Published Apr 27, 2026 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 27, 2026 | 7:00 AM
Unstructured play is active development. (iStock)
Synopsis: Summer holidays are disrupting children’s sleep patterns and behaviour, with doctors observing rising concerns around attention, irritability, and routine breakdown. Experts stress that balanced routines and unstructured play are critical to support emotional regulation, focus, and overall development.
As summer holidays stretch on, doctors are noticing a pattern in children that goes beyond boredom — disrupted sleep cycles, shorter attention spans, and increased irritability.
“We are increasingly seeing these concerns during holidays,” says Dr Mohinish Sundar, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist at Rainbow Children’s Hospital, pointing to a seasonal shift in children’s behaviour that may have longer-term effects on attention and development.
Also Read: 89% Kerala toddlers hooked to screens
Without school schedules, bedtimes tend to get pushed later, and sleep becomes irregular. Doctors say this shift is closely tied to what they are seeing in practice.
“With longer periods of unstructured time, we often see a rise in concerns from parents around sleep disturbances, reduced attention span and behavioural changes,” says Dr Mohinish Sundar.
“When sleep cycles get disrupted, we start seeing changes in how children regulate emotions and respond to situations,” he adds.
Clinically, this is reflected in specific patterns: children become more easily frustrated, struggle to sustain attention, and show a lower tolerance for boredom. Some also begin to rely more on constant stimulation to stay engaged.
Doctors add that these effects are often gradual, building over the course of the holidays, and becoming most apparent when children are expected to return to structured routines.
Also Read: Cough syrups for children
Unstructured play is not idle time — it is active development.
“What looks like simple play is really where imagination grows, confidence builds, and emotions get processed,” says Dr Saradha, SIMS Hospital, Chennai. In these everyday moments, children are quietly learning:
She adds, “This is also where children learn to deal with frustration and figure out how to get along with others.” These are life skills that cannot be taught through instruction alone.
Supporting this, Dr Sundar explains, “The brain is constantly strengthening and eliminating connections,” making these experiences critical during growing years.
Experts stress that summer doesn’t need to be rigid — but it shouldn’t be completely unstructured either.
Simple habits can make a difference:
“Limiting gadget use and building small routines improves sleep and overall well-being,” says Dr Sundar.
At the same time, space for free play must remain. “When children grow up with very little unstructured play, they may become more dependent on instructions and less comfortable with uncertainty,” says Dr Saradha.
In her words, “Structured activities teach children how to do things correctly, but unstructured play is what helps them learn how to handle real life.”
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
