🌞 Why Summer Is the Perfect Time to Build Emotional Regulation Skills with Your Kids

I was saying in one of my posts previously that summer means long days, tired kids, and big emotions. I got a comment that said “I can’t relate. Because slow mornings, slow evenings, no structure for the day. This is the life. We can actually enjoy living”

I don’t think they understood what I was actually getting at. Like maybe I was saying “Oh no, summer holidays – awful.” That wasn’t it. I love the summer holidays. I love slow mornings. And my kids enjoy some unstructured time too. But that doesn’t mean big emotions take a break over the summer. That doesn’t mean the kids don’t get tired because we were out having some beach adventure or playground meet up. It doesn’t mean we are going to have no stress at all and it doesn’t mean that there will be no transitions that they struggle with.

If anything, summer can turn up the heat on everything. Emotions feel bigger. Overstimulation can still happen. And without the usual structure, it can feel like we’re all a little untethered. Plus if we get a day that’s just tooo hot 🥵

So it’s not about summer holidays vs term time or how much you do or do not enjoy the summer. If you have a perfect summer that feels like skipping through a beautiful meadow the whole time…..okay. If you have a summer where you’re still trying to get work done, have little support , don’t have the time or money to go on any fancy holidays away, and your kid is moaning because they want to just be on the screens and not enjoying the sun – that’s okay.

All our summers are going to look different.

But one thing I believe could benefit everyone…is using this time to start building emotional regulation skills — gently, playfully, and together.

Let’s talk about why this season gives us a beautiful window to support our kids’ nervous systems (and ours too), without turning it into one more “thing to do.”

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What is Emotional Regulation, Really?

Emotional regulation isn’t about stopping meltdowns or forcing calm.
It’s about learning how to notice what’s happening in our bodies and having tools to move through those big feelings in safe, connected ways.

It’s breath.
It’s movement.
It’s knowing you’re not alone in it.
And it’s a skill — one that gets stronger with practice, especially when we are not just leaving it until dysregulated moments.

That’s why summer matters. Because it gives us moments of calm. Of slowing down. Of openness.
Moments we can use — not perfectly, but intentionally — to build regulation tools that will serve our kids (and ourselves) for the long run.

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Summer and the Nervous System

Here are a few gentle truths I’ve noticed — and maybe you have too:

1. There’s more space to practice when you’re not rushing out the door.

When the mornings aren’t packed and you don’t have such an early start and a tight deadline to get somewhere, there’s a softness to the day. That’s the space where regulation lives. That’s where you can pause and take a deep breath with your child — not just remind them to breathe when they’re already dysregulated.

Summer gives you the margin to actually try the things you’re learning. It’s less about correcting behaviour and more about noticing what helps before the big feelings take over.

2. Play is everywhere — and play is the best co-regulation tool.

Splashing in the water. Running barefoot in the grass. Swinging, rolling, climbing, laughing. All of these are powerful nervous system balancers — and your child is already drawn to them. When we join in and stay present, we’re not just “playing.” We’re helping their bodies and brains practice regulation in the most natural way.

3. You get to follow rhythm, not routine.

Summer isn’t about rigid schedules. It’s about creating soft, supportive rhythms that help kids feel safe and held — without feeling boxed in. Meals, rest, outdoor time, transitions… these become beautiful anchors. Not strict rules, just steady moments that remind their nervous systems: You are safe here.

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5 Simple, Summery Ways to Practice Regulation with Your Kids

Here’s the best part — this doesn’t have to be complicated.
Try any of these this week. Or pick one. Or just let it inspire something your family already loves.

💛 Start the day with one breath together before you get out of bed (use my free guide for some must know practices)
💛 Make a “calm spot” in the shade with pillows and books
💛 Use water play (hose, pool, sink, bath whatever!) to reset after a tough moment
💛 Rest together after lunch with a guided meditation or legs up the wall pose
💛 Try naming what you both feel when a big emotion comes: “I am feeling overwhelmed right now. I’m going to try bumblebee breath and see how I feel after”

The goal isn’t to be perfectly calm all the time. It’s to keep coming back to connection (with yourself and each other)

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A Little Reframe for the Summer Mindset

You don’t have to be the perfect parent.
You don’t need to know all the answers.

You just need to be willing to slow down sometimes. To explore these practices together. To let it be playful. It model calm.

That’s the real magic of summer.

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What If This Summer Felt a Little More Regulated?

Imagine your child starting to take a breath when they were feeling frustrated or overwhelmed.
Imagine you noticing your own overwhelm and knowing what to do with it before the extractor fan causes you to scream the house down.
Imagine playful tools that make calming down part of everyday life — not a last resort.

You don’t need a perfect plan.
You just need space, a few simple practices, and a whole lot of grace.

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Want more ways to build calm, connected rhythms in your home?
My free Breath Starter Kit is a beautiful place to begin — with 5 simple tools you can start using today.

Download the freebie here

What do you love about summer? Comment below!

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