Structuring Summer for Children and Young Adults

Introduction

Summer can be exciting, but for many individuals, it can also feel overwhelming. The school year naturally provides routines, schedules, and predictable expectations. During summer break, those supports often disappear, leaving children and young adults with more unstructured time, changing schedules, and uncertainty. For those who experience anxiety, executive functioning challenges, or difficulty with transitions, the loss of structure can increase stress, emotional dysregulation, sleep disruption, and family conflict.

The good news is that one of the most effective supports is also one of the simplest: thoughtful structure. This blog explores why structure matters, how transitions affect anxiety, and practical ways families can create flexible routines that support—rather than control—-their child.

What Anxiety Does

Anxiety often acts like the brain’s “danger alarm,” becoming hypersensitive to uncertainty and unpredictability. When children do not know what to expect, even ordinary activities can feel stressful. During the summer, anxiety may show up as:

• Difficulty getting started on tasks
• Increased irritability or emotional outbursts
• Resistance to transitions
• Excessive screen time
• Sleep disruptions
• Frequent reassurance-seeking
• Avoidance of activities or social situations

Children and teens often function best when they know what is happening, what is expected of them, when transitions will occur, and what comes next. Without these anchors, anxious thoughts can quickly spiral into “what if” thinking.

What Structure Provides

Structure does not eliminate anxiety entirely, but it can reduce the conditions that intensify it. Predictable routines can provide:

• Predictability: Reduces uncertainty and helps daily life feel more manageable.
• Control and Competence: Helps children feel capable and confident because they understand what is expected of them.
• Emotional Regulation Support: Routines act as external scaffolding when internal regulation feels difficult.

In other words, routines are not about being rigid; they are about helping children feel safe enough to cope.

Why Summer Structure Matters

Summer often brings:

• Less routine
• Fewer school-based supports
• More downtime
• Increased screen time
• Changes in sleep schedules
• More transitions and unpredictable plans

While flexibility can be healthy, too much unstructured time may increase stress for children who rely on predictability. Structure can help reduce:

• Anxiety
• Meltdowns or shutdowns
• Family conflict
• Sleep disruption
• Power struggles around responsibilities or screens

The goal is not to schedule every moment of the day. Instead, it is to create a reliable rhythm that gives children a sense of stability while still allowing room for rest, fun, and flexibility.

Start with 2–3 Summer Goals

Before creating routines, families can ask themselves:

• What does our family need most this summer?
• What routines do we want to maintain?
• What skills would we like our child to practice?

Examples of realistic summer goals include:

• Maintaining consistent bedtime and wake-up times
• Reducing screen-time battles
• Practicing one life skill
• Planning regular social or community activities
• Increasing independence with daily routines

Keeping goals small and manageable increases the likelihood that routines will be sustainable throughout the summer.

Create a Simple Daily Rhythm

Children and teens often benefit from predictable “anchors” throughout the day rather than highly rigid schedules. Helpful daily anchors may include:

• Morning routine
• Meals and snacks
• Outdoor play or physical activity
• Chores and responsibilities
• Downtime
• Screen-time boundaries
• Bedtime routine

Example Daily Rhythm: 

• Morning: Breakfast, hygiene, and movement
• Midday: Camp, outings, chores, or a learning activity
• Afternoon: Downtime, hobbies, and screen time
• Evening: Dinner, family time, and preparation for the next day

Simple consistency often works better than complicated schedules.

Transitions: Where Anxiety Often Spikes

Children who tend to manage activities well may also struggle when it is time to switch tasks or environments. Transitions can feel difficult because they involve:

• Shifting attention
• Loss of predictability
• Changes in sensory input
• Fear of the unknown
• Difficulty stopping preferred activities

If a child struggles during transitions, it is often not defiance. Instead, it is a sign of overwhelm combined with uncertainty.

Helpful Transition Supports

Preview and Countdown

Give advance warnings before transitions:

• “10 minutes until we leave.”
• “5 more minutes.”
• “2 minutes left.”

Timers and Concrete Endpoints

Visual timers help make time feel predictable:

• “When the timer goes off, we will clean up.”

First/Then Language

Clear sequencing reduces uncertainty:

• “First lunch, then screen time.”
• “First shoes, then outside.”

Choices Within Structure

Offer small choices while maintaining the overall plan:

• “Do you want to walk or hop to the car?”
• “Blue or green water bottle?”

Bridge Routines

Short, repeatable actions can help transitions feel smoother:

• Singing a goodbye song
• Stretching
• Carrying a comfort item
• Reviewing the next step together

The goal is to reduce ambiguity and help children emotionally “shift gears.”

Visual Supports

Visual supports reduce the mental load of remembering and organizing tasks. They can be especially helpful for children and teens with anxiety, ASD, ADHD, or executive functioning difficulties. Helpful tools include:

• Weekly calendars
• Daily schedules
• Checklists
• Timers
• First/Then boards
• Phone reminders for teens and young adults

Examples:

• “After breakfast: brush teeth, get dressed, pack your bag.”
• “Now → lunch, Next → park, Later → screen time.”

Visual supports make expectations more concrete and reduce the need for repeated verbal reminders.

Balance Must-Do, Should-Do, and Want-To Activities

A balanced summer schedule includes responsibilities, opportunities for growth, and enjoyable downtime.

Must-Do:

• Sleep
• Meals
• Hygiene
• Medication
• Appointments

Should-Do:

• Reading
• Chores
• Exercise
• Social practice
• Life skills

Want-To:

• Screens
• Hobbies
• Friends
• Relaxation
• Special interests

Children often regulate better when enjoyable activities are balanced with structure and responsibility.

Building Flexibility Without Creating Rigidity

A common concern is whether structure will make children more dependent on routines. In reality, predictable routines can actually help build flexibility when change is introduced gradually and supportively.

Plan–Change–Cope Approach

• Plan: Show or explain the routine.
• Change: Introduce a small, manageable change.
• Cope: Practice coping strategies while reinforcing success.

Examples:

• Taking a different route to an activity
• Switching the order of two small tasks
• Briefly delaying a preferred activity
• Practicing backup plans

The goal is not “no distress,” but to increase tolerance and build recovery skills over time.

Building Independence During Summer

Summer can also be a valuable time to practice independence skills in low-pressure ways.

Kids and Teens:

• Making breakfast
• Following a checklist
• Packing a bag
• Helping with grocery shopping
• Practicing laundry

Young Adults:

• Using a calendar
• Scheduling appointments
• Planning transportation
• Managing medication routines
• Budgeting spending money
• Practicing self-advocacy

Developing independence through consistent routines can improve both confidence and emotional regulation.

Building in Downtime and Regulation

Structure should always include opportunities for rest and regulation. Overscheduling can increase stress rather than reduce it.

Helpful Downtime Ideas: 

• Outdoor time
• Quiet time
• Sensory breaks
• Calm spaces
• Movement breaks
• Consistent meals and sleep

Helpful Coping Tools: 

• Music
• Drawing
• Reading
• Deep breathing
• Fidgets or sensory tools
• Talking with a trusted adult

Downtime is not “doing nothing”; it is part of emotional recovery and nervous system regulation.

Caregiver Takeaways

• Anxiety grows in uncertainty; predictability is supportive.
• Most transition struggles are rooted in overwhelm, not attitude.
• Structure works best when it is flexible, simple, and consistent.
• Visual supports, countdowns, and First/Then language reduce stress.
• Building flexibility should happen gradually.
• Progress is measured by tolerance and recovery, not perfection.

Community Resources and Support

If your child’s anxiety is significantly affecting their ability to function at school, sleep, maintain relationships, or manage daily activities, additional support may help.

Online Supports:

• Child Mind Institute
• Understood.org
• HealthyChildren.org
• CDC Parent Resources

Local Supports:

• Ann Arbor District Library
• Ann Arbor Parks & Recreation
• Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation
• The Arc of Washtenaw County
• Michigan Alliance for Families

Other Supports:

• Behavioral health clinics
• Pediatricians
• School counselors or psychologists
• Community mental health services
• Parent support groups

Conclusion

Structuring time is one of the most powerful everyday supports for children and teens experiencing anxiety. Predictable routines, supported transitions, and intentionally practiced flexibility help young people feel safer, more confident, and more capable of coping with change.The goal is not perfection or rigid scheduling. Instead, thoughtful structure creates a foundation that allows children and teens to build independence, emotional regulation, and resilience over time. With the right support and scaffolding, summer can become an opportunity not only for rest and fun, but also for growth.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. HealthyChildren.org.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Parent Resources.

Child Mind Institute. Family Resources.

Harvard Center on the Developing Child. Executive Function and Self-Regulation.

Kazdin, A. E. Behavior change principles related to routines and reinforcement.

Kendall, P. C. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for child anxiety literature.

Lebowitz, E. R., & Omer, H. SPACE: Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions.

Michigan Alliance for Families. Parent Resources.

Rapee, R. M., et al. Parent-led CBT strategies for child anxiety.

Understood.org. Executive Function and Learning Differences.