Do School Holidays Affect Our Home Education?

One question I’m often asked is whether school holidays make a difference to our home education routine.

The short answer? Yes… but maybe not in the way people expect.

However, like I’ve always said, there is no right or wrong way to home educate your child, so the way we approach the holidays might be completely different to yours and that’s fine. Every home educating family approaches the holidays differently—and that’s one of the beauties of it.

Some families choose to go on holiday during the school break, making the most of that shared time. Others actually prefer to travel during term time, when it’s quieter and more affordable, and then use the school holidays to “catch up” or revisit certain areas of learning.

There are families who pause academic learning altogether during this time, choosing to rest, reset, and simply enjoy being together without any structure. For them, it’s a true break.

Others carry on much as they normally would, keeping a steady rhythm regardless of what’s happening in the school calendar. And then there are those who take a very relaxed, child-led approach—following interests, going on day trips, spending time outdoors, or diving into hobbies that don’t usually fit into a weekly routine.

Some use this time for social connection—meeting up with other home educating families more frequently, attending seasonal events, or simply letting their children enjoy a different pace of life.

On a personal level our approach is a little more eclectic but in common with a lot of home educators as well. For us, our learning doesn’t suddenly stop when schools break up. There’s no big shift from “academic mode” to “holiday mode” in the traditional sense. However, the rhythm of our days does change—and in many ways, it’s a welcome change.

During term time, the kids would often have their Art classes, alongside their sport classes, alongside their core subjects online and face-to-face classes. Great ways to learn individually as well as alongside their peers and socialise. These form part of our weekly routine.

But when school holidays arrive, many of these activities pause. At first, you might think this would disrupt things, but I’ve found we simply adapt – the beauty of home education.

Instead of fixed sessions throughout the week, our learning becomes a little more relaxed, abstract and flexible.

There are days when we’ll bring out worksheets and do some focused learning at home. Other days, we’ll head out—perhaps to a museum or somewhere local. I’ll be honest though, I do try to avoid the museums during the school holidays as they are truly busy! However, I’ve noticed that we learn in different ways during this period.

We bake more. And honestly, there’s so much learning in that alone—measuring, following instructions, patience (and a bit of mess!). We might join a holiday club here and there, just to mix things up and keep things interesting.

But one of the biggest positives for us is something that often gets overlooked—connection.

During the school term, many of our friends and family are busy with their own routines. School holidays open up the opportunity for us to spend more time together. We can meet up more easily, visit loved ones, and simply enjoy being around people we don’t always get to see as often. This, to me, is just as valuable as any worksheet or planned activity.

Home education has always been about more than just academics. It’s about creating a lifestyle that supports our children’s overall development—socially, emotionally, spiritually and practically.

School holidays give us a natural pause from our usual weekly rhythm. Not a stop, but a shift. A chance to slow down slightly, to do things differently, and to embrace learning in a more organic way.

So while our routine might look a little different during these times, the learning never really stops. It simply takes on a new shape.

And in all honesty, it’s a shape I’ve come to really enjoy.