Enjoy the Holidays!

Making the most of the summer break

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To explore the importance of holidays and having a rest.

Preparation and materials

• Optional: have available some images of holiday destinations and the means to display them during the assembly. Some examples are available at: https://tinyurl.com/2ube7v98

Assembly

1. Ask the children whether any of them are going away during the summer holidays. Remind them that many people will stay at home for a staycation instead. These can be great fun even if we don’t travel somewhere different!
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   
2. Ask the children what their favourite holiday has been. Ask why they particularly enjoyed that one.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   
3. Optional: show some images of holiday destinations.
   
   You may wish to carry out a vote to see which destination the children would like to visit most.
   
   
4. Suggest that at the end of a long term and as the school year comes to a close, we are all ready for a holiday! We look forward to not going to work or school. We look forward to having less pressure and not having to rush around, but instead relaxing and enjoying the time off.
   
   
5. In the Jewish and Christian traditions, after God had created the world, we are told that he rested: ‘By the seventh day, God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day, he rested from all his work.’ (Genesis 2.2)
   
   
6. It seems that if even God took the time to rest, it must be very important for all of us!
   
   Ask the children what they think God might have done while he rested.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   Maybe he contemplated all that he had made. Maybe he enjoyed the world that he had made and thought about how pleased he was with it.
   
   
7. Many Christians believe that it is important to have a day of rest – a day to rest, relax and think about the world, their lives and God. In fact, the word ‘holiday’ has its roots in this idea. It’s a variation of ‘holy day’ – a day for prayer, contemplation and rest.

Time for reflection

This summer, let’s aim to have a great holiday, one where we rest well and enjoy all the opportunities that come our way.

Let’s also remember those around us and aim to make the summer holidays great for anyone we have contact with.

Song/music

‘Summer holiday’ by Cliff Richard, available at: https://youtu.be/OHOk9bZDssA (2.15 minutes long)