by: Shelley Moore
Keeping children engaged over the summer months can feel overwhelming, especially when balancing work and family life. The good news is that summer offers a wonderful opportunity for children to explore interests, build new skills, and enjoy unstructured time that supports creativity and personal growth. With a bit of planning and flexibility, this season can be both fun and fulfilling for your child—and a little easier for you, too.
The Benefits of Unstructured Time
While organized activities have their benefits, unstructured time is great for fostering healthy coping skills, cognitive development, and self-regulation. When children are left to their own devices, without constant direction from adults, they learn:
- Creativity and Imagination: Free time allows kids to tape into imaginative play in which they are free to invent games, stories, and activities, fostering original thinking.
- Independence and Initiative: Unstructured time gives children space to explore their interests, make decisions, and motivate themselves to reach their goals.
- Emotional Resilience: Learning to navigate boredom helps kids develop patience, self-soothing strategies, and the ability to tolerate frustration. Boredom can become a catalyst for creative thinking.
- Problem-Solving Skills: When children aren’t given step-by-step instructions, they figure things out on their own—an essential life skill.
The additional benefit of unstructured time is for you as a parent or guardian! It’s important that you feel relaxed and refreshed as well. Taking time to read a book, tend to the garden, work on a puzzle, or whatever you enjoy doing not only keeps you balanced but allows your child to see how you fill your downtime.
Tip: Be careful not to have kids on screens all day. Having outdoor play and screen-free time is important for healthy development. Decide what works for your family and set boundaries early; implement screen time and screen-free time. Consider online camps or classes as a compromise if parents work and need kids on a screen for longer than they’d like; virtual learning opportunities provide active learning experiences and can be healthier than passively watching YouTube or TikTok videos.
Simple Ideas for Structured Time
Some structured time is important as well as it can provide rhythm and predictability. Try building a weekly calendar of events with your child so they know what to expect and can offer their own ideas. A few ideas to get started:
- Nature Walks
- Volunteering to help your local community
- Bike rides
- Cooking/grilling a meal together
- Events at your local library
- Visiting local historical sites
- Family game days/nights
When is Professional Help Needed?
If balancing structured and unstructured time becomes a point of tension in your home, or if your child is struggling emotionally or behaviorally, please reach out to us to inquire about how we can help your family find it’s rhythm (908-883-4173).