It is important that Montessori preschool children continue to engage in play-based activities even when they are out for the holiday break. The good news for parents is that this time of year is ideal for sensory games, counting, and other core activities that keep children’s minds sharp and focused on the excitement of learning.
Counting Activities
Counting is a frequent activity for Montessori preschool children. The holiday season has dozens of items associated with the holidays such as ornaments, colored lights, and ringing bells that can be counted and sorted. This helps build strong math skills as it teaches children to recognize and name the objects surrounding the season.
Matching Seasonal Items
Matching and sorting are closely connected and the holiday break gives children plenty of time to sort like items. This teaches the concept of sets and encourages children to notice details like colors and shapes when examining objects. With so many seasonal objects to work with, children can play matching games over and over again with everything from Christmas tree cutouts to colored lights.
Counting Down the Days
Marking off the days until the end of the year is a great tool for learning to count, using calendars, and discovering the fixed position of holidays in the year. One suggestion is to mark off the 12 twelve days of Christmas using the items mentioned for each day in the famous song.
Sensory Games for the Season
Scented candles and other holiday items make excellent sensory games for young children. If you don’t have scented candles available, the same game can be played with a blindfold and various items associated with the season, allowing your child to handle each object and then guess what they are holding.
Keep in mind that children are learning when they are playing, and there is a lot to do and learn about this most popular holiday season of the year. So turn off the TV, pop some popcorn and sit down for some exciting educational activities with your Montessori preschool children over the holiday break.