rwjx2khsmj Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 I've structured our schedule to stop school on December 18 and not start again until January 4. This will be our longest break since we started homeschool in late July. I'm concerned that there are going to be some days in there that having "nothing to do" may be too little. For those of you with more experience than I have, do you try to do any school work during this time or do you just keep it all fun? Any wonderful tips or ideas for the down time around the holidays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 We just put our books away Thanksgiving weekend, and started up again some time after the first of the year. We continued doing some things, such as going to the library every Wednesday, and going on a field trip every Thursday, but nothing that looked remotely like school. Of course, we continued household chores and whatnot. I'm not sure about the "fun" part, though.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 My dh teaches public school, so we take a Christmas break every year. He is off from the 19th to Jan 6th this year. We do not do school work during our breaks. We will sometimes do field trips so that Daddy can go on them as well. We have no family here so we spend about a week of it traveling. The rest of the time, we will just hang around some days, but we usually plan a few fun things such as a board game day or watch movies day. On New Year's day my dh does a scavenger hunt for the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 I've structured our schedule to stop school on December 18 and not start again until January 4. This will be our longest break since we started homeschool in late July. I'm concerned that there are going to be some days in there that having "nothing to do" may be too little. For those of you with more experience than I have, do you try to do any school work during this time or do you just keep it all fun? Any wonderful tips or ideas for the down time around the holidays? During Thanksgiving week, I had the kids do one subject a day, just to keep in the groove. Over Christmas (the same two weeks you're taking), we won't do regular schoolwork. If things get boring, we'll make cookies, or create something, or go shopping, or decorate ds's room, or clean out a closet, or any one of a hundred projects that always seem to get pushed aside. Either that, or we'll just make popcorn and watch a movie, or read a book, or visit a museum. Or, maybe we'll go see one of their great-aunts, or cousins they've never met, or something like that. Of course, there will be a couple large dinners, and family gatherings, and the whole present opening and setting up/building/playing thing that will come right in the middle of our two week vacation! :) I'm sure the time will fly by way too fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Last year our Christmas break was from Thanksgiving to New Year's. This year, since we were a bit behind due to nausea in the early stages of my pregnancy we didn't do that. I've been playing catch-up, because the year is going to be cut short since the baby is due mid-April. Last year we did no book work over break. We did crafts, baking, listening to music and watching educational movies and movies for entertainment. I think we did continue doing some reading practice. I had two reluctant readers and figured it was best not to let them get lazy there. For the most part, the kids didn't get bored. They have great imaginations and played on their own a lot. Although near the end of the break my oldest did come to me and ask me when they were going to do school again. He was ready to get back to work, which was quite out of character for him. As of this week we are down to a 3 day school week. I haven't decided what will happen with the rest of the month yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 We are on break from the 16 through Jan 4 and you can bet your bottom dollar that nary a school book will be touched during this time!! I need the break as much as the kids do!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 We are on break from the 16 through Jan 4 and you can bet your bottom dollar that nary a school book will be touched during this time!! I need the break as much as the kids do!! Ours starts the 18th, but I'm right there with ya! And I only have ONE to teach! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmamainva Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Our youngest is in public school this year, so we're following the school schedule. Her last day is the 18th and she doesn't return until January 4th, so we're taking those same two weeks off in our homeschool. My oldest is at the community college and her last day is Monday and she doesn't return until January 11th! I'm looking forward to some nice and relaxed family time! We'll be doing alot of baking the first week, and then they'll be enjoying their new toys and presents the second week. We're looking forward to the break! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karenciavo Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 This is when I usually have more time for fun hands-on stuff. This Christmas we'll do the science projects I've been meaning to get to with ds7, put together some projects from The Way Things Work Kit ds7 got for his birthday in June :001_rolleyes:, finish constructing the Wizard of Oz model we started as ds7 read the Wizard of Oz back in September (poor ds7 :lol:.) We keep it fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Thanks so much. I didn't really need permission to take a vacation but it's nice to know that others need the break and are looking forward to it as much as I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 We are off after tomorrow and will be until Jan 4. We will do fun things during the days with no school before my mom comes for Christmas on the 23rd. Wednesday, we will do some baking. Thursday, we will start a lapbook on the Christmas Story (Christ's birth). On Friday, we are having a Christmas Party with a homeschool friend. :) Weekends are fun times with dad. Mon and Tues of Christmas week, we will finish our lapbooks, and come Wed (when my mom comes), it will be all about enjoying family and friends for the Holidays). :) My older son visits with his dad for a week or so right after Christmas, so he will be gone and dh will be off that whole week. About the time mom goes home, ds10 comes back, and dh goes back to work, it will be time to get back to school. We love our time off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 My dh teaches public school, so we take a Christmas break every year. He is off from the 19th to Jan 6th this year. We do not do school work during our breaks. We will sometimes do field trips so that Daddy can go on them as well. Same here. The whole family is on break. We'll all read like crazy just because we like to read. We'll write a ton of Thank You cards and that will be IT. I want to just enjoy a fluffy book and some hot tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 This will be our last week of school before our "break." And this week is not a normal week, we are doing Christmas School this week. Next week we will not do school at all. The following week we will do some things....maybe some reading lessons, still learning memory verses for AWANA, maybe a few math lessons. But not too much stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moniksca Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I will be off the same time period, I'm still in school so I'm in desperate need of a break. I have work to do myself so I won't be doing anything school related with my ds. I just plan on doing some christmas crafts/baking and catching up on some read alouds. I'm looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I have the same break scheduled. Wooohoo!! I hope to have time the week of x-mas to make ornaments, bake, play, make a gingerbread house. . . The week after x-mas, the kids will have loads of time to play with their new loot. We all need a break now and then! Just have fun!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funschooler5 Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 (edited) We've been on a break since December 1st, and we'll be off through New Years. We were doing math and Latin every day during the break, but we quit. We have so much stuff going on this month (lessons, classes, baking, sewing, and various outside holiday activities) I just decided to forget the formal homeschooling right now, and I'm so glad we have. We made our first real gingerbread house last week, from scratch, and we all had a ball. We've been watching Christmas (and other) movies, and making gifts. My oldest Dd even mentioned how glad she was that we're doing all of this stuff. It seems like in years past I've talked about doing things like this, but there was never enough time. Edited December 15, 2009 by funschooler5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 We are scheduled to be on break, but we are behind in a few subjects so we will have to use that time try to catch up a bit. Pretty much only poetry and spelling, so about an hour and a half a day. It will help with the boredom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRG Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Last week was a good stopping place for us (at the end of chapters in everything). I looked ahead and somehow we have managed to be a week ahead of schedule so we are taking 3 weeks off for Christmas. We were both ready for a break! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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