Summer can be a magical time for families—a season filled with endless possibilities to explore, learn, and grow together. As the days grow longer and the weather warms up, it’s the perfect opportunity to embrace new activities and create lasting memories with your children. The summer can also be challenging. More transitions, being out of your regular routine, and being in a lot of new situations and environments can be hard on kids and in turn hard on parents. Focusing on attunement, connection and fun, can help to alleviate some of those challenges. 

Embrace the Outdoors

Spending time in nature has numerous benefits for both children and adults. Plan regular outdoor activities like hiking, biking, picnicking, or simply playing in the park. These activities not only provide physical exercise but also foster a connection to the natural environment, supporting the nervous system.

Create a Flexible Schedule

While structure is important, summer is a great time to introduce more flexibility into your family’s routine. Allow for spontaneous adventures and free play. This flexibility can help reduce stress and encourage creativity in your children. Free play is essential to children’s development. It’s how they learn, explore and process emotions. 

Promote Mental Health and Well-being

Summer offers a unique chance to focus on the building blocks of good mental health. Ensure your children have a balance of activities and downtime. If you have the opportunity to slow down this summer, do it! We have such a busy culture and sometimes it’s only when we slow down for a bit on a camping trip or at a cottage, that we realize that in all that business, we’re often missing out on so many opportunities for connection. Connection helps build healthy relationships and healthy relationships contribute to good mental health.

Plan for Family Bonding Time

Summer is an ideal season to strengthen family bonds. Plan activities that the whole family can enjoy together, such as camping trips, board game nights, or cooking new recipes. These shared experiences can deepen your connection and create cherished memories.

Take the Pressure Off

For parents whose kids have struggled with academics, it’s tempting to fill the summer with remediation. I would encourage parents to prioritize ensuring that their children are getting ample opportunities for family connection and free play, in order to build the foundation in children for academic success. Healthy relationships to caring adults and opportunities for free play fosters a sense of curiosity and meets kids’ basic need for connection, freeing them up to explore, develop and learn. 

In order for play to be “free” play, it has to happen within the context of connection to a caring adult, the child makes the rules and leads the play, and there are no objectives to the play, except as imposed by the child.

Conclusion

Preparing for summer with your kids involves a blend of planning and spontaneity. By embracing the outdoors, maintaining a flexible schedule where possible, fostering connection, and planning for family bonding time, you can set your family up for a summer filled with fun, learning, and growth. These experiences not only enhance your children’s development but also strengthen your family’s bond, creating a foundation for lasting memories.

For more on connecting with your child, read our blog post Connecting with Your Child Through The Power of Attunement. For more on supporting your child’s learning, read our blog post Supporting Your Child’s Learning.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful summer!