The Secret to Having the Best Summer Ever

Structure and routine make summers more fun.

Posted May 30, 2026 | Reviewed by Margaret Foley

Let me begin by stating a fact: I am a big proponent of letting kids play freely on the weekend and over breaks. That said, there seems to be a glorified image of a totally free summer in which kids can do whatever they want from wake-up until bedtime. The reality is more grim than the dream.

The reality is that the relaxing feeling of having nothing to do and no pressure quickly turns into boredom for kids and teens. Why is that? Because we humans actually thrive with some structure. I am not talking about a dawn til dusk treadmill of camps, practices, classes, etc. I’m talking about some plan for our days in which we have things that we can depend on.

Structure helps to regulate our daily rhythms, like sleeping and eating. When we sleep at around the same time each day , we sleep better and typically have less trouble falling asleep. When we eat at around the same time, we feel hungry for meals and eat a healthy amount. We may not notice it, but it can stress our nervous systems when eating and sleeping are unpredictable. It’s not just eating and sleeping; overall, kids are less stressed and happier when their lives are somewhat predictable. And research shows that kids engage in more unhealthy behaviors when their time is unstructured than when it is structured 1 .

When behaviors are done regularly, they become habitual. We don’t have to work hard to motivate our habits the way we may have to with infrequent activities 2 . When kids don’t have much planned or scheduled in the summer, and then a caregiver suggests a trip to the pool, kids may refuse the fun option. This is because kids have to work harder to overcome inertia (being sedentary makes an outing more effortful) and motivate themselves to do something new. Bottom line: They're out of habit.

Here’s another interesting tidbit research has found about routines: They reduce stress and anxiety 3 . When we don’t have something scheduled or planned that we can depend upon, we have to make decisions about how to spend our time. Hour after hour, day after day of decision-making all summer can lead to mental fatigue in kids.

So what can parents do? Here are a few tips to help kids get the best of both worlds: the feeling of summer freedom without lots of boredom, lethargy, and even stress or anxiety.

Kids may fight you about summer structure, but know they will have a happier, lower-stress summer if their days have a rhythm and activities that are entertaining.

Brazendale K, Beets MW, Weaver RG, Pate RR, Turner-McGrievy GM, Kaczynski AT, Chandler JL, Bohnert A, von Hippel PT. Understanding differences between summer vs. school obesogenic behaviors of children: the structured days hypothesis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017 Jul 26;14(1):100. doi: 10.1186/s12966-017-0555-2. PMID: 28747186; PMCID: PMC5530518.
Wood W, Quinn JM. Habits and the Structure of Motivation in Everyday Life. In: Forgas JP, Williams KD, Laham SM, eds. Social Motivation: Conscious and Unconscious Processes . Cambridge University Press; 2004:55-70.
Cepni AB, Kirschmann JM, Rodriguez A, Johnston CA. When Routines Break: The Health Implications of Disrupted Daily Life. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2025 Sep 29;20(1):15598276251381626. doi: 10.1177/15598276251381626. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41035849; PMCID: PMC12479442.

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Daniela Owen, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and children's book author who uses evidence-based strategies to help children live mentally healthier lives.

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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.