Winter holidays provide an excellent opportunity for families and friends to spend time together learning and practicing literacy skills. There are many fun learning activities that families can do, such as reading a book, writing out a holiday card or following a recipe for gingerbread cookies.
"The holiday season ushers in extra family time and there are many ways to build literacy skills in all the festive fun," says Margaret Eaton, President, ABC Life Literacy Canada. "Literacy is one of the greatest gifts that adults can share and benefit from with their families. We look forward to celebrating that during next month's Family Literacy Day on January 27."
Family Literacy Day is a national initiative encouraging Canadians to spend at least 15 minutes enjoying a learning activity together every day. This year, Canadians will Play for Literacy! Playing games that encourage literacy and numeracy - such as board games, card games and word games - are a great way for parents and children to practice their literacy skills and have fun.
ABC Life Literacy Canada offers the following activities to encourage family literacy over the holidays and throughout the winter months:
1 Make a list, check it twice: As a family, write out lists together - wish lists to Santa, shopping lists or even New Year's resolutions!
2 Watch a book: Many classic holiday stories have been adapted for the big screen. Read these stories with your kids first, then watch the movie equivalent; Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas are classic favourites.
3 Signed, sealed, delivered: Do you have a stack of holiday cards that need to be prepared? Ask your family to help you write out greetings and addresses.
4 How many shopping days left? When shopping for gifts or holiday party supplies, ask your kids to count out the change required to make your purchase. You can practice numeracy skills by keeping track of spending before you reach the cash register.
5 Dear Grandma: The holidays are a great time to write a letter or email to a loved one. Have everyone in your family contribute at least one paragraph on what they have accomplished over the last year.
6 Holiday scavenger hunt: Create a list of holiday and winter-related items around your home. Give the list to your family and have them find all the items on the list.
7 Jack Frost nipping at your nose: On cold winter days, snuggle by the fire with a good holiday book and a cup of hot chocolate. Don't forget the marshmallows!
8 Make reading a key ingredient: Following a recipe is a great way to practice reading, comprehension and math skills. By baking holiday cookies or cakes, you can get the whole family involved.
9 Sing Christmas carols: Get together with your neighbours and go door-to-door singing carols. Singing encourages learning patterns of words, rhymes and rhythms, and is strongly connected to language skills.
10 Play for Literacy! Put on your pajamas and have a family game night. Each family member chooses a game, such as a board game or card game, then have fun playing al night long!For more information on Family Literacy Day, or to find out how you can Play for Literacy, visit FamilyLiteracyDay.ca.
Canadians can also get into the holiday spirit by giving the gift of literacy. Donations made to ABC Life Literacy Canada enables the organization to continue providing adults and families with access to the tools, resources and programs they need to improve their literacy skills. Donations can be made online at abclifeliteracy.ca.
