you prefer a brick-and-mortar arts and craft class, you can check with places like recreation departments and local parks. Other places to check include craft stores, library branches, and nearby local businesses.
But, what about sitting at the comfort of your home and learning any craft of your choice? That’s a cool idea, right? That’s where the online learning option comes in. And, do you know what? You can even find free craft courses online.
#2: Language
A kid can add another language to the ones he or she already knows. Learning a language can be one of the great ways to make most of a school holiday.
There are good reasons to learn a new language.
One of them is to make new friends. Let the kid choose the language he or she loves most. That will make learning the language more interesting and easier.
The good news is that you can find language learning resources online, and some of them are actually free and are available in the form of downloadable apps! But if a kid chooses to enroll in a conventional class, that’s also a good idea.
So, what do you do with the new language you’ve learnt? One of the coolest ideas is to watch movies in your new language to test your comprehension.
#3: Musical Instrument
A kid can take advantage of the vacation and learn how to play an instrument, or add to the list of instruments he already knows how to play.
It’s not just about learning a new skill, it’s also about the sense of achievement and good self-esteem that the kid will experience as a result.
From guitar to piano, drums and saxophone, a kid can choose an instrument to learn during a vacation.
Parents should consider getting a private instructor for kids who want to learn an instrument. But, if you are tight on budget, there are helpful resources and video tutorials that will cost less.
#4: A Sport
Do you already play football and/or tennis? Nothing stops you from adding swimming to the list of sports skills you already have.
Need idea of some great places to learn a new sport during vacation? Check community colleges, local universities and sports clubs. These places offer beginner sports classes.
#5: Cooking
What about learning culinary skills? If you have knack for cooking, even if you don’t, you can learn how to cook one or more dishes.
Come to think of it, you will be delighted to have your teenager cook meals for the entire family, won’t you? It gives you both a sense of pride and some level of relief in your kitchen tasks as a mom or dad.
There are tons of cook-books and video tutorials on cooking to help a kid pursue this worthy skill during vacation.
#6: Internship
You are probably wondering, “internship? Is that a skill?” If a kid is serious about building a career path, a vacation period can be a great time to find and enroll in a relevant internship program. It’s making sense now, right?
Kids can work closely with their teachers, parents and career counselors to find companies that offer summer internship programs to high school students.
#7: Give Back to Your Community
Kids will also find an enriching sense of fulfillment in giving back to their community. And, there’s no better time to do that than during a vacation.
The best way to find fulfillment in offering community service is to choose a cause that you are passionate about. It could be helping older people or assisting in an orphanage home.
#8: Become an Apprentice in Your Favorite Trade
Apprenticeship can be a practical and quicker way to learn a trade or skill. From mechanic work to welding, plumbing, and buying and selling, there are tons of options to choose from.
As a parent, if you notice a talent in your kid, such as helping to fix electrical or plumbing issues at home with keenness, you can arrange for an apprenticeship program for the kid during vacation.
#9: Entrepreneurial Skill
Did you have an eye for business as a kid? Are you constantly thinking towards a particular business area such as real estate, gadgets or technological service?
The holiday season is the best time to seek a mentorship program on your favorite business or trade. Parents can step in to help find a mentor for their kids who are potential entrepreneurs.
#10: Interior Décor
When a child goes about putting things at home in the right order and improvising decorative items to beautify the home, that’s an interior décor gift that can be developed!
And of course, there’s a lot of time during the holiday to kick-start the process of turning the kid’s decorative talent into a hot skill that will pay off down the road.
As a parent, you should enroll the kid in an interior decoration class or course during vacation. Also, there are tons of books and video tutorials that can help the kid kick-start the basics of interior decoration.
Wow! It’s been an interesting and insightful 10-list of skills that kids can learn during vacation. Do you know what? Just choose one or two skills based on your passion and give it a try this coming vacation!
