7 Ways to Boost Kids’ Brain Skills Over Holiday Breaks

Holiday breaks can feel like a welcome relief for busy families, but for kids who are used to a jam-packed schedule of school, sports, music lessons, or after-school clubs, boredom can set in. If you’re looking for some activities to help fill time over holiday breaks while also boosting your child’s brain skills, we’ve got some ideas. 

#1: Set up an ongoing jigsaw puzzle.

Not all kids want to sit still for hours doing a puzzle from start to finish. Instead, set up a table in a corner or low-traffic area and allow kids to engage on and off as they want.

Brain skills you’ll engage: Visual processing, working memory, planning, problem-solving, deductive and inductive reasoning, sustained attention

#2: Have a family gaming night.

If your child or teen loves to play video games, designate one night in which the entire family can play. Choose a game with a timed component to boost processing speed, and perhaps something that requires building or rearranged stacking, like Tetris or Minecraft. Other great options include Guitar Hero, Beat Saber, and Just Dance can engage multiple cognitive skills while working on motor skills.

Brain skills you’ll engage: Processing speed, visual processing, attention, planning, auditory processing

#3: Teach your child to play chess.

Even if you don’t have a chessboard at home, there are plenty of online options for 2-player games (and eventually, to play against a computer). Of all the games your child can learn, chess falls near the top for its ability to engage so many brain skills. In addition, your child will learn patience and sportsmanship, and probably gain a lot of self-confidence even if they lose!

Brain skills you’ll engage: Working memory, attention, planning, strategizing, visual processing, logic & reasoning, problem-solving

#4: Give them a brain teaser (or mystery) workbook.

There are countless age-appropriate workbooks that can provide hours of fun for kids who love a good mental challenge. Whether you’re looking for a collection of who-done-it mysteries, sudokus, word searches, or I-spy games, today’s options come in such varieties that you’ll need to narrow down your choices based on your child’s interests and age. Remember, if brain teasers are too easy, they’ll get bored. Too difficult and they may give up in frustration.

Brain skills you’ll engage: Attention, logic & reasoning, visual processing, problem-solving

#5: Learn a new skill.

A quick search on YouTube will give you simple tutorials for any new skill you’d like to learn! You and your child can learn how to crochet, build a simple dollhouse, play a keyboard, or learn sign language.

Brain skills you’ll engage: On its own, learning a new skill can boost your brain skills but specific tasks will also work on specific cognitive skills. (Think auditory processing for the keyboard, planning and organizing for the birdhouse, visual processing and attention for crocheting, etc.)

#6: Have a science day.

The internet is full of simple but fun science experiments that you can perform using items you probably already have around the house. Imagine a vinegar and baking soda volcano, solar-oven s’mores, or turning milk into cheese curds. Consider trying both non-edible (e.g., slime!) and edible (e.g., magic mud cakes) projects to give your kiddo some fun or tasty rewards for their hard work. 

Brain skills you’ll engage: To boost cognitive skills, look for some that require measurements (for math), theories on what will happen (logic & reasoning), and multiple senses (visual and auditory processing).

Read more: Keep Math Skills Sharp Without Worksheets >>

#7: Play popular board-less brain games.

While charades and 20 Questions may be the first party games that come to mind, there are plenty of popular games that don’t require a board, pieces, or dice. Try the classic memory game in which you gather random objects from around the house and place them on a tray. Let your child memorize them for 30 seconds and then cover them with a towel. Ask them to recall as many as they can. Another option is to find several simple items (e.g., a Pringles can, an empty cereal box, and a wire coat hanger) and ask your child to name or draw three ways those items could be used differently (individually or together) than their original purpose. For example, assembled as a birdhouse or to make a hanging planter. 

Brain skills you’ll engage: Logic & reasoning, planning, memory, problem-solving, attention, processing speed, visual processing

Looking for more activities to engage brain skills over the holiday breaks? Download our FREE Cognitive Skills Game Pack for a list of activities you can do to target skills like attention, memory, and processing speed at home.

These are games modeled after the procedures we do in our office, and they’re a great tool to incorporate some brain exercise into your holiday routines!