While children enjoy their school break and time off from classes, parents should put together a winter break plan to keep kids mentally engaged while out of the classroom, said Eileen Huntington, co-founder of Huntington Learning Centers.

Use the following tips to keep children mentally engaged during the holidays.

•Skip the screen. Although it may be temping to let children spend their free time watching movies or playing new video games, maintain a balance. Limit the amount of screen time the kids have during the school break. This will require them to come up with other creative ways to have fun.

•Visit the library. If a child doesn’t have a library card, get them one as a holiday gift. If the child is old enough, drop them off and let them explore the library on their own.

•Take an educational family field trip. Whether it’s to a museum, a nature center or a zoo, day trips as a family are an excellent way to teach children new facts.

After the visit, have each family member share the most interesting thing they learned. Or get creative and ask children to draw pictures or create collages of what they saw.

•Keep a journal. With traveling and visitors, the holiday season presents an ideal opportunity for children to reflect on their experiences. Encourage children to keep track of their memories by keeping a journal or posting a blog.

•Have fun with numbers. Math skills diminish when they are not practiced regularly, so work math into the holiday break in fun ways. Bake cookies and use the measurements to get kids to practice their fractions. Track the daily temperature or measure items around the house.

This story is provided by Hun tington Learning Center .