What to Do When Your Child Doesn’t Want to Do Schoolwork During the Summer Holidays

The summer holidays are a well-earned break for children. After a busy school year, it is completely understandable if the last thing they want to do is sit down with a worksheet, practise spellings or complete maths questions. Many parents still worry about children forgetting what they have learned or losing confidence before returning to school in September.

So, what can you do if your primary school child simply does not want to do any schoolwork during the summer holidays?

The good news is that learning does not have to look like school.

Keep Summer Learning Short and Manageable

One of the easiest ways to avoid arguments is to keep activities short. Ten or fifteen minutes of reading, maths or writing can be plenty, especially during the holidays.

Try agreeing on a clear finish point before you begin.

“Let’s do ten minutes together, then we’re finished.”

Knowing that an activity will not drag on can make children much more willing to give it a try.

Make Learning Part of Everyday Life

Children practise important skills every day, often without noticing.

You can build maths and English into normal family activities.

• At the shops, children can add prices, work out change or compare which item costs more.

• While cooking, they can read a recipe, weigh ingredients and talk about measurements.

• On a day out, children can read signs, maps, menus and information boards.

• Even writing a shopping list, postcard or holiday diary gives children valuable writing practice.

Learning does not always need to happen at a desk.

Use Your Child’s Interests

• If your child is reluctant to read or write, start with something they already enjoy.

• A football fan might enjoy reading about their favourite team, writing a match report or keeping track of scores.

• A child who loves Pokémon could create their own character and write about its powers.

• Children interested in animals might enjoy researching their favourite animal and creating a fact file.

The subject does not matter nearly as much as the skills they are using.

Give Your Child Some Choice

Children are often more cooperative when they feel they have some control.

Instead of saying: “You need to do some English now.”

Try offering two choices: “Would you rather read together or write a short story?”

For maths, you might ask: “Would you rather practise your times tables with a game or do a quick quiz?”

Both choices involve learning, but your child gets to decide how they approach it.

Try Educational Games Instead of Worksheets

Games can be a brilliant way to keep children learning during the summer holidays. Board games and card games can develop counting, number skills, problem solving and strategic thinking. Word games can support spelling and vocabulary.

There are also plenty of educational websites and apps that allow children to practise maths, phonics and English through games and challenges.

If it feels like play, children may not even realise how much they are practising.

Read Together Rather Than Forcing Independent Reading

If your child does not want to read alone, reading can become a shared activity.

Take turns reading pages. Read a comic, magazine or joke book together. Listen to an audiobook and discuss what is happening.

Ask questions such as: “What do you think will happen next?”

or “Why do you think the character did that?”

These conversations help develop comprehension and vocabulary even when your child is not doing all the reading themselves.

Remember That Children Need a Break Too

It is easy to worry about children falling behind during the summer holidays, but they do not need to recreate the school day at home. Rest, play, family time and new experiences are important too. A small amount of regular practice is usually far more helpful than forcing children through long activities they dislike. If every learning activity ends in frustration, it can have the opposite effect and make a child less confident about returning to school.

Focus on Confidence Rather Than Correct Answers

When your child does have a go, praise the effort they put in.

Try saying: “You kept trying even when that was difficult.” or better still: “I like the way you worked that out.” or even: “You remembered much more than last time.”

Children who feel successful are far more likely to want to try again. The aim is not to get everything perfect. It is to help children return to school feeling positive and capable.

A Little and Often Is Enough

If your child refuses traditional schoolwork during the summer holidays, try not to worry.

• Read stories together.

• Play games.

• Cook.

• Count money.

• Write postcards.

• Tell stories.

• Visit interesting places and talk about what you see.

All of these activities help children practise important skills. Summer learning should not be about turning your home into a classroom. It should simply help children stay curious, keep a few key skills ticking over and return to school with confidence.

At Little Smiles, Big Success Tutoring, we believe learning should build confidence rather than create pressure.

If your child is struggling with a particular area, has lost confidence or would benefit from some extra support before the new school year, targeted tutoring can help them return to the classroom feeling more secure and ready to learn.