School Holidays: How to Make the Most of This Time for Your Child’s Wellbeing and Learning

Rather than being "time off" from learning, the holidays provide valuable opportunities to build new skills, explore different interests and enjoy meaningful family experiences that encourage learning in a natural way.

Here are some ideas to help you make the most of the holiday break.

1. Rest Is an Essential Part of Learning

After months of lessons, assessments and extracurricular activities, children need time to recharge. Research in educational neuroscience suggests that rest supports memory consolidation, creativity and problem-solving skills.

Giving children the opportunity to sleep well, slow down and enjoy a more relaxed routine helps them return to school feeling refreshed, motivated and ready to learn.

2. Learning Beyond the Classroom Matters

Learning doesn't only happen at school. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), everyday experiences play a significant role in developing essential skills such as curiosity, communication, critical thinking and problem-solving.

Simple activities such as cooking together, visiting a museum, exploring nature, carrying out a science experiment at home or planning a family outing can all become valuable learning experiences during the holidays.

3. Encourage Reading Throughout the Holidays

Reading remains one of the most effective ways to develop language, comprehension and imagination. Research suggests that continuing to read during school holidays helps children maintain their literacy skills and supports academic progress when they return to school.

The best approach is to let children choose books that genuinely interest them. Novels, comics, magazines, biographies and audiobooks are all excellent ways to make reading enjoyable rather than feeling like homework.

4. Quality Family Time Supports Emotional Development

The holidays provide an ideal opportunity to spend meaningful time together as a family. Sharing meals, playing games, cooking, visiting new places or enjoying outdoor activities helps strengthen relationships, build trust and encourage open communication.

These shared experiences also contribute to the development of social and emotional skills, which are increasingly recognised as essential for success both at school and in later life.

5. Find a Healthy Balance with Screen Time

Technology can be a valuable tool for both learning and entertainment, but it is equally important to make time for other experiences.

Child development experts recommend balancing screen time with physical activity, creative play, reading, sport and opportunities for face-to-face interaction. Setting simple family agreements around technology use can help children develop healthy digital habits.

6. Ease Back into School Routines

As the holidays come to an end, gradually reintroducing routines—such as regular bedtimes and daily schedules—can make the return to school much smoother.

Small adjustments during the final days of the break help children feel confident, prepared and ready to begin the new term.

Holidays That Leave a Lasting Impact

The experiences children enjoy during the holidays are an important part of their education. Every conversation, outing, book and shared moment helps nurture curiosity, independence, creativity and wellbeing.

At Colegio Peruano Británico, we believe that learning extends far beyond the classroom. Every experience offers an opportunity to grow, discover new passions and develop the skills needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.

We wish our entire community a wonderful holiday filled with rest, quality time together and memorable experiences.