Holidays: A Garden Where Skills Grow

Holidays: A Garden Where Skills Grow

Days off can be fertile ground for new interests and skills when children have time to play, create, and explore their own ideas.

Every small activity can be like a seed: one child may enjoy building, another exploring nature or setting up a game for others. There’s no need to know in advance what might grow from it. It’s enough to offer materials they can use, a safe space, and encouragement when a first attempt doesn’t go as planned. Parents and teachers don’t need to fill the holidays with tasks; they can create the conditions for children’s abilities to develop naturally and at their own pace.

Interested in this topic? Read more: How holidays can enhance children's personal effectiveness without textbooks Want to find out where you stand personally? Take a short test at the end of the page and gain a better understanding.

How does this apply to you? Choose the answers that describe you best:

Imagine that a child spends the whole summer out of school. What comes to your mind first?

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What significance does "boredom" have in a child's life, in your opinion?

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A child spends hours building a fort out of blankets and pillows. How do you perceive that?

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If a child were to decide what to do during the summer, how would you feel?

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What do you think about learning "throughout life" outside of school?

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A child learns to ride a bike over the summer without anyone telling them to. What interests you most about that?

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What type of experiences do you consider the most valuable for a child during the summer vacation?

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When a child says, "I was just outside all day," what do you think?

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How would you describe "child growth" during an unstructured summer?

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What do you think children remember the most from their vacations?

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What children learn during the holidays (even without textbooks)

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