For many children and teens, summer means freedom, fun and a welcome break from school routines. But for parents and caregivers, the season can also bring new challenges. Longer days, less structure and increased screen time can impact youth mental health in ways that are easy to overlook — especially for children who have experienced trauma or instability.

Summer can also be one of the best opportunities to strengthen emotional wellness, deepen family connections and help youth build healthy coping skills. With the right balance of structure, flexibility and intentional support, families can create a summer that feels both fun and emotionally safe.

To help your family navigate the season, here are our practical, therapist-approved strategies to support your children and teens through the unique emotional ups and downs of summer break.

Why Can Summer Be Challenging for Youth Mental Health?

Gloria Christian, LIMHP Director of Clinical & Prevention Services

Summer may all be positive for children and teens, who get to take a break from academics and focus on fun and relaxation. But the changes in routine present potential stressors for youth mental health in the summer. Especially for those with trauma histories, like children and youth in foster care, wellbeing can be challenging as the lack of structure brings fears and anxieties to the surface.

Gloria Christian, LIMHP and Director of Clinical & Prevention Services at KVC Nebraska, shares an example of children in foster care who have experienced food scarcity. Losing the structure around consistent meal times can compromise their sense of safety and security. These fears may lead to distress and put children in crisis mode — and both the child and parents may wonder why they’re panicking or acting out!

Common behaviors that may indicate a child feels unstable from a lack of structure may include:

• Increased irritability
• Frequent tantrums or fits of anger
• Significant changes in sleep patterns (sleeping too much or not enough)
• Isolation or difficulty staying connected with friends
• Withdrawal or heavy sadness

The Importance of Maintaining Healthy Routines

When thinking about routines during the summer months, Gloria encourages “flexible structure.” The most important schedule to set is consistent meal times and bedtime routines. 

According to a study in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, children whose bedtimes varied by more than an hour each night struggled to self-regulate behaviors and emotions. The sweet spot is to keep bedtime around the same 20 minutes each night.

“Kids like structure,” explains Gloria. “They may not ever be able to verbalize that, but we know that when they don’t have structure or their structure changes, we see increased behaviors. It’s really important for caregivers to help them set that structure.” 

A healthy, flexible routine supports youth emotional health with consistency, while avoiding overscheduling. Summer is a great opportunity for exploration, family vacations and exploring nature throughout Nebraska. But packing too much into the short few months of summer can be overwhelming and make maintaining the basic routines of sleep and mealtimes difficult.

5 Therapist Recommended Strategies to Support Youth Mental Health

Supporting youth mental health during the summer is about more than balancing structure and flexibility. It’s also about providing opportunities for fun, exploration and discovering healthy coping skills. 

Some of the best coping strategies for youth in foster care stem from special interests or shared activities with loved ones. Here are five therapist tips for summer mental health that will encourage exploration and help youth develop healthy coping skills:

1. Explore New Activities and Interests

Summer is the perfect time to try something new and learn in different ways! Gloria says that summer is a valuable time for learning because “we can have an increased ability to learn things throughout the summer that can be a little bit different from school.” These new experiences can give children and youth healthy coping skills as they research new interests and expand their horizons. 

Trying out a summer camp, getting into a new book series or even learning about computers can make for great learning opportunities. The key is finding ways to cultivate a child’s interests and help them embrace new things.

Participating in new activities as a family is a great way to bond over the summer. These 10 fun and low-cost ideas in Nebraska are perfect for foster family summer activities.

2. Balance Screen Time

It’s easy to fill the days with a lot of TV and video games when the school day structure goes away. While screen time can be helpful and engaging, it’s important to recognize that there is a time and a place for screens . . . and it isn’t every time and place. 

Encourage healthy screen habits with tech-free times, active play and positive role modeling. Parental controls and screen time apps can help both set limits on screen time and monitor online activity for safety. 

“Lonely kids seek support online, and that can be dangerous,” warns Gloria. “If someone is withdrawing as an adolescent, it makes me wonder who they’re talking to.” 

Remember that children and youth are susceptible to online predators. To protect youth from online grooming, caregivers should be available, set boundaries and educate children on smart technology use.

3. Reward and Reinforce Good Behaviors

Youth who have experienced trauma may face behavioral challenges during the transition from school to summer. One of the best ways to mitigate these negative behaviors is by rewarding positive behaviors. Praise listening, completing chores and kindness to encourage positive behaviors and reduce unwanted ones.

4. Spend Time Out in Nature

Summer is the perfect time to use nature to strengthen youth mental health, and this often goes in tandem with helping children embrace interests and try new things. Nature exploration can be a week-long adventure or as simple as a hike or backyard discovery. Cool off at a local splash pad or take a dip in one of Nebraska’s beautiful lakes!

There are plenty of Nebraska nature activities for youth, including several state parks. Nebraska Game and Parks has an Outdoor Discovery Program packed with Nebraska nature activities for youth like camping, fishing, hunting and other fun interactions that encourage active outdoor lifestyles and ethical nature-based education.

5. Have Regular Emotional Check-Ins

Check in emotionally with your children and youth to ask how they’re doing and what they’ve been discovering lately. These check-ins help parents and caregivers stay aware of youth mental wellness and encourage healthy family relationships. Incorporate these check-ins with meal times or bedtime routines to help build the habit.

Embracing Nebraskan Summer as a Foster Parent

While summer can present some challenges, remember that it’s also a time of great opportunity given the right structure and intentional exploration! “Summer creates a great opportunity for kids to explore different things because families usually have a little bit more time on their hands since they’re not stuck in the school schedules,” says Gloria.

If your child or family could benefit from additional mental health support this summer, KVC Nebraska is here to help. From outpatient therapy services to foster care support and more, our team is committed to helping children and families thrive. Explore our free KVC Nebraska resources or contact KVC Nebraska today to learn how we can support your family.