Supporting Your Child This Summer: Age-By-Age Strategies for Growth and Balance
Summer offers a welcome break from the school-year routine, but it’s also a valuable opportunity to support your child’s development in ways that are meaningful, personalized, and fun. Whether your student is in elementary school or heading off to college, intentional support during the summer can boost confidence, strengthen key skills, and set the stage for success in the fall.
Here’s how you can support your child based on their age and stage:
Elementary School: Building Routines and Confidence
At this age, kids benefit from structure, skill-building, and playful learning. Summer is the perfect time to nurture independence in small, manageable ways.
What Helps:
Create Predictable Routines: Kids thrive when they know what to expect. Try a simple daily rhythm that includes time for movement, quiet play, reading, and screen breaks.
Incorporate Light Learning: Use everyday moments for skill practice—cooking for math, nature walks for science, or journaling for writing. Keep it fun and low-pressure.
Strengthen Executive Function Skills: Practice following multi-step directions, organizing toys, or planning an outing. These small tasks build critical life skills that will serve them in school and beyond.
Middle School: Encouraging Independence and Resilience
Middle schoolers are developing self-awareness and beginning to take more ownership of their learning. Summer is a great time to reinforce problem-solving, responsibility, and emotional regulation.
What Helps:
Give Ownership Over a Project: Whether it’s a summer reading list, a garden, or organizing their room, let them take the lead. Personal projects boost motivation and confidence.
Talk About Grit and Setbacks: Use summer downtime to talk about challenges, failure, and perseverance. These conversations build emotional strength and resilience.
Start Building Time-Management Skills: Support them in using a planner or digital calendar to track summer goals or commitments.
High School: Sharpening Skills and Planning Ahead
High schoolers are juggling academics, social pressures, and planning for life after graduation. Summer offers a chance to reset, refocus, and prepare with purpose.
What Helps:
Set Clear Goals: Whether academic (reading ahead), personal (volunteering), or college-related (exploring majors), help them articulate a few meaningful goals for the summer.
Practice Self-Advocacy: Encourage them to schedule their own appointments, reach out to teachers for recommendations, or contact colleges for information.
Explore Executive Coaching or Tutoring: Summer is an ideal time to focus on strengthening study habits, test prep, or managing long-term assignments without the stress of daily schoolwork.
College Students: Preparing for the Next Chapter
Whether they’re gearing up for freshman year or heading back as upperclassmen, college students benefit from summer support that balances independence with planning.
What Helps:
Talk About Emotional Readiness: College isn’t just about academics. Discuss stress management, decision-making, and seeking support when needed.
Encourage Life Skills: Help them practice cooking, budgeting, and time management—especially if they’re living away from home for the first time.
Create Space for Rest and Reset: After a demanding year, make sure there’s time for restoration. Rest is productive too.
Final Thoughts
Every child’s summer looks a little different—and that’s the beauty of it. With a bit of structure, reflection, and support tailored to their stage of development, summer can be a time of growth, confidence-building, and meaningful connection. Whether your child is entering kindergarten or preparing for dorm life, there’s room to grow, reset, and thrive.
Sources
illuminos.co/blog/2024/7/28/why-establishing-routines-is-important-to-success
illuminos.co/blog/2024/12/23/how-executive-functioning-helps-kids-succeed-and-why-its-not-just-about-intelligence
illuminos.co/blog/2024/4/20/encouraging-personal-projects-for-student-growth
illuminos.co/blog/teaching-grit-and-resilience-to-middle-and-high-school-students-a-guide-for-parents-and-teachers
illuminos.co/blog/2021/11/17/using-a-planner-effectively
illuminos.co/blog/2025/1/20/holistic-approaches-to-managing-adhd-simple-strategies-for-big-impacts
illuminos.co/blog/preparing-for-college-emotionally-a-heartfelt-guide-for-parents-and-students
