How Much Learning Should Children Do During the Summer Holidays?

The summer holidays can create a familiar worry for parents: should children be resting, or should they be learning?

Some families feel pressure to organise workbooks, tutoring, reading targets and daily maths practice. Others believe children should be allowed to forget about school completely until September. Social media can make the decision feel even more complicated, especially when one family appears to be following a detailed summer curriculum while another is spending six weeks outdoors.

In reality, most children do not need a miniature version of school running through the holidays.

They do, however, benefit from continuing to read, think, talk, explore, create and use the skills they have already developed. For some children, that may involve a small amount of focused practice. For others, especially those who have finished the year exhausted or anxious, rest may be the most important starting point.

The right amount of summer learning depends on the child, their age, how the school year went and what the family can realistically sustain. It should not depend on fear, competition or the belief that every hour needs to be educational.

This guide explains how much learning children really need during the summer, what kinds of activities are worthwhile and how parents can keep skills active without turning the holidays into another term.

Do children really lose learning during the summer?

The idea of “summer learning loss” is often presented as though children forget months of education as soon as the school gates close. The reality is more complicated.

Children may become less fluent in skills they have not used for several weeks. A child who stops reading may initially read more slowly in September. Times tables, spelling patterns, handwriting stamina and methods for solving calculations may feel less automatic after a long break.

That does not mean all previous learning has disappeared.

Children frequently need time at the beginning of a new school year to reactivate routines and knowledge. Teachers expect some adjustment. Schools generally begin the term by revisiting expectations, checking what pupils remember and identifying areas that need further teaching.

Research into summer learning does not show that every child loses the same amount or that every subject is affected equally. The Education Endowment Foundation notes that attainment can regress more during the summer for some disadvantaged pupils, while summer reading initiatives show some promise. However, the evidence should not be interpreted as proof that every family must recreate classroom lessons at home.

The risk is usually greatest when a child:

• was already struggling with a foundational skill;
• had significant absence during the school year;
• has limited access to books or enriching activities;
• is preparing for an important transition or resit;
• has been given specific work by the school;
• needs frequent repetition to retain learning;
• is beginning the holiday with significant gaps in reading or numeracy.

For many children, the goal should not be to move ahead of the curriculum. It should be to keep useful skills gently active while protecting time for rest, play and family life.

Rest is not wasted time

Children need a break from school just as adults need time away from work.

A school day involves far more than completing lessons. Children manage noise, movement, instructions, deadlines, friendships, behaviour expectations, transitions and constant social attention. Older pupils may also be coping with exams, homework, travel and uncertainty about their future.

By the end of the summer term, some children are simply tired. Others are emotionally depleted.

A child who has had a particularly difficult year may need recovery before they are ready for structured learning. If your child has experienced bullying, school anxiety, academic disappointment, repeated behaviour problems or unmet additional needs, begin with our guide on how to help your child after a difficult school year.

Rest supports learning indirectly. A child who has slept, played, moved, explored interests and reconnected with family may return to school more receptive than a child who has spent the holiday arguing over worksheets.

Rest does not have to mean six weeks without routines or stimulation. It can include:

• unhurried mornings;
• creative play;
• time outdoors;
• seeing friends and relatives;
• reading for pleasure;
• sports and physical activity;
• helping with everyday tasks;
• having periods with nothing planned.

Boredom is not necessarily a problem that parents need to solve immediately. When children are given time and reasonable boundaries, boredom can lead to imaginative play, experimentation and self-directed activity.

The question is therefore not, “Should my child rest or learn?” Children can do both. The more useful question is, “What balance will help this particular child recover while keeping them curious and capable?”

How much formal learning is enough?

There is no official number of minutes that every child should study each day during the holidays.

For most primary-aged children, brief and regular activity is more useful than long, infrequent sessions. Ten or fifteen minutes of enjoyable reading, number practice or writing can be enough to keep familiar skills active.

Secondary pupils may be able to work for longer, but they still rarely need a full daily timetable unless they are preparing for a resit, completing required coursework or following a specific support plan.

A reasonable starting point for optional formal learning might be:

• Reception and Key Stage 1: shared reading, stories, conversation and learning through play rather than formal lessons;
• Key Stage 2: regular reading and perhaps two or three brief maths, spelling or writing activities each week;
• Key Stage 3: regular reading, practical learning and occasional review of a subject that caused difficulty;
• GCSE and sixth-form pupils: targeted work connected to known gaps, required assignments, resits or preparation for the next stage.

These are not rules. Some children will benefit from more. Others will need less.

Formal learning is most likely to be useful when it is:

• brief;
• focused on a genuine need;
• appropriate for the child’s current level;
• predictable rather than introduced unexpectedly;
• balanced with choice and free time;
• stopped before it becomes a prolonged battle.

One effective approach is to agree on a modest weekly rhythm instead of insisting on work every weekday. For example, a primary-aged child might read on most days, practise maths twice a week and write something once a week. That writing could be a postcard, recipe, diary entry, comic or list rather than a formal essay.

The aim is continuity, not volume.

Reading should be the main priority for most children

If a family chooses only one regular learning activity for the summer, reading is usually the strongest option.

Reading supports vocabulary, comprehension, spelling, general knowledge, imagination and the ability to sustain attention. It also gives children access to ideas and experiences far beyond their immediate surroundings.

But summer reading should not become a daily test.

Allow children to read material they genuinely enjoy. Novels are valuable, but they are not the only valid reading. Depending on the child, useful options may include:

• comics and graphic novels;
• football, gaming or fashion magazines;
• non-fiction books about animals, space, vehicles or history;
• joke books;
• recipes and instructions;
• newspapers written for young readers;
• audiobooks alongside printed text;
• accessible or dyslexia-friendly books;
• e-books;
• books in the child’s home language.

The Department for Education’s guidance on encouraging children to read recommends giving children choice, reading aloud, talking about books and using local libraries.

BookTrust also provides ideas for keeping children reading during the summer, including joining a library challenge and connecting books with summer activities.

Children who can read independently may still enjoy being read to. Shared reading creates opportunities to discuss unfamiliar words, characters and ideas without making the experience feel like a lesson.

Avoid turning every chapter into a comprehension exercise. Questions such as “What do you think will happen next?” or “Which character do you like?” can support understanding, but children should also be allowed to become absorbed in a story without being tested.

If your child strongly resists reading, investigate why. The book may be too difficult, the print may feel overwhelming, the subject may not interest them or reading may have become associated with correction and failure.

Choice is important, but so is accessibility. A child is more likely to read when the text is manageable enough for them to experience momentum and enjoyment.

Maths can be kept active through everyday life

Parents often feel less confident about supporting maths than reading. The good news is that summer maths does not need to involve pages of calculations.

Everyday family life contains frequent opportunities to use number, measurement, estimation, time, money and problem-solving.

Children can practise maths by:

• paying for an item and checking change;
• comparing prices in a shop;
• measuring ingredients;
• doubling or halving a recipe;
• working out journey times;
• reading bus or train timetables;
• estimating distances;
• keeping score during a game;
• planning how to spend a fixed budget;
• measuring a room or garden;
• calculating discounts;
• using maps and scales.

Younger children can count objects, recognise shapes, compare sizes and divide snacks equally. Older pupils can calculate percentages, interpret statistics, convert units and work out value for money.

Games can also help. Cards, dominoes, dice games, board games, puzzles and strategy games develop number fluency, logical thinking and planning.

If the school has identified a specific weakness, such as number bonds or times tables, short practice may be helpful. Five focused minutes repeated regularly is often better than one long session that creates frustration.

Try not to teach a completely unfamiliar method unless you understand how the school approaches it. Parents sometimes produce the correct answer using a method that confuses the child because it differs from the one being developed in class.

When uncertain, focus on talking about the problem:

• What information do we have?
• What are we trying to find?
• Could we draw it?
• Is there another way?
• Does the answer seem reasonable?

This helps children develop mathematical thinking without requiring parents to become substitute teachers.

Summer learning should include more than English and maths

One of the greatest opportunities of the summer is that children can learn beyond the limits of a school timetable.

A museum visit can lead to questions about history, science or art. A walk can involve identifying plants, observing insects, using a map and discussing the local area. Cooking combines reading, maths, science, planning and practical independence.

Children learn when they:

• build or repair something;
• grow plants;
• care for an animal;
• learn a new sport;
• make music;
• take photographs;
• create videos or animations;
• visit a library, gallery or historic site;
• interview an older relative about the past;
• plan a day out;
• follow instructions independently;
• help prepare a meal;
• organise a small event;
• volunteer in their community.

These experiences develop knowledge, confidence, communication and problem-solving. They also help children discover interests that may not be obvious in the classroom.

Do not underestimate conversation. Talking about a news story, explaining how something works or discussing why people disagree can develop vocabulary and critical thinking.

Our guide to helping children develop critical-thinking skills includes simple ways to encourage questioning and reasoning through everyday situations.

Not every activity needs an explicit lesson objective. Parents do not need to announce that a trip to the park is developing scientific observation. Children are allowed to enjoy an experience without knowing which part of the curriculum it might support.

Different children need different summer plans

A single summer-learning formula cannot work for every family.

A confident reader who finished the year comfortably may need little more than access to books and interesting experiences. A child who is struggling significantly may need targeted support. A pupil recovering from anxiety may need a very gentle approach.

Children who have fallen behind

Ask the teacher which one or two areas matter most. “They need to improve maths” is too broad. “They need to become faster at recalling number bonds to 20” gives you something manageable to practise.

Avoid trying to repair every gap at once. If you are unsure whether tutoring is necessary, our guide on what to do before hiring a tutor explains how to identify the underlying difficulty first.

Children with SEND

Some children with SEND benefit from maintaining familiar routines and practising key skills regularly. Others need a substantial reduction in demands after spending the term masking, coping with sensory overload or working much harder than their classmates to complete ordinary tasks.

Use the strategies that already help your child. This may include visual schedules, movement breaks, assistive technology, audiobooks, practical learning or very short sessions.

Summer can also be used to practise independence: preparing a bag, using money, following a simple journey, asking for help or managing a daily routine.

Children who struggle with focus

A child who cannot sit through a long worksheet is not necessarily unwilling to learn. Shorter tasks, movement and practical activities may be more effective.

Our article on helping a child who struggles to focus explains how parents can adjust the environment and expectations without labelling the child as lazy.

Children preparing for secondary school

The most valuable summer preparation may be organisational rather than academic. Practise reading a timetable, packing a bag, travelling independently, managing keys, using money and remembering equipment.

The Year 6 to Year 7 transition guide covers the practical and emotional changes that often matter more to children than extra worksheets.

Children preparing for GCSEs or A levels

Older pupils may need to complete assigned work or review content before an exam year. They still need a genuine break.

A useful plan might include a period with no formal study, followed by a small number of scheduled sessions later in the holiday. Prioritise weak foundations, unfinished work and organisation rather than attempting to revise an entire course before term starts.

Secondary pupils who need help structuring independent work may benefit from our guide to study skills every secondary pupil should know.

How to avoid turning summer learning into conflict

Even a modest learning plan can become counterproductive if every session ends in an argument.

Conflict often begins because the parent and child have different expectations. The parent believes the task will take ten minutes. The child sees it as proof that school has followed them into the holidays.

Agree on expectations in advance rather than producing a workbook unexpectedly.

You could say:

“We are not going to do school every day. I would like us to keep reading and practise a little maths so September does not feel too difficult. Let’s decide together when that will happen.”

Offer controlled choices:

• Would you rather read before lunch or before bed?
• Would you prefer a maths game or five written questions?
• Would you like to write a comic or a postcard?
• Should we do this on Tuesday or Wednesday?

The child has some agency, while the parent maintains the overall boundary.

Keep the task at an achievable level. Summer is not the ideal time to prove that a child can complete work far above their current confidence.

Stop if the session is becoming emotionally unproductive. That does not mean abandoning all expectations every time a child complains. It means recognising the difference between mild reluctance and escalating distress.

Avoid:

• comparing the child with siblings or classmates;
• using learning as punishment;
• removing all enjoyable activities until work is completed;
• criticising every mistake;
• setting vague targets such as “catch up with everything”;
• buying large amounts of material that create pressure to finish it;
• turning a family outing into a constant quiz.

If homework already causes regular tension during term time, read how to help your child with homework without the stress before creating a summer routine.

Keep routines flexible but do not abandon them completely

Summer should feel different from term time. Later bedtimes, spontaneous days and relaxed mornings are part of that difference.

However, a complete loss of routine can make the return to school harder, particularly for children who depend on predictability.

Try to retain a few anchors:

• reasonably consistent meals;
• a bedtime routine, even if bedtime is later;
• some daily movement;
• regular opportunities to read;
• limits around screens;
• small household responsibilities;
• an idea of what is happening the next day.

Screen use often increases during the summer because children have more free time and parents still have work and responsibilities. There is no need to treat every minute of entertainment as harmful, but unlimited use can crowd out sleep, movement, reading and face-to-face interaction.

Our guide to balancing screen time and study time offers practical ways to create limits without making screens the centre of every family disagreement.

Sleep schedules deserve particular attention towards the end of the holiday. A child who has gradually shifted to very late nights may struggle to reset immediately.

NHS sleep guidance recommends predictable bedtime routines and moving bedtime earlier gradually when a child has become accustomed to sleeping late. Parents can begin adjusting sleep and waking times during the final one or two weeks before school.

For more detail, see our guide to healthy sleep habits for school-aged children.

A realistic summer-learning plan for families

A good plan should be simple enough to survive ordinary family life.

It should still work during busy weeks, bad weather, childcare changes, illness and days when nobody feels especially motivated.

For a primary-aged child, a balanced week might include:

• reading or shared reading on most days;
• one or two short number activities;
• one piece of informal writing;
• one practical activity such as cooking, building or gardening;
• outdoor movement and unstructured play;
• plenty of time with no formal learning planned.

For a secondary pupil, it might include:

• reading books, articles or other suitable material;
• one or two sessions focused on a known academic weakness;
• completing any required summer work;
• practical responsibility at home;
• activities connected to personal interests;
• organising materials before the new term.

Families do not need expensive resources. Libraries, parks, household tasks, conversations, free museums, local walks and ordinary shopping trips can all provide opportunities to practise useful skills.

Review the plan after a week or two. Ask:

• Is this creating frequent conflict?
• Is the work too easy or too difficult?
• Does the child understand why they are doing it?
• Are they still getting enough genuine rest?
• Are we focusing on the skills that actually matter?
• Can any of this be made more practical or enjoyable?

A plan that looks impressive but cannot be sustained is less useful than a modest routine the family can maintain calmly.

Frequently asked questions

Should children do schoolwork every day during the summer?

Most children do not need formal schoolwork every day. Regular reading and a few short activities each week are usually more realistic. Children should also have days without planned academic work.

How many hours should a child study during the summer holidays?

There is no universal requirement. For younger children, ten to twenty minutes of focused activity at a time may be enough. Older pupils can work for longer when they have a clear reason, such as preparing for a resit or completing assigned work. Quality and relevance matter more than the number of hours.

Will my child fall behind if they do no work during the summer?

Not necessarily. Many children return to school successfully after a largely restful holiday. However, children with existing gaps may find that unused skills become less fluent. Reading regularly and practising one or two identified areas can make the return easier.

Should I buy summer workbooks?

Workbooks can provide useful structure when they match the child’s level and are used in moderation. They are not essential. Reading, games, cooking, writing for real purposes and everyday maths can be equally valuable.

What should I do if the school has set compulsory summer work?

Help your child divide it into manageable sections rather than leaving everything until the final days. Clarify any confusing instructions with the school before the term ends where possible. Older pupils should gradually take responsibility for planning the work themselves.

Should children learn new topics or just revise old ones?

Most formal summer work should consolidate familiar knowledge rather than introduce large amounts of new curriculum content. Children can still explore new interests freely through books, documentaries, visits and projects.

Is reading on a tablet as useful as reading a printed book?

Digital reading can still be valuable, particularly when it improves access or motivation. The quality of the material and the child’s engagement matter. However, devices can also create distractions, so notifications and unrelated apps may need to be limited during reading time.

Do audiobooks count as reading?

Audiobooks support vocabulary, comprehension, knowledge and enjoyment of stories. They are particularly helpful for reluctant readers and children with dyslexia or other reading difficulties. They do not completely replace practising the physical process of reading print, but they are a valuable part of a balanced approach.

What if my child refuses all summer learning?

First find out what they are resisting. They may be exhausted, embarrassed by the difficulty, bored by the material or expecting conflict. Begin with a very small, achievable activity connected to an interest. Agree on a predictable routine and offer limited choices. If learning consistently causes significant distress, discuss the problem with the school.

Should teenagers revise before starting a GCSE year?

Some light review can be useful, especially in subjects where foundations are weak. Teenagers do not need to spend the entire holiday revising. A genuine break followed by a limited number of targeted sessions is usually more sustainable.

When should we restart the school routine?

Begin adjusting sleep, morning routines and organisation during the final one or two weeks of the holiday. Make changes gradually rather than attempting to restore the full routine on the night before school.

What is the best summer learning activity?

For most children, regular enjoyable reading offers the broadest academic benefit. Beyond reading, the best activity is one that keeps the child thinking, creating, communicating or solving problems without overwhelming them.

Children do not need every summer day transformed into a learning opportunity. They need time to rest, play, explore and enjoy being away from school.

At the same time, learning does not stop simply because formal lessons have ended. It continues through books, conversations, games, journeys, hobbies, responsibilities and everyday family life.

The most helpful summer is not necessarily the one with the fullest timetable. It is the one that allows a child to return to school rested, curious, confident and still connected to the skills they need.