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Brainy Traditions: Fun, Educational Holiday Ideas That Don’t Involve Screens

The holiday season is a time for family, fun, and… extra screen time? Not necessarily! At Best Brains, we know that learning doesn’t have to stop when school takes a break—and it definitely doesn’t have to happen in front of a screen. In fact, some of the best ways to engage young minds and reinforce classroom skills are through simple, hands-on holiday traditions.

Here are some of our favorite screen-free holiday ideas that are as enriching as they are enjoyable:

1. Board Game Nights That Build Brains

Classic games like Scrabble, Boggle, or Bananagrams strengthen spelling and vocabulary, while Uno, Yahtzee, or Monopoly encourage strategic thinking and math skills. Rotate through a few favorites and make it a tradition!

Tip: Let your child be the scorekeeper to practice addition and subtraction.

2. Holiday Cooking = Math + Reading Practice

Following a recipe is a fantastic way to reinforce fractions, sequencing, and reading comprehension. Ask your child to help you double or halve a recipe to introduce real-life math.

Bonus: Cooking fosters patience, responsibility, and family bonding.

3. Puzzle Power

Whether it’s jigsaw puzzles, word searches, or logic puzzles, these activities help improve spatial reasoning, concentration, and problem-solving. Set up a puzzle station on a coffee table and watch everyone chip in.

4. Read Together by the Fire (or the Tree!)

Build a cozy reading nook and read aloud as a family. Choose a holiday-themed book or revisit a chapter book over several nights. Reading together strengthens vocabulary, comprehension, and attention span.

Ask questions like: “What do you think will happen next?” to practice prediction and inference skills.

5. Start a Writing Tradition

Have your child write a holiday letter, gratitude list, or New Year’s resolution journal entry. You can even create a "Family Holiday Newsletter" where each family member contributes a paragraph. Writing encourages language fluency and gives kids a chance to express themselves creatively.

6. DIY Decorations with a Learning Twist

Crafting ornaments or making homemade cards involves fine motor skills, measurement, following directions, and creative expression. You can even sneak in some geometry when measuring and cutting shapes!

7. Memory Matching with Holiday Vocabulary

Make your own memory game using index cards with holiday-related words and pictures. This builds vocabulary and short-term memory.

Why It Matters

Children thrive on routine and structure—even during a break. Finding low-pressure, high-fun ways to engage their brains over the holidays helps them return to class with confidence. Plus, shared family activities help build emotional connections and lifelong memories.

At Best Brains, we believe every moment can be a learning opportunity. Enjoy this season by starting your own brainy holiday traditions!

References & Further Reading

• American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016). Media and Young Minds. Pediatrics, 138(5). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2591
• Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., Berk, L. E., & Singer, D. (2009). A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool: Presenting the Evidence. Oxford University Press.
• Mindell, J. A., & Owens, J. A. (2015). A Clinical Guide to Pediatric Sleep: Diagnosis and Management of Sleep Problems (2nd ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
• McClure, E. R., et al. (2018). Learning in a Digital World: The Impact of Screen Time on Children's Cognitive Development. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 39(4), 265–275.