Games vs Study — How To Decide On The Right School Holiday Activities in Singapore

May 30, 2022

When the school holidays arrive, you’ll probably wonder how to keep your little one engaged. Should you sign them up for more tuition classes, enrichment activities and school holiday workshops in Singapore, or focus on fun and games throughout? What if we told you that all of these will likely bring holistic benefit to your child?

Of course, the school holidays are a break from the curriculum hustle, and surely your child deserves some rest before the new term starts. At the same time, you’d also want to keep their minds active so they don’t feel “rusty” when they return to school. A balance of both game and study ensures that your child remains productively engaged. 

Since both games and study are beneficial in many ways, neither are better than the other.

Benefits of playing games during school holidays

1. Learn mental or physical skills

Games are definitely fun, but they also offer learning opportunities for children. Take out the game of Jenga and have your child make strategic moves. They’ll learn how to analyse what is in front of them and think critically before pushing or pulling out a block in a way that prevents the tower from collapsing. Such problem-solving skills help to stimulate the mind and encourage them to think out of the box, a necessary trait for the future. Games like Scrabble and Mastermind are great alternatives too. 

You can also consider sport activities – from football to basketball, your child can learn to work in a team and experiment with how to communicate effectively in a high stress situation. Interpersonal communication and a collaborative mindset are important attributes for any school-going child.

2. Explore new ideas & experiences

Naturally, when you introduce your child to a new game, they will be exposed to new ideas and experiences. This could be a new word they learnt on the Scrabble board. In other instances, a conflict between team mates on court can teach your child how to resolve differences and work together towards a common goal. When your child learns how to mediate disputes, they build leadership skills too.

3. Create more opportunities for family bonding

The school holidays are a perfect time to bond with the family. Consider taking your child out to the nearby playground in the evenings, go cycling or enjoy recreational activities in Singapore, like paddle boating or obstacle courses. This is precious time you can spend with your little one – setting aside a good number of days over the holidays is perfect for this!

Benefits of studying during school holidays

1. Review & catch up

The school holidays are also a good time for your child to catch up on what they studied in the previous term and review their understanding of key concepts. Should they be behind any topic, the holidays offer them a good space to practise and get back on track. Exploring activities that help facilitate better comprehension and recall is one way your child can benefit. For instance, you can plan a fun mathematics quiz to review your child’s memory of the multiplication table. A peer writing exercise with prompts can also let your child practise creative writing skills using the words they learnt in the last term.

2. Keep brain muscles active

At school, children exercise their brains – when this stops during the holidays, it can get difficult for them to get back on track when the new term starts. Studying during the holidays helps to keep their techniques fresh. You need not plan activities per se; encouraging them to spend some time reading up on topics they are interested is enough to stimulate their minds.

3. Prepare them for a new term

If your child is slow at grasping concepts, it can be beneficial to prepare them before they head back to school. Review the curriculum and find out the upcoming topics they’ll be taught, and plan some lessons or activities around these. The point here is not to overload them; rather, it’s to give them some foundation and background so they can keep up with the pace in the classroom.

Studying during the school holidays need not be a chore. When you combine it with a good amount of play, you can ensure your child enjoys a fulfilling break. 

When it comes to brushing up on their competencies and introducing them to new skills, our school holiday workshops at MindChamps Singapore sure hit the spot. From writing and reading classes to performing arts bootcamps, these enrichment activities for children are designed to combine both study and play, for a holistic learning experience. Why not book a tour at our centre to learn more about our school holiday workshops in 2022?