Tips for Keeping Kids Learning Over the School Holidays

For your kids, the school holidays are synonymous with freedom and fun. And in those final weeks of school, they’re probably already dreaming about swimming pools, badminton games, theme parks, balik kampung trips, outings with friends, and even lazier mornings sleeping in.

One thing that’s probably not on their holiday itinerary: regular learning.

And that can create a challenge for parents. On the one hand, kids should be free to be kids and enjoy a well-earned break. On the other, spending the entire school holiday away from books and learning could mean losing some of the momentum and knowledge they built up during the previous school term.

Here are three ways Malaysian parents can keep their kids’ minds active, bodies moving, and understanding of the world growing throughout the school holidays.

1. R & (W)R

At school, your children are often told what to read and when to read it. That’s why many kids associate reading with homework, which, in turn, is why some children rarely choose to read for fun.

Help your children break out of this “homework” mentality by encouraging them to read anything that genuinely interests them. Graphic novels, comics, magazines, biographies of their favourite celebrities or athletes, or books that have been adapted into movies and TV shows can be good starting points for reluctant readers. Audiobooks and age-appropriate educational podcasts can also make stories and new ideas more accessible.

You can also turn reading into a social activity. Start a family book club or encourage your child to exchange books and recommendations with their friends. Local libraries and bookstores may also organise reading programmes, workshops, storytelling sessions, and other activities during the school holidays.

Writing often gets lumped together with reading as “homework” as well. A holiday notebook might inspire your child to put pen to paper on their own time. Encourage them to keep a travel journal during a balik kampung trip, write about their favourite meal, create their own stories, or simply record something interesting they did that day.

2. Family Field Trips

Kids love field trips because they get to leave the classroom. Taking a few family “field trips” to museums, zoos, aquariums, cultural centres, science centres, botanical gardens, and nature parks can get everyone out of their usual routines while exposing children to a wider world of culture, science, history, and nature.

Before you head out, look up the destination together and let your child help set the itinerary. Have them choose where the family should go first, find interesting facts about the destination, or read the informative displays you pass along the way.

You can also combine field trips with other family activities. Go camping and learn how to pitch a tent. Take a nature walk and see how many different birds, insects, flowers, and plants your family can identify. Visit a local farm and learn where food comes from.

Field trips can also be a great way for the whole family to learn more about Malaysia. From Taman Negara and our beautiful beaches and islands to historical destinations such as Melaka and George Town, there are plenty of opportunities to introduce children to Malaysia’s biodiversity, multicultural heritage, and history — sometimes without having to travel very far from home.

3. Getting Messy

Let kids do what they do best: make a mess.

Gather up the arts and crafts materials around the house and see what your kids can create.

You’ll also find thousands of simple activities online that can turn your kitchen or living room into a mini laboratory. Simple science experiments can teach children about everything from chemical reactions to plants, weather, and physics.

Online cooking tutorials or grandparents’ family recipes can teach your kids how to prepare food for themselves or the whole family. Learning how to make nasi lemak, kuih, dumplings, chapati, or another family favourite can also become an opportunity to learn more about their own culture and family history.

If you have some outdoor space, start a small herb or vegetable garden. Even growing simple plants such as pandan, chilli, spring onions, or herbs can teach children basic biology, patience, responsibility, and environmental awareness.

Classic board games such as Scrabble, Monopoly, congkak, checkers, and chess can also develop spelling, maths, strategy, probability, and problem-solving skills while giving everyone some screen-free family time.

And when the day’s activity is done, getting the kids involved in cleaning up can teach them a little personal responsibility too.

Before the next school holiday begins, let’s review how your Life-Centred Financial Plan is set up to support the experiences, education, and family time that matter most to you — so you can make the most of the holidays without losing sight of your family’s longer-term goals.