Updated 8 November 2026.
Direct answer: The 2026 December holiday runs ten weeks, from 26 October to 1 January, so most children need a mix: two weeks of rest, a few hours of learning a week, and lots of play. Classes suit a clear weak spot, camps suit energy and friends, and home suits most budgets.
Class, camp or home at a glance
| Option | Cost we can source | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home plan | Free, or from KSh 100 for a revision pack | Most families, light weeks, children who need rest | Needs a parent to keep the routine |
| Live online class | CBC Edu Kenya Academy: KSh 3,000 a week for 8 live hours, so KSh 375 an hour | A child with one clear weak area who likes a teacher | Screen time, a set timetable |
| In-person holiday class | The Eastleigh Voice reported in November 2024, before the 2025 Ministry memo, that a Pumwani father would pay about KSh 150 a day for half-day holiday sessions | Parents who work and want supervised hours | Cost adds up, and rules on school-run tuition (see below) |
| Camp or activity week | We found no 2026 prices we could verify | Energy, friends, new skills | Ask who supervises and how children travel |
Sources: CBC Edu Kenya Academy page, checked 8 November 2026; The Eastleigh Voice, 4 November 2024. KSh 375 is KSh 3,000 divided by 8 live hours.
How the ten weeks can fit together
Each block is a suggestion. Our week-by-week plan for Grades 1 to 9 explains it, and a one-hour daily routine shows how to keep it light.
Twelve activities that cost almost nothing
| Activity | Learning area it supports | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cook a family meal and halve the recipe | Mathematics: fractions and measuring | 45 minutes |
| Plan a small shopping list with a budget | Mathematics: money and addition | 30 minutes |
| Keep a reading log of one page a day | English or Kiswahili | 15 minutes |
| Write a letter to a relative | English or Kiswahili writing | 20 minutes |
| Grow beans and record the height | Science and Technology | 10 minutes a day |
| Draw a map of the compound or street | Social Studies | 30 minutes |
| Ask an elder for a family story and write it down | Social Studies, Kiswahili | 40 minutes |
| Make something from recycled materials | Creative Arts | 1 hour |
| Run a small helper job chart for washing and sorting clothes | Home Science | 30 minutes |
| Play a family game of cards or draughts | Mathematics thinking | 30 minutes |
| Walk and name ten plants or birds | Environmental Activities | 30 minutes |
| Run a family quiz night | All areas | 30 minutes |
Our guide to screen time in the school holidays has calm ways to balance these with screens.
Questions to ask any programme
Ask what your child will learn, how many children are in the group, who the named teacher or leader is, where it happens and who supervises, how you will know it helped, and when your child rests. The full list is in our seven questions to ask before you pay. Education News reported on 3 August 2025 on a Ministry memo banning holiday tuition in schools. We have not seen the memo and found no 2026 reminder, so check any class against the rules with your school and the Ministry, and ask which circular allows a paid class.
If you choose a class
For information only: the Holiday Learning Academy is live online, taught by CBC Edu Kenya tutors, for CBC Grades 4 to 10 and IGCSE. It has 4 lessons a week of 2 hours each, notes after every class and access to study materials for 7 days. CBC is KSh 3,000 a week, KSh 6,000 for 2 weeks and KSh 12,000 for a month, paid by M-Pesa. It has no fixed start date, so message WhatsApp ACADEMY to 0711 344 702 and we confirm the group first. For home study, revision packs start at KSh 100 each. The Grade 6 complete package is KSh 250 for the whole grade and the Grade 9 English pack is KSh 100. Prices for other grades are on the shop page. We do not promise grades.
Sources
- MoE releases 2026 academic calendar for schools and TTCs (Education News, 13 Oct 2025)
- Schools to open on January 4 as Education Ministry releases 2027 school calendar (Kenyans.co.ke, 4 Nov 2026)
- Parents turn to holiday tuition as CBC curriculum poses new learning hurdles (The Eastleigh Voice, 4 Nov 2024)
- MoE cracks down on illegal holiday tuition in schools (Education News, 3 Aug 2025)
Plans and activities are our suggestions. Check your school circular for term dates.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good December holiday programme for kids in Kenya?
A mix works best: two weeks of rest, about five weeks of 20 to 60 minutes a day of learning by grade, a light Christmas, and a week to get ready. A class, a camp and home study can all fit into it.
How long is the December 2026 school holiday?
The Ministry calendar puts it from 26 October 2026 to 1 January 2027, about ten weeks. Kenyans.co.ke reported that Term 1 of 2027 opens on 4 January.
Are December holiday camps worth it?
They suit children who need energy, friends and new skills. We found no 2026 camp prices we could verify, so ask who supervises, how children travel and what is included.
What can my child do at home in the December holiday?
Cook and measure, keep a reading log, grow beans, draw a map, write a letter, make something from recycled materials and play family games. Each supports a learning area.
How much does an online holiday class cost?
CBC Edu Kenya's Holiday Learning Academy is KSh 3,000 a week for 4 live lessons of 2 hours each, which is KSh 375 per live hour. IGCSE is KSh 6,000 a week for one subject.
Holiday Learning Academy: live online classes
Live online classes, 4 lessons a week, 2 hours each. Access to study materials and Somo AI for 7 days. CBC classes are KSh 3,000 a week.
KSh 3,000 a week · Join the Academy → 📱 Pay by M-Pesa · WhatsApp ACADEMY to 0711 344 702Have a CBC question this article didn't answer?
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