Why Everything Feels Harder in Summer: Structure, Mixed-Age Groups, and “Regression” in Group Care

From the outside, summer in early learning environments can look like the easiest season: more outdoor play, flexible routines, special activities, and a lighter vibe.

Inside the classroom, though, July often feels chaotic.

Behaviour increases, skills seem to slip, and children who were doing well suddenly need much more support. If you’re feeling that shift, you’re not imagining it. Summer changes the load on children’s nervous systems and when load increases, regulation often drops.

This article unpacks why summer can feel so hard in group care settings, what’s actually going on underneath “summer behaviour,” and what helps without overcorrecting.

Child playing with rounded blocks

Why Less Structure Increases Dysregulation

Structure helps children feel safe. It tells their nervous system what’s coming next and what’s expected, so they don’t have to use as much energy guessing, waiting, or staying on alert.

In summer, children often experience:

• changes in staffing or groupings

• less predictable routines

• more noise and movement

• longer days and fatigue

Even when the changes are positive, they still add load.

When structure decreases, many children show dysregulation, not because they “can’t handle fun,” but because their nervous systems need more predictability than they’re getting.

A helpful way to think about it: Less structure usually means children need more external regulation support, not stricter consequences.

Mixed-Age Groups Change Everything

Mixed-age groupings can be wonderful and they also increase demands for everyone.

Younger children may:

• become overstimulated more quickly

• struggle to keep up with expectations

• need more adult support to participate

Older children may:

• take on “leader” roles they’re not actually ready for

• become more impulsive when routines shift

• show increased behaviour when the group feels less predictable

These changes aren’t a step backward. They’re a response to a more complex environment.

In mixed-age spaces, it often helps to remember: The room has changed so the child’s capacity will change too.

Preventing Skill Regression Without Overcorrecting

In summer it can feel like skills are disappearing: language, regulation, independence, routines. Often, those skills aren’t gone. They’re simply harder to access when:

• children are tired

• routines change daily

• expectations aren’t clear

• support is spread thin

Helpful supports that protect skills without turning summer into “boot camp” include:

• keeping key routines consistent (arrival, meals, main transitions)

• using familiar language and predictable cues

• offering extra regulation support without lowering expectations

• remembering that progress is not always linear

Regression during change is common and usually temporary.What looks like “backsliding” is often a nervous system asking for steadiness.

What’s Normal in July and When to Ask Questions

Some increase in behaviour or need for support is expected in July. Many children settle once they adjust to new rhythms and the environment becomes predictable again.

It may be helpful to ask questions or seek support when:

• behaviour escalates rather than settles over time

• a child struggles to participate even with support

• safety becomes a concern

• educators feel stuck or unsure what else to try

ECE insight matters. You’re seeing children navigate real changes in real time and you often notice patterns that others don’t get to see.

Early questions don’t mean labels. They mean support.

Questions About Summer Behaviour or Regulation?

If you’re noticing more behaviour, more fatigue, or more “slipping skills,” you’re not alone and you don’t have to guess your way through it.

Have questions about summer behaviour or regulation in your classroom?Educator questions guide our future training topics and classroom supports.

Email us any questions you have!

Allied Therapy

Supporting children, families, and the educators who care for them

Speech Therapy • Occupational Therapy • Behaviour Therapy

Nova Scotia