One of the things you’ll often hear people complaining about on social media is that kids today just don’t seem to understand tradition and the meaning behind some of our most cherished holidays. Some of those holidays are national holidays and others have deeper roots in various faiths. For example, Christmas is obviously a Christian holiday while Passover is from the Jewish tradition.
These are holidays that each respective religion holds to be among the most important and why we should teach our children what they mean to people of those faiths. The same holds true of other holidays we celebrate. Kids should know what it is we’re doing and why we hold these days special.
Post Holidays to Discuss in a Visible Location
The first thing you should do is take time to look at holidays month by month to find those which you feel the kids should learn about. Some days may be religious in origin, some may be national holidays, and others may just be fun days like Groundhog Day. Post a calendar each month in a visible location and let the kids start counting days until the holiday in question.
You can find amazing printable calendars at calendarcraze.com, some of which you can even let the kids help you color and design. On the holiday you will be learning about, take the calendar down and let them all write a brief note about what they learned. It’s really a fun way to learn about holidays and something schools may not be teaching anymore.
Family Night Celebrations
As part of the learning activity, hold a special family night celebration. Of course, you will be doing that anyway on holidays such as Christmas or Easter, but when an obscure holiday comes along, it’s so much fun to think of activities to teach kids a meaningful lesson. Some parents choose to watch a movie with the kids while eating snacks pertinent to the holiday.
Using Passover as an example, some non-Jewish families learn about the Seder meal and even light the Passover candles, letting the kids help as much as possible. This is one very special way to learn about how the people around us are celebrating days special to them.
Take the Kids to the Library to Find Books on Holidays
Sometimes, it’s just too easy to rely on the Internet. We send our kids off to the desktop or their smartphones and ask them to ask Google. Too few parents actually journey to the library anymore with their kids and this could be one of the very best learning activities possible. You have been wanting to spend more quality time with the kids and this is a great way to do just that. Together you can look up books on those holidays, check out anything that isn’t library-only reference material and then spend time in the evenings reading aloud as a group. As some parents see it, it’s getting two lessons rolled into one. Kids hone up on their reading skills while learning about holidays we often neglect.
You can never underestimate the importance of teaching kids why these holidays are important to us and the people we live, work and play with. These holidays are important symbols of who we are and the history that brought us into the 21st Century. In fact, it may even be three lessons in one – history, reading, and how to celebrate holidays in keeping with tradition. In short, it’s a fun experience they’ll never forget.
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