The summer holidays are much more than a time to relax. They are an excellent opportunity to help your child develop emotional intelligence, strengthen their self-confidence and build skills that will stay with them throughout their life.

As a psychologist, I often tell parents that emotional development doesn't only happen at school or in therapy. It is built in everyday moments: during a conversation, a game, a walk or a book read together. For exactly this reason, the summer holidays are the ideal time to invest in your child's emotional well-being.

1. Read books that talk about emotions

Reading is one of the best ways to help a child recognise and understand their emotions. When a character faces fear, anger, jealousy or joy, the child begins to recognise these feelings in themselves too.

While reading, ask simple questions such as:

  • How do you think the character felt?
  • What would you do in their place?
  • Has something similar ever happened to you?

These conversations develop empathy, emotional awareness and the ability to understand others.

2. Talk about emotions every day

Set aside just 10 minutes at the end of the day to talk with your child.

Questions like:

  • What was the best part of the day?
  • What upset you?
  • When did you feel proud of yourself?

help the child name their emotions and feel heard.

When a child learns to talk about their feelings, they gain confidence and learn to manage them better.

3. Play games that require cooperation

Not every game needs to have winners and losers.

Games where the family works together towards a shared goal develop:

  • patience,
  • communication,
  • respect,
  • the ability to resolve conflicts.

These are important skills of emotional intelligence.

4. Spend more time in nature

A walk in the park, a picnic or a day at the beach isn't only for fun.

Contact with nature reduces stress, calms the nervous system and creates space for deeper conversations between parent and child.

Often, precisely when they are away from screens, children feel freer to express their emotions.

5. Teach them to solve problems on their own

When your child faces a difficulty, it's natural to want to help them straight away.

However, try to guide them with questions instead of immediately giving them the solution.

Ask:

  • How do you think you could solve it?
  • What could you try differently?
  • Who could help you?

This is how self-confidence, responsibility and decision-making skills develop.

6. Limit screen time

The summer holidays shouldn't be spent only with phones, tablets or television.

Excessive screen use can reduce communication in the family and opportunities to experience real emotions.

Set technology-free moments and replace them with:

  • family games,
  • drawing,
  • cooking together,
  • reading books,
  • creative activities.

These experiences help the child's emotional and social development.

7. Set an example

Children don't learn only from our words. They learn by watching us.

If you express emotions calmly, apologise when you make a mistake, listen carefully and show empathy towards others, your child will learn to do the same.

The parent is the most important model for the development of emotional intelligence.

This summer, try to create more memories than routines. Children may forget the toys they were given, but they don't forget the way you made them feel. And it is exactly these experiences that build the foundations of strong emotional health, which will stay with them throughout their life.