Hi Kiwi parents! Or maybe you’re a motivated student looking to challenge yourself with tech these school holidays—either way, welcome! We know technology often gets a bad rap, especially when it comes to kids and screen time. But not all screen time is created equal. In fact, there are real advantages of technology in education, and that’s where we come in.
Instead of trying to pull your kids away from their devices all school holidays 2025, why not guide them towards using tech in a way that supports learning? From educational games for kids to mathematics education software, there are loads of ways to make the most of digital technology education while still having fun.
Check out some of our favourite school holiday activities below. Perfect for keeping minds active and parents sane!
Before we begin: Have a chat about digital online safety!
Before leaving your kid’s to their own devices these holidays, it’s important to have a quick (but essential) chat about internet safety. From screen time limits to parental controls and scam awareness, there are a few key things to cover before your child starts browsing solo.
To help out, we’ve got a handy guide for parents, covering everything you should consider to keep your kids safe online. So, before diving into this blog, take a moment to check out our blog on Internet Safety for Kids!
Digital Reading
First up, a great paperless way to get your kids reading, whilst providing a digital technology education, is through digital books or audiobooks.
There are loads of eBook platforms out there, offering both free and paid options. If you’re on Apple, check out Apple Books. Android user? Have a browse through Google Play Books. The Kindle app is another great option. If your kid is a big reader, it might be worth investing in a Kindle device, which will be a lot kinder to their eyes.
All of the apps mentioned above also conveniently offer audio books options, which you can also find through the Spotify app and Audible.
Minecraft
This one will come as a surprise, but would you believe Minecraft is amongst our favourite options for educational games for kids? Why? Because it’s not just about stacking pixelated blocks! Minecraft can teach everything from simple concepts to seriously advanced ones. Kids can explore maths through geometry, shapes, and spatial reasoning; sharpen logic and programming skills with Redstone circuits; and develop resource management strategies — all while encouraging general creativity and fun!
Google Expeditions & Virtual Tours
Has your young one got a passion for geography or history? With Google Arts & Culture, kids can take a virtual field trip to far flung locations. Explore the deep ocean, visit a museum in another country or dive into culture and history across the world and lots more!
All of these awesome activities are paired with great educational content. From easy to read and visually engaging articles, short educational videos, to games and creative tools, your kids will be kept entertained for hours. And we’re sure they’ll have some fun facts they want to share with you as well! That way, you can get amongst the learning too!
Ted Ed
A TED talk can do so much more than just occupy your kids so you can get some stuff done around the house this school holidays! TED Ed is a one stop website with some of the best educational content online! The kids can choose what subject they’re interested in and learn about anything from “Why can parrots talk?” to “Will the ocean ever run out of fish?”.
Plus, if you want to take it the extra mile, why not encourage the kids to get creative and make their own TED talk about a favourite subject of theirs!
Scratch
This one is a little closer to our heart, with it being computing based and all! Scratch is a free visual coding platform that teaches your kids to code by snapping together colourful blocks, kind of like digital LEGO. They can create their own games, stories and animations—all while learning the basics of programming, problem solving and creative thinking. Are your little ones are already curious about technology and how things work? Scratch is a fun, hands-on way to introduce them to the world of information technology.
Sure, it can be a little difficult to wrap your head around at first, especially as a parent. But, check out this handy article on how to code with Scratch and you’ll be up and away!
Mathletics
Whether your kids are math geniuses or find numbers a bit tricky, consider signing them up for the mathematics education software, Mathletics!
Mathletics is an online maths platform where children can learn through educational games for kids, quizzes, and fun challenges. They can complete lessons based on their school level. Or race against others in live maths games, earn points and certificates, and even get help with tricky problems. It covers topics like addition, subtraction, algebra, and more, so kids can learn at their own pace while having fun with technology!
The platform also offers a 14 day free trial, and otherwise costs $19.95 NZD per child per month!
And that’s it! Some awesome ways to help your kids use tech in a way that actually boosts their learning. With the school holidays around the corner, it’s a great time to get their devices set up right. If you need a hand with parental controls, antivirus installs, or anything else to keep their tech safe and ready for the next school term, Book a Geek today!
