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Winter break is a magical time for our Little KIPPsters to recharge, celebrate the season, and enjoy quality time with family. It’s also a chance to explore new ideas, develop skills, and create unforgettable memories. Whether you’re traveling or staying close to home, here are creative ways to turn this winter break into a season of joyful learning.
1️⃣ Ignite Curiosity Through Play
Learning doesn’t have to feel like work! Encourage your Little KIPPster to explore their interests through play. Building with blocks or LEGOs fosters problem-solving skills, and board games teach strategy, while puzzles strengthen focus and patience. These activities bring the whole family together while nurturing critical thinking.
2️⃣ Make Good Use of Travel Time
If you’re hitting the road or boarding a plane this holiday season, travel time can be an opportunity to engage your KIPPster’s mind. Pack some educational games, workbooks, or apps to keep them busy while learning on the go. You can also listen to audiobooks or podcasts, turning travel time into an adventure filled with stories and knowledge.
You can find free online educational resources here:
3️⃣ Celebrate Cultural Traditions
Winter is a season of celebration! Explore and celebrate cultural traditions, whether part of your family’s heritage or from a different culture. Read stories, try new recipes, or create crafts representing various holiday traditions worldwide. This helps children develop cultural awareness and appreciation.
4️⃣ Practice Makes Perfect
While on winter break, students have access to the same online learning platforms they can access in the classroom (Imagine Math, Lexia, No Red Ink, Winward Academy, etc.). Many of these programs provide practice opportunities for students based on the skills they have yet to master. To access our online learning platforms during the winter break, students can log into Clever and select the program they wish to work on:
- URL: https://clever.com/in/kipptexas
- Username: the student’s KIPP Texas email address (Example: john.doe123@stu.kipptexas.org)
- Password: your student’s Google password
- Note: If your student is in grades PK-5 and your school has sent home their Clever badge (QR code), they can log into Clever using their Clever Badge and the laptop camera.
5️⃣ Explore the Great Outdoors
Bundle up and head outside! Whether hiking, birdwatching, or simply stargazing, nature offers endless learning opportunities. Use the time to identify plants, animals, or constellations. The fresh air and exercise also provide a healthy break from screens and indoor activities.
6️⃣ Share the Joy of Reading
Reading is the perfect winter activity. Snuggle up with a good book and share the joy of storytelling with your KIPPster. For an added challenge, encourage them to create their own short story or comic inspired by their favorite winter memories.
KIPP TEXAS RECOMMENDED READING LISTS:
Kindergarten
- The Reason for the Seasons by Ellie Peterson
- Weather and Seasons – DK
- Four Seasons Make a Year by Anne Rockwell
1st Grade
- Beyond the Pond by Joseph Kuefler
- Who’s Hiding in the Woods by Kathrine McEwan
- The Tree of Wonder by Simona Mulazzani
2nd Grade
- The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall
- National Geographic
- Ultimate Bugopedia
- Everything Insects
3rd Grade
- I’m a Viking by CJ Adrien
- Project History – The Vikings by Sally Hewitt (text and activities)
- Introduction to Norse Mythology for Kids by Peter Aperlo
4th & 5th Grades
- A Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutzky
- Joyful Noise by Paul Fleischman
- The Random House Book of Poetry for Children
Middle School
- All Summer Long by Hope Larson
- Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
- Ashes to Asheville by Sara Dooley
- Charlie Hernández and the League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo
High School
- Black Boy by Richard Wright
- I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
- Kindred: The Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia Butler
- One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
See Project Learning Tree for more recommendations and resources
You can also learn more about the library programming in your city at:
- library.austintexas.gov/
- houstonlibrary.org/home
- mysapl.org/
- dallaslibrary2.org/
7️⃣ Reflect and Set Goals for the New Year
Winter break is an ideal time to reflect on accomplishments and set goals for the upcoming year. Encourage your KIPPster to create a vision board or write down their aspirations for school, hobbies, and personal growth.
A Winter Break to Remember
Let’s embrace opportunities to learn, grow, and connect this winter break as a family. KIPP Texas believes education goes beyond the classroom. It’s in the stories we read, the games we play, the places we explore, and the traditions we celebrate.
From our KIPP Texas family to yours, we wish you a safe, joyful, and inspiring holiday season. Let’s make this winter break a time of discovery and wonder! KIPP Texas Public Schools is closed Monday, December 23, 2024, through Friday, January 3, 2025. We can’t wait to see our KIPPsters on campus on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.
