February is well known as the shortest month of the year (even with an extra day this year!). And yet, many teachers, parents, and students report feeling like it is a LONG month, with only one teacher work day, and several weeks between now and spring break. How might you help your child deal with the long stretch between winter break and spring break? We have a few tips for you!
- Do you have a few lingering winter holiday decorations hanging around in your house? Suggest that your child take them down and help you do some new decorating. You could decorate for Spring, St. Patrick’s Day, a family birthday, or “just because day.”
- Keep Them (And You) Moving: This time of year is often a time that outdoor play slows down, but that does not mean your child has to slow down. For little ones, try resources such as Go Noodle for Kids. For older kids, there are numerous yoga and exercise videos available for free. Consider some form of exercise WITH your child. You might be surprised how much you both begin to look forward to it!
- Attend a Performance Together: A great way to get out of the house, but stay in the warmth, can include attending a performance together. Pitt County has several theatre options that have live performances and plays. In addition, many schools are starting to put on orchestra, choir, and other musical performances. Choose to attend one at your school, or another school in the county, even if your child is not in it!
- VOTE! Help your child understand why it is important to be informed about elected officials. Work together to have your child write down one fact about each elected official. Then, take your child with you to a poll location to watch you vote! Early voting is February 13-February 29, and election day is March 3.
- READ! If you have a child old enough to read chapter books, encourage them to read a few “just for fun (no AR test needed!). To make it even more meaningful, find a book you and your child are both interested in, and share the reading. Keep in mind that no child is developmentally too old to be read to every once in a while.
