The holidays are upon us and with that comes school closures. Gifted children tend to have a strong desire and need for intellectual stimulation, and that need doesn鈥檛 go away when schools are closed. Below are three ways parents can help foster positive social and academic growth during the holiday break:

1. Cultural Excursions

Take a trip to a local museum, science center, aquarium, theatre, planetarium or garden to provide your child with a learning experience. If time and budget allow, consider planning a day trip or vacation to a historical site. Local libraries often offer free activities and events, so be sure to check your local library鈥檚 calendar. Remember to be flexible, as some children require time to process and adjust to new environments.

2. Home Improvement

Take advantage of an extra set of hands, and a curious mind, by implementing a home improvement project while your gifted child is home. Children interested in technology and science could help figure out the best ways to save energy in your household. Other project ideas include furniture assembly, closet or garage organization, cleaning, composting or yard work.

3. Volunteer

Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health, which are not just perks for gifted students but for everyone. There are many ways one can volunteer during the holidays, which include hosting a toy or canned food drive, serving meals at a soup kitchen, adopting a family or building homes with Habitat for Humanity.

You can also research additional ideas on 优蜜视频鈥檚 , which includes and for gifted learners.

Lastly, it鈥檚 the most wonderful time of the year, and for many gift giving is part of the season. Please support 优蜜视频 by making Amazon purchases through . A portion of your purchase will be donated directly to 优蜜视频 so we can continue providing high-quality programs and services to gifted youth nationwide.

Happy holidays!

An article from the TED-Ed Blog titled (1) by Sir Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica recently caught my eye and led me to research more on the topic of the arts and their benefits to gifted children. As a dancer, my immediate thought was, 鈥淥f course dance is just as important as math!鈥� I know firsthand how it has positively shaped and affected my life both personally and academically.

Robinson and Aronica鈥檚 blog post is an argument for equity in educating the whole child, and the equal importance of dance and physical activity with the other arts, languages, mathematics, sciences and the humanities in the general education of every child. 优蜜视频 also practices the , which emphasizes each child鈥檚 potential as a whole person, rather than focusing on one specific area of talent or ability. There is more to gifted children than high test scores and academic achievement.

As stated in the article, math is intimately involved with the dynamics of dance, and dance can help restore joy and stability in troubled lives, along with easing the tensions in schools disrupted by violence and bullying. Dance and physical education also have important benefits for students鈥� social relationships, promoting many of the personal qualities that employers recognize as essential in a collaborative, adaptable workforce.

A guest blog post from on National Society for Gifted and Talented titled 鈥�4 benefits of introducing the arts to your gifted child鈥� (2) states that the arts:

1. Uncovers hidden talents
2. Reinforces learning in other subject areas
3. Provides a safe environment for mastering social skills
4. Relieves stress and promotes relaxation

The also holds a positive stance on (3). NAGC believes that arts education is fundamental to an appropriate education for gifted and talented learners and should be addressed through domain-specific opportunities and authentic integration across the curriculum. The arts offer students a way of thinking that is not available in other disciplines. Additionally, 优蜜视频 has many Scholars and alumni who are dancers and artists.

We at 优蜜视频 encourage students to pursue any interest in the arts and use them as a tool for a new challenge or as an opportunity to think in a different way. Check out our online to discover more articles, media and gifted programs and services on the subject.

Do you have a gifted child active in the arts? Share any resources and/or stories of gifted children and the arts in the comments below!

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