When I was a kid, I remember the last day of school feeling like a weight lifted off my shoulders. The joy and wonder that awaited was tangible. They played the “School’s Out for Summer” song over the loud speakers as we all left for the final time that year and you could feel the sense of excitement in the air.
Now that I am a parent, I realize that my mom probably loved this freedom for me and my siblings, but also stressed about how to manage our time without school to fill it with.
As a therapist rooted in Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) and Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), I see summer as an opportunity for children to grow through play, exploration, and meaningful connection. It can be so hard to handle it without driving us parents mad as we try to work and keep up with our responsibilities.
Plus, it becomes especially tempting to turn screen time into the family babysitter (we’ve all been there). Here’s how to make the most of these long, sunny days.
The Power of Free Play
“Free play” isn’t just adorable backyard reenactments of dinosaur chases (though those are a bonus!). It’s the engine that drives kids’ social-emotional development, creativity, and self-regulation.
- Emotional vocabulary: When children create stories with action figures or build sandcastles, they’re practicing managing emotions by deciding who’s the “hero,” what the conflict is, and how it resolves. That’s self-expression in real time.
- Executive function: Turning a cardboard box into a race car involves planning (“Where does the steering wheel go?”), working memory (“I need scissors, tape, markers…”), and cognitive flexibility (“Hmm…maybe duct tape would stick better”).
- Social skills: Playing tag or negotiating turns on the slip-n-slide teaches compromise, empathy, and the art of taking turns.
Therapist Tip: Set aside a “play invitation” daily. Scatter simple materials (cardboard tubes, fabric scraps, empty jars) and let your child choose what to build. Avoid directive play (where the parent directs every step); instead, follow their lead and marvel at their imagination.
Balancing Academics and Fun
Let’s be real: after ten months of book reports and math drills, kids don’t want a summer that looks like extra school. But a little reading edge can prevent the dreaded “summer slide.”
- Short-and-sweet literacy: Aim for 10–15 minutes of reading a day. Let kids pick the books. Comic books, graphic novels, cookbooks, or joke books count!
- Real-world math: Baking cookies? Let your child measure ingredients, double recipes, or split servings as math in action. Building a birdhouse? Count nails, measure planks, estimate lengths.
- Learning bursts: Turn errands into mini-lessons. Many everyday tasks are great, such as map reading at the grocery store, estimating fuel costs at the gas pump, writing shopping lists, or writing thank-you notes.
Therapist Tip: Use playful accountability, not pressure. Create a “Summer Learning Bingo” card with activities like “Write a letter to Grandma,” “Read under a tree,” or “Build something out of recyclables.” When they get bingo, celebrate together with a special outing or a silly dance party.
Nurturing Their Passions
Summer’s unstructured time is perfect for kids to dive into interests they might not squeeze in during the school year.
- Creative Arts: Watercolor painting on the porch, DIY theater with sock puppets, or remixing old t-shirts into tie-dye masterpieces.
- Science Explorers: Backyard bug hunts, kitchen chemistry (vinegar + baking soda volcano!), stargazing with a DIY constellation chart.
- Music Makers: Homemade drum circle with pots and spoons, karaoke under the stars, learning an instrument through online tutorials (short daily sessions).
- Nature Connection: Plant a veggie or flower garden, create a nature journal, or build fairy houses from twigs and moss.
- Community Projects: Arrange a mini clean-up for your street, volunteer at an animal shelter, or organize a lemonade stand. This helps kids learn responsibility and empathy.
Therapist Tip: Observe the themes in their play. Is your child always pretending to be a veterinarian? Channel that energy with a “Pet Clinic” pretend play set-up. Do they keep drawing rockets? Maybe a booklet of space facts or a trip to a planetarium would light their fire.
Independent Play When Parents Are Busy
Even a therapist-parent has work calls, errands, or a momentary need for a pause button. Here are some go-to “busy but beneficial” activities:
- Mystery Activity Jars: Fill jars with popsicle sticks labeled with ideas—“Write a secret code,” “Build a Lego tower,” “Draw your superhero,” “Mix a new smoothie recipe.” When your child’s bored, they grab a stick and go!Sensory Bins: A bin of rice mixed with small toys, scoops, and cups can captivate toddlers and elementary-agers for a surprisingly long stretch. Change themes every week—“Arctic Adventure” with cotton balls, blue rice, and tiny animal figures; “Under the Sea” with blue beads, shells, and fish toys.
- Audiobooks & Podcasts: Storytime that doesn’t require your voice. Many services offer mixes of stories and kid-friendly science or history podcasts.
- Puzzle Corner: Jigsaw puzzles, tangrams, logic puzzles, or Sudoku tailored to their age. These are perfect for quiet concentration.
- Creative Kits: From DIY slime kits (if you are brave!) to build-your-own robot sets, these bring a structured project that still invites discovery.
Therapist Tip: Frame these as “Big Kid Missions” or “Summer Challenges” to boost their sense of mastery. Leave a sticky note map or comic-book-style instructions for an extra dose of fun.
Screen Time Management… Yes, Even in Summer
I get it: screen time is the magician’s cloak for frazzled parents. But unregulated screen use can dull curiosity, hamper social skills, shorten the attention span, impact sleep, and more.
- Set Clear Limits: Research suggests 1–2 hours of recreational screen time per day for school-age kids, less for younger children. Involve your child in setting these rules. Choice empowers them and reduces pushback. Get their ideas and make a list of things to do when they are craving the screen!
- Quality Over Quantity: Prioritize interactive or educational content such as coding games, virtual museum tours, or story-creation apps. Co-view or co-play when you can; it turns solo screens into shared experiences. Also, as “kid-friendly” as streaming services and games claim to be, you never know what can creep up. It is always best to monitor what they are watching.
- Screen-Free Zones & Times: Keep devices tucked away at the dinner table, one hour before bedtime, and during family outings. Make it fun by getting a phone jail to lock everyone’s device up! (Just google it, you can find them cheap online!)
- Earn it: Like getting paid for certain chores, make coupons for screen time. 1 hour of outdoor play= 15 min of screen time. 15 min of reading= 5 min of screen time. 1 hour of watching younger siblings while you cook dinner= 30 min of screen time.
Therapist Tip: Use a visual timer or a fun “screen time tracker” chart. Seeing their progress toward the daily limit helps kids internalize self-regulation. When limits are reached, transition with empath. “I see you’re really enjoying your game. Screen time is up now, tomorrow, we’ll log back in for the next level!” encourages cooperation rather than rebellion. (Don’t forget to give warnings. Kids don’t keep track of time the same way we do. It is always best to give multiple warnings such as a 10 min and 5 min warning before it gets put up.)
Play Time with Parents
Child-Parent Relationship Training emphasizes the parent’s role as “play partner” and “emotion coach.” Here’s how to weave CPRT into your summer routine:
- Special Playtime: Carve out 15–20 minutes a day of undistracted, child-led play. Follow their lead. If they’re building a castle, you’re the loyal guard or whatever role they ask you to play. Reflect feelings (“You’re upset that the castle fell down”). Encourage perseverance (“But you aren’t giving up on it, you know you can build it back up again!”)
- Acknowledging Strengths: Notice the process of what they are doing using encouragement. “You are working hard to build those blocks so high!”
- Emotion Coaching: When frustration bubbles (“Ugh, I can’t get this puzzle piece!”), validate (“It’s hard to find the one that fits”), help them label the feeling (“You are frustrated that it is taking so long to find it”), and encourage (“But you aren’t giving up, you know you will find it!”).
- Family Play Projects: Tackle a collaborative art mural, build a backyard obstacle course, or cook dinner together. This way, each family member contributes, practices cooperation, and shares joy.
- Reflective Listening: After a day of adventure, be curious: “I wonder what your favorite part of today was…”. “I wonder what it was like for you when…”. This deepens connection and reinforces emotional intelligence.
Wrapping Up the Season with Reflection
As the dog days of summer slip into the promise of a new school year, take time to reflect:
- Memory Book: Have your child create a scrapbook of drawings, photos, ticket stubs, and notes about their favorite moments.
- Grateful Moments: At dinner one evening, each person names one “summer highlight.”
- Looking Ahead: Talk about what they learned about themselves such as new interests discovered, skills practiced, challenges overcome.
Summer isn’t just idle time; it’s a vital season for self-directed learning, emotional growth, and family bonding. By weaving in free play, guided learning, interest exploration, smart screen habits, and parent-child bonding, you’ll send your child back to school not only refreshed but empowered, confident, and eager to tackle the next chapter.
Here’s to a summer where kids play their hearts out, families laugh together, and every sunbeam sparks a new adventure!
With play and presence,
Brianna Henderson, LPC, RPT, CCPT | Founder & Play Therapist
