How to Help Kids Maintain Structure This Summer

It’s no surprise that most kids look forward to summer vacation all year long. After all, who wouldn’t want more time to relax, have fewer responsibilities and enjoy great weather for fun activities?

While summer should be enjoyable, we also need to think about ways to keep some structure at home. Children’s mental health actually thrives when we give them routines and rules; plus, too much freedom may lead to boredom. When children don’t know what to do, they may gravitate to their smartphones, tablets or laptops, and too much screen time may raise the risk of anxiety, depression or obesity. 

An added bonus to a summer routine? The transition back to school will go more easily. 

Here are some suggestions of ways to help your child maintain structure this summer:
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• Sleep schedule. Your child can stay up and wake up later than usual in the summer, but they still need a set bedtime and wake-up time. This helps ensure they do not throw off their body clock, which we know impacts their mood and energy. Work with your child to pick a bedtime and wake-up time for the summer and stick to that every day. Here are additional tips on sleep.
• Participate in activities. Find structured activities for your child that they can look forward to. Some families send their kids to camp or sign them up for local sports leagues. Less expensive options include your public library’s summer reading program or programs offered through your parks and recreation department. Post a calendar at home to let your kids know what events are coming up each week.
• Encourage socializing. Structured summer activities may not be accessible for the entire summer. Think about other ways to encourage socialization for your children during the summertime. For example, you can help them plan playdates with a friend from school, a neighbor, or cousin. Include these plans on the summer calendar too. Remember, social connections are one of the best ways to promote mental wellness in children. 
• Family time. Summer time is a great time to bond and create memories together with your child. Whether you’re cooking together, hiking in a local park, touring a museum, or visiting with friends, make your time together count! You can plan these and add them to the summer calendar along with their structured and social activities.
• Continue chores. They may fight them but having responsibilities year-round can give children a sense of accomplishment, inclusion and importance in the household. 
• Encourage healthy habits. Keeping kids physically active and eating healthy foods is important to their mental health. Of course, you can allow occasional treats, but be aware of what foods they can access easily during the day. Keep a set eating schedule and find ways to keep your kids active – whether bike rides, swimming or dancing – and limit screen time to two hours daily.

• Wind down the summer. A week or two before the school year starts, gradually move your child’s bedtime and morning wake-ups back to the times they need for the school year. 

Looking for more ideas to keep kids mentally healthy over the summer?  Head over to OnOurSleeves.org and sign up for our free e-community for weekly emails with a different recommendation from our behavioral health experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. You can also follow us on Instagram or Facebook.

This was a guest post by Ariana Hoet, PhD; Clinical Director of On Our Sleeves® and Pediatric Psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital