Another school year has passed, and here we are on the brink of summer and the festive season. It is a rare, welcome pause and an opportunity to breathe, reset, and lean into gentler rhythms. For some parents, that feels like a relief. For others, the end of the Monday-to-Friday structure can bring a quiet worry about “what now?” Both responses matter. Both are normal.
VSV families are wonderfully diverse. We welcome parents, caregivers, and guardians of Prep to Year 12 learners, households with neurodiverse children, blended and dispersed families, former home schoolers, shared-enrolled students, parents/carers/guardians juggling work and care across postcodes, and those supporting students sitting the VCE finals right now. Some families are navigating complex health or personal challenges that traditional schools can’t always accommodate, while others are nurturing “elite superstars and actors” who push themselves academically and emotionally. Across this spectrum, we come together guided by growth, empathy, respect, and collaboration, learning as a community, supporting wellbeing, celebrating differences, and finding a way through summer that preserves energy, relationships, and hope for the new year.
We have developed some ideas to support you for the summer. Here, we think about gentle structure and not rigid timetables, and a little routine that’s helpful without feeling like homework. We recommend trying a soft scaffold:
- A predictable morning ritual (breakfast together, a short walk) to anchor the day.
- An afternoon ‘free zone’ for different ages to choose calm activities.
- A simple evening wind-down, a shared story, a playlist, or a family check-in.
For neurodiverse children or households with a big age span, visual charts or a one-line day plan on the fridge can reduce surprises and stress. Consider:
- Affordable local adventures. You don’t need a big budget to create holiday magic. Try:
- Tram, train or bus day trips using simple routes available on Public Transport Victoria
- Picnics at parks, lakes, or local beaches with sandwiches, games, and sunscreen!
- Backyard ‘camp-ins’, lounge-room cinemas with popcorn, or nature-based crafts.
Did you know?
From 1 January 2026, people aged under 18 can travel free on all Victorian public transport services. This includes trams, trains, buses and coach services.
To access free travel, they must use a new youth myki card and tap the card on and off each time they travel. For areas that do not use myki cards, they must show their myki card to travel free.
More information about the youth myki card will be available later in Term 4, 2025 – refer to the myki types webpage on the Transport Victoria website.
- Small, low-cost activities often become the stories kids remember. We recommend trying:
- Screens with purpose: use screens to find a recipe to cook together, map a day trip, or discover nearby walks, markets, or exhibitions. Then unplug. Build a pillow fort. Run through the sprinkler. Joy rarely requires a subscription.
- Be honest about the tricky bits: holidays don’t erase financial strain or difficult memories. Festive seasons can be heavy. Smaller celebrations, swapped expectations, or quiet connections are fine. A PJ day with cereal for meals is allowed if that’s what your family needs. Ask Izzy.
Actions that support wellbeing
Practical, small steps help everyone feel steadier:
- Move in ways that bring joy — family walks, backyard games, dance breaks.
- Eat foods that fuel energy and mood — simple is fine.
- Keep gentle routines for mornings and bedtimes.
- Try breathing exercises, grounding activities, or sensory breaks.
- Stay connected to a small, understanding circle.
- Make space for tiny joys — a hobby, a silly game, a shared playlist.
- Model kind self-talk and seek support early if needed.
Helpful resources:
- Ask Izzy for free services, food, money, health and wellbeing help if you need it.
- Your local libraries and councils for holiday programs, for tailored advice, along with the best fun, free, family-friendly activities in Victoria during these school holidays
- Smiling Mind for evidence-based mindfulness exercises.
You have steered a whole year of learning, appointments, and juggling care. Summer is a chance to refill the tank in ways that suit your family: sandy feet, sprinkler runs, quiet PJ days, or a mixture of all three. Both elite superstars and quiet champions at home need rest, not just results. The most meaningful moments are simple connections, laughter, and shared rituals.
Over in the Student Wellbeing article, we have provided a Summer Wellbeing Calendar with daily ideas that promote rest and mindfulness – all low-pressure in nature. Encourage your child to refer to it for some daily inspiration.
Wishing you slow mornings, small wins, and plenty of backyard sprinklers (or blanket forts).
