Schools are on break, and your teenager is glued to your sofa, and eating you out of house and home.

They’re glad for the break, envisioning listless days of web surfing, Instagram scrolling, Snapchat picture posting, and video gaming.  They’ve been dreaming about July-August vacation for months. On the other hand, you’re not so happy.  You may dread the idea of your children spending the two months mindlessly riveted to a device, absorbing anime plots.

Instead of frustrated questions of “did you pick up a book today?” inspire them to do so.  Remember, they’ve just spent six months in a classroom—though with a couple of short breaks; you’re going to have to make the prospect of learning, fun.  And, we’re going to help you.

However, keep in mind, you don’t want to take away their opportunity to relax after gruelling months of assignments, exams, and after-school activities. After all, it’s important for children to have downtime where they can engage in fun, creative endeavours.

Enjoying a period of respite during the vacation months allow students to recharge, regaining momentum for the impending academic year. An article in the New Times surmises a similar thought: “the long holidays help students to clear their heads, relax a little and stretch their brains in new ways.”

Play is an essential part of the development not only for young children but for adolescents as well.  That being said, having your teenager spend the next 62days snapping selfies or catching up on the Kardashians’ latest undertakings may not be appealing either.

Use the long holiday period wisely.  While ensuring your teen has a chance to unwind, you can also plan times to keep your teenager’s mind intellectually engaged, or to help them catch up after a difficult term.

Here are five websites that offer fun engaging educational material for students.

Brightstorm (paid subscription)

Brightstorm presents a collection of short video lessons covering English, Mathematics, Science, History (US) and test preparations (US-based).  While there is a membership fee, the site offers some free access.  Taught by experienced teachers, the content is broken down into chunks making it easier to understand. Subscription can be purchased collectively or for individual subjects.

Khan Academy (free)

A self-paced educational website, Khan Academy offers unlimited access to thousands of practice exercises and videos. The subject areas covered are Mathematics, Science and Engineering, Computing, Arts and Humanities, Economics and Finance, and test prep (US-based).  While English isn’t listed, they do offer instructions in grammar.  Learners can use their Google or Facebook accounts to sign in and personalise their dashboard.

CK-12 (free)

Here’s a website that catalogues free lessons in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).  The lessons are tailored for older learners, but there is material for young children.  Creating an account will allow your children to document their study time.  Lessons are presented as texts, videos, audios and quizzes.  The site enhances student learning using fun, interactive means.

BBC Bitesize (free)

BBC Bitesize is a entertaining, easy to navigate website that hosts thousands of educational games and exercises.    Based on a UK’s educational system, you can select from among primary, secondary or post-16 levels.  Learners can sign in, and have fun personalising their homepage. Some of the topics covered are Mathematics, English, Science, History and Geography.  Your teenager can also browse the material on music, art and design, and modern languages.   Don’t let the UK school classification intimidate you.  A quick Google search will help you match your child’s age to the corresponding UK grade.

BrainPOP (paid subscription)

Designed for learners six to 17, BrainPOP is an educational tool created to support teachers.   Despite this, parents can use it to guide their children’s study.  The site houses tons of educational resources, including games on subjects like Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.  While it is subscription-based, there is a lot of free content to use.

This school holiday help your teenager create balance—play and study.

Yes, you do want them to relax and rejuvenate, but you also want them prepared to handle the struggles the new term will bring.

Sources: New Times, Time Magazine, and Common Sense Education