6 Tips to Accelerate Student Learning During Short-Term School Breaks

As educators, we understand that learning is a continuous journey, while at the same time we also value the importance of breaks for students to rest, reset, and explore learning beyond the classroom walls. However, short-term school breaks—like those in fall, winter, and spring—can sometimes disrupt learning momentum. The good news is that we can implement effective strategies to accelerate learning during school breaks and keep students on track during these times. Here’s how you can help families optimize their child’s learning during short-term school breaks. 

Fun Ways for Students to Continue Learning During School Breaks

1. Promote the Use of Meaningful Technology Tools

With a wide range of digital platforms and resources at our fingertips, we can create engaging, interactive, and accessible content for students to explore while they are away from school.

Utilize Online Learning Platforms

Utilize platforms like Google Classroom, Canvas, or Seesaw to provide students with access to practice or review materials, at-home learning activities, and enrichment opportunities. By providing manageable, self-paced tasks, students can maintain their skills and keep their learning going in a fun and engaging way.

Recommend Educational Apps and Games

Recommend educational apps and games that reinforce core subjects. Resources like Khan Academy, Prodigy, Epic!, and IXL Learning can make learning fun and interactive.

Provide Opportunities for Virtual Field Trips

Offer links to virtual field trips, such as those through Discovery Education. These can be related to current classroom units of study, broader grade-level concepts, or topics of student interest, providing students with an enriching experience that feels more like an adventure than learning.

2. Encourage Reading for Pleasure and Growth

Reading is one of the most effective ways to maintain and accelerate learning during breaks. Reading for pleasure not only improves literacy skills but also enhances vocabulary, comprehension, and overall reading development[1].

Create a Reading Challenge

Create a reading challenge tailored to the length of the break. Encourage students to set goals, such as reading a certain number of books or exploring new genres. Providing a list of recommended books can help guide their choices, as well as encouraging students to visit their local public library.

Encourage Parental Involvement

Encourage parents to engage in reading activities with their children. Sharing stories, reading aloud, and engaging in literacy-based activities can promote a shared interest in reading while reinforcing literacy skills. When parents discuss the books their children read with them and ask questions about the plot, characters, themes, or big ideas, it helps children build deeper reading comprehension skills as well as engage in meaningful conversation.

Provide Choice

Encourage children to choose books that interest them. The key is to foster a love for reading by allowing them to explore topics and genres they enjoy. For younger children, parents can read aloud with them, turning it into a shared activity that builds connection and discussion. For older students, setting aside dedicated reading time each day can help establish a routine.

3. Incorporate Learning into Everyday Activities

Learning doesn’t have to be confined to the classroom. Short-term breaks are an ideal time to incorporate learning into everyday activities, helping students see the real-life application of the things they are learning in school.

Encourage Hands-on Learning at Home

Encourage opportunities for families and students to learn together. Something as simple as cooking a meal together can integrate math skills (counting or measuring ingredients), science concepts (discussing how heat affects food or how substances change when mixed together), and even cultural studies (exploring dishes from different countries). A family outing to a museum or historical site can spark discussions about history, art, or social studies, bringing these subjects to life in a way that’s engaging and memorable.

Promote Questioning Every Day

Parents can encourage informal learning by being curious and asking open-ended questions, prompting children to think critically and to make connections between what they’re experiencing and what they’ve learned in school. Even the most ordinary outings can be learning opportunities. Think about how much math occurs at the grocery store or the gas station. Or how much literacy is involved in reading a menu or creating a shopping list. The Teachable Minute[2] is a great book to support parents as they question and interact with their children around town, at home, and at a variety of public places.

4. Promote Physical and Creative Activities

Physical and creative activities play a crucial role in a child’s overall development and can significantly enhance cognitive function[3]. During short-term breaks, it’s important to balance academic work with activities that boost creativity and improve overall physical and mental well-being.

Encourage Physical Activity

Encourage children to engage in physical activities like sports, dance, yoga, or simply playing outside with friends. These types of physical activities not only keep them fit but can also improve concentration, reduce stress, and support overall mental health.

Offer Opportunities for Creativity

Creative pursuits such as drawing, painting, or playing a musical instrument can help develop fine motor skills and boost imagination. Creative expression is also an excellent way for students to process what they’ve learned and explore new ideas.

5. Foster a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset—the belief that your abilities can be developed as a result of energy, time, and effort—is crucial for academic success. Short-term breaks are a great time to cultivate and reinforce this mindset in children.

Encourage Parent Modeling

Parents can model and encourage a growth mindset by praising effort rather than innate ability. For example, instead of saying, “You’re so smart,” parents can build their child’s growth mindset by saying, “You worked really hard on that problem. I am proud of your effort!” This reinforces the idea that persistence and effort lead to success, which can motivate students to tackle challenging school break activities and tasks and apply that mindset to learning when they get back to school.

Help Students Learn from Mistakes

Parents and teachers can discuss the importance of learning from mistakes, which can help children see setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than as failures. This attitude will serve them well, not just during school breaks but also throughout their academic and personal lives.

6. Plan for Transition Back to School

As the break comes to an end, it is important to help students transition smoothly back into the regular school routine.

Integrate Reflection Activities

When students return to school, begin with reflection activities where students can share what they did and learned during the break. This not only reinforces their experiences but also provides a sense of closure and transition back into the classroom learning routine.

Plan for Review

Plan for a quick review of key concepts or skills so that you can address any gaps or misconceptions that may have emerged. This can also help you see whether any students need more significant re-teaching.

Celebrate Learning

Celebrate the efforts students made over the break, whether they participated in school break activities or simply enjoyed their time off. By recognizing their achievements—big and small—you foster a sense of pride and help create a positive classroom learning environment.

Short-term school breaks provide valuable time for rest and family togetherness, as well as being wonderful opportunities for learning. By integrating technology, promoting reading, finding learning in everyday activities, fostering creativity and a growth mindset, and planning for the transition back to school, we can help students make the most of their time away from the classroom. With the support of families, these breaks can become a time of enrichment and exploration, setting the stage for continued academic success.

[1] Allington, Richard L., and Anne M. McGill-Franzen. (2021). Reading Volume and Reading Achievement: A Review of Recent Research. Reading Research Quarterly. 56(S1) S231–S238. doi:10.1002/rrq.404
[2] https://www.amazon.com/Teachable-Minute-Secret-Raising-Appreciative/dp/1614484694
[3] Michael Yogman, et. al. (2018). The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children. Pediatrics. 142 (3): https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-2058