Homeschool Holiday Break: A Refreshing Way to Recharge Your Family
During the winter season, a homeschool holiday break can be the perfect way to get your homeschool back on track. You can keep your kids learning while having fun—and sneak in a little rest for yourself, too.
Ah, winter. The fluffy white snow. Crisp, cold mornings. A fire blazing. A hot cup of coffee and a good book. Just like a greeting card, right?
Sometimes…
Other times, it feels like a scene out of a Black Friday commercial. You’re rushing around, shoveling knee-deep snow, dealing with power outages, managing over-scheduled weeks, workdays, meals on the run, and colds.
It’s exhausting.
Why You Need A Homeschool Holiday Break
You know those lists we make when we’re choosing between what we want to do and what we need to do? Taking a break actually checks both boxes.
You need a break to rest, de-stress, and unwind. Your family needs one, too. Taking a homeschool holiday break helps you avoid burnout as a working homeschool mom.
When you take a break, you’ll feel:
- Re-energized
- More creative
- Inspired
- Excited to return to homeschooling
During the holiday season, it’s easy to try to do all the things: work tasks, homeschooling, and managing family life. But taking a break allows you to step back, breathe, and enjoy the season.
5 Benefits Homeschool Holiday Breaks
Does taking a break from homeschooling actually help? Yes, it does!
Over the past 14 years, I’ve found that stepping away from our regular homeschool schedule has allowed me to:
- Discover new creative ideas
- Reflect on the past few months and plan ahead
- Explore my kids’ personal interests
- Make adjustments to our homeschool routines
- Connect as a family and learn together
Give yourself and your family permission to step away from the “regular” schedule. You’ll be glad you did.
Winter-Themed Educational Activities
You don’t have to stop learning entirely during your break. Winter offers a great opportunity to incorporate fun, seasonal activities into your homeschool.
Here are some ideas:
- Snow science experiments: Study how snow forms or explore its melting point.
- Winter animal studies: Learn about hibernation or migration.
- Holiday crafts: Create handmade decorations or cards for loved ones.
- Outdoor scavenger hunts: Bundle up and explore nature with a winter twist.
These winter activities allow your kids to keep learning without feeling like they’re “in school.”
Homeschooling Through The Holiday Season
Can we talk about the stress of the holiday season? As a mom who works full time and homeschools, it’s crazy busy.
Reducing stress with time management is half the battle. Homeschooling is the other side. Remember, your holiday—or vacation, or any day off—is YOURS to plan. There’s no “holiday police.”
Take full advantage of the flexibility of homeschooling.
If your child needs extra reading practice, snuggle up with a book and hot cocoa. If you have a full workday, let them explore subscription boxes or independent activities.
When planning your day, ask yourself: “What do I want this day to look like?” Then, create a simple plan. Some days, it might include baking cookies. Other days, you may work while your kids play or tackle hands-on projects.
What Type of Homeschool Holiday Break Should You Take?
Your homeschool holiday break can look however you need it to. Most working moms choose one of these options:
- A complete break from all “schooly” activities
- A reduced workload with lighter subjects
- A slow December with flexible, creative learning
Do what works best for your family. For us, we chose a winter homeschool learning break.
What Is A Homeschool Learning Break?
A “homeschool learning break” is when you step away from scheduled learning and focus on creative, hands-on activities.
Ditch the textbooks. Drag out some family games, and yummy snacks, and just chill. Work on projects you’ve been putting off.
Disclosure: I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
I have children that are very concerned and stressed when they get the feeling they are “behind.”
No matter what I do to assure them that this is not the case, if we just take a clean break, they stress out.
For us, Around the World Stories has also been a lifesaver for many working moms. It is a great way to learn more about other countries and cultures without all the work.
Time Management Tools for Moms
Managing work, homeschool, and holiday tasks can feel overwhelming. Time management tools can help.
Here are a few to try:
- Planners: Use a homeschool-specific planner to stay on track.
- Apps: Tools like Trello or Asana can help you organize tasks.
- Printable resources: Grab pre-made schedules or checklists to streamline your day.
A little planning goes a long way in making your holiday break more enjoyable.
Priorities And Planning Your Homeschool Holiday Break
When planning your break, ask yourself: “What do I want this winter break to look like for our family?”
If there are homeschool tasks you want to accomplish, prioritize them. Pencil them into your planner like any other obligation. Knowing you’ve tackled high-priority tasks can reduce stress and bring more joy to your days.
If you’re a checklist mama like me, you’ll love staying on track with your goals—even if it means letting some things go.
Our Winter Homeschool Learning Break Plans
This winter, we decided to take a learning break, and for my two, where homeschool tends to look a bit more like school than not, this was HUGE!
We sat down together and planned out our month. We agreed to:
- One week of “regular” school to finish a few lessons or chapters in key subjects.
- A one-week learning break to focus on fun, hands-on activities.
- A no-school week for pure relaxation.
For our learning break, we chose a few activities we’d been excited to try all year but hadn’t had time for:
- Paper Mache Masks
- The Beginner’s Guide To Atoms And The Periodic Table
- Unit Study of Thomas Edison
- Science Expeditions
- Egg Shell Geode Crystals
The final week was all about relaxing: heading to the movies, going skating, having sleepovers, and just chilling out.
Planning it this way gave us the perfect balance of learning, connection, and downtime.
How To Find The Time
Finding time for a break starts with knowing your priorities. Unfortunately, life doesn’t pause, and new “needs” will always pop up.
The key is focusing on your goal. Whether that’s connecting with your kids, reducing stress, or just having fun, use small pockets of time to make it happen.
Plan for:
- Quick tasks during quiet afternoons
- Larger activities on weekends or days off
- Flexible schedules to fit in moments of fun
By focusing on what matters, you’ll enjoy the season while staying grounded in what’s important.
How To Take A Homeschool Holiday Break
You can take a homeschool holiday break any time of year. To make it easier:
- Plan a start and end date.
- Discuss with your family when works best.
- Choose a few activities.
- Gather supplies ahead of time.
- Be flexible.
- Have fun!
Don’t sweat the small stuff. This is your chance to recharge.
The Best Way To Plan Homeschool Holiday Break
Get your kids involved! Ask them what they’d like to see, make, or do during the break.
From their ideas, create a list of activities and gather any supplies you’ll need in advance.
At the start of the week, let your kids take turns picking activities. This keeps everyone engaged and makes the break enjoyable for the whole family.
Now, you can relax, knowing your family is learning and having fun this winter!
If you need a starting point, check out my winter bucket list ideas.
Did you take a learning break this winter? I’d love to hear about it.
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Hi, I’m Jen. I help working moms juggle their career and homeschool their kids by providing support, systems and tools. You are warmly invited to Join the Online Community Here!