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Here are the Thrive Top 10 Tips from Arbor School to help all children feel safe, supported, and engaged over the break, whether you're travelling abroad or enjoying summer in the desert.

1. Create a Simple Visual Schedule Children often feel more secure when they know what to expect. A visual weekly calendar with pictures or colour coding can help reduce anxiety and give children a sense of control and autonomy. Include daily routines, special outings, and quiet time.

2. Keep a Consistent Routine Try to maintain regular waking, eating, and sleeping times. A predictable routine helps children feel grounded and reduces behaviour challenges, especially during transitions between activities or locations.

3. Plan for Downtime While the summer can be full of fun and busy, it's important to build in calm, unstructured time low sensory time. This allows children, particularly those with sensory or social needs, to rest, reset, and emotionally regulate. It can also be fun to do.

4. Involve Children in Planning Where possible, give your child a voice in making choices about activities or meals. Feeling heard builds confidence and gives them a sense of ownership and autonomy over their day.

5. Make Learning Fun and Natural Learning doesn’t stop in the summer, it just looks different... Cooking, shopping, nature walks, storytelling, and travel all offer rich, hands-on learning experiences. Think of ways to discreetly sneak in literacy, numeracy, and life skills playfully.

6. Prepare for Changes in Environment If you’re travelling, talk through what the journey will look like. Show photos of new places or practice ‘what if’ scenarios. This helps children feel more prepared and reduces anxiety about uncertainties and the unknown.

7. Encourage Social Opportunities Whether it’s a playdate, sports club, or visiting family, small and supported social interactions help children build friendships and practice communication skills. Just remember to balance this with time to decompress afterwards.

8. Stay Active Physical movement is great for mental wellbeing. A walk, swim, or even dancing in the living room can be enough to lift moods and support healthy development. Daily movement is essential to help regulate moods and temperaments.

9. Celebrate Small Wins From trying new foods, to managing a busy day out, celebrating the moments that matter to your child is vital. Positive reinforcement builds confidence and encourages a growth mindset.

10. Look After Your Wellbeing Too Children sense stress. Taking time for yourself, even in small ways, helps you stay regulated and model healthy coping strategies. Displaying good self-care habits is a teaching tool for children to learn how to implement these moments for themselves.

Author: Michelle Sakande, Secondary Inclusion Lead, Positive Education Lead, Arbor School, Dubai