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Summer Break and Children’s Mental Health: What Parents Should Know

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May marks Emotional Health Awareness Month, a reminder that sustaining mental and emotional wellbeing deserves the same care and attention as physical health. For families, it arrives at a meaningful time as the school year winds down. With summer break lasting 10 to 11 weeks in many schools in the U.S., the long stretch away from familiar classroom hours and daily routines can create new dynamics in children’s overall wellbeing. Keep reading to explore how the summer months can influence young minds and how you can support your child’s wellbeing throughout the season.

Summer is upon us—how can we make the most of this season filled with opportunities and discoveries?

Mental Health in Early Childhood

Early childhood is a critical stage of development marked by rapid brain growth and formation of cognitive, social, emotional, and physical foundations. These early experiences can shape long-term outcomes in profound ways, both positively and negatively.

Research has debunked the belief that young children are “immune to the effects of early adversity and trauma because they are inherently resilient and ‘grow out of’ behavioral problems and emotional difficulties.” In reality, just like every age group, young children can experience mental health conditions: 

  • According to the CDC, one in six children ages 2-8 have a diagnosable mental health condition. 
  • Another large study suggests that at least one in ten children under the age of 5 have a significant emotional, behavioral, or relationship problem.

More importantly, mental health is not simply the absence of a mental health condition; it is also about a child’s ability to thrive. It is never too early to care about a child’s wellbeing.

A preschool teacher is teaching how to express different emotions in Mandarin.

It’s our responsibility to provide our children with positive social-emotional learning experience. 

How Can Summer Break Challenge Children’s Wellbeing?

Without structure and support, summer break can be disruptive to children’s growth. 

Loneliness

School is not just a place for academic learning but also a primary source of daily social interactions that are essential for socialization, resilience, and communication development. 

Screen time and technology overuse

Research shows that 68% of children use technology more during summer break than during the school year. Excessive screen time can hinder physical and mental development. It may also displace important developmental activities such as physical play, face-to-face interaction, and creative exploration.

Read on about how to help you child(ren) foster a healthy, balanced relationship with technology here.

Lack of Structure

Without the rhythm of the school day, the long unstructured time in the summer can contribute to the summer learning slide, a regression in skills that may affect both school readiness and confidence when classes resume.

Beyond academics, young children especially benefit from consistent routines, which help them build self-regulation and a sense of security. When daily structure is limited, some children may develop less balanced habits or experience increased anxiety.

How Can Summer Enrich Children’s Wellbeing? 

With intention, summer can be one of the most emotionally enriching seasons of a child’s life.

Outdoor play

Longer days and warmer weather naturally encourage children to spend more time outdoors, offering opportunities to explore beyond the classroom. According to a 2023 study, children who regularly engage in self-directed outdoor play demonstrate stronger social and cognitive development, increased physical activity, and improved vision.

Time outdoors also increases exposure to natural light, which supports Vitamin D production, important for bone health and serotonin synthesis, which plays a role in mood regulation and brain function. 

Family bonds

With more flexible schedules, summer creates valuable opportunities for families to slow down and connect more. Shared experiences, whether simple family dinners or dedicated trips together, help strengthen relationships, deepen communication, and provide family members with a stronger sense of emotional support and security.

Enrichment Activities

High-quality summer programs can offer meaningful mental health benefits by providing structure, social interaction, and opportunities to build peer relationships. For many children, these environments offer a sense of belonging and emotional renewal in a supportive setting. 

Tessa International School’s Summer Camp 2026

Tessa’s “Fun, Friends, and Adventures” Summer Camps provide an immersive language experience where fun, learning, and creativity come together: 

  • An immersive language environment: Whether just starting out or building on their language skills in Spanish, French, or Mandarin, learning a language alongside peers nurtures their communication skills and cultural openness to recognize and appreciate diverse cultures. 
  • A balance of fun academics & outdoor activities: Campers not only build language skills and academic knowledge in the classroom, but also sustain focus and strengthen emotional regulation through active play and social experiences. Team sports, such as soccer, provide meaningful opportunities to practice collaboration and strengthen social skills in an enjoyable setting.
  • Age-appropriate activities for ages 2-4 and 5-10: Extending from our Social-Emotional Learning approach, our camp activities and routines are tailored to each developmental stage, ensuring every child feels capable, confident, and appropriately challenged.
  • Weekly themes and guest speakers: Each week introduces a new theme connected to real-world concepts, such as the FIFA World Cup and the Fourth of July, keeping learning dynamic and relevant. Guest specialists further enrich the program by bringing fresh perspectives and expertise.
  • Art and STEM focus: Hands-on experiences from creative exploration to scientific inquiry encourage children to express their ideas and feelings in diverse ways while developing strong reasoning and problem-solving skills.

 

 

A preschool teacher is teaching how to express different emotions in Mandarin.

How to Support Your Child’s Social-Emotional Health

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In today’s conversations around health and safety in child care, we acknowledge not only reducing or eliminating physical threats to our children’s well-being but also promoting their social-emotional health. Social-emotional health is the ability to understand and manage emotions, form secure social connections and relationships, and engage with the world around us. 

A child’s social and emotional health directly influences their ability to grow, learn, and lead a fulfilling life. Below, we explore how parents can actively support their child’s social-emotional development, and how Tessa International School lays the foundation for confident, compassionate, and resilient individuals.

A preschool teacher is teaching how to express different emotions in Mandarin as part of social-emotional learning at Tessa.

It’s our responsibility to provide our children with positive social-emotional learning experience.

5 Ways to Support Children’s Social-Emotional Health for Parents

Keep track of how your child is doing.

Pay attention to changes in your child’s behavior, mood, or energy levels. These often provide clues to their emotional state, even when they’re too young to articulate their feelings. Regularly checking in allows you to stay attuned to their needs and respond proactively.

Encourage your child. 

Positive reinforcement builds confidence and resilience. Celebrate your child’s efforts—no matter how small—to help them feel valued and capable.

At Tessa International School, our assessment culture emphasizes individual strengths. Through positive assessment, we aim to cultivate a growth mindset and reinforce each child’s belief in their own potential.

Help your child recognize emotions and address anxiety. 

Support your child in identifying and naming their emotions. This is the first step toward learning how to manage them. Create a safe space to talk about their feelings and introduce calming techniques, like deep breathing or drawing, to help them navigate anxiety.

Share important information with your child’s teacher. 

Teachers are key partners in your child’s growth. By sharing insights into your child’s personality, routines, or any recent life events, you enable teachers to better support their emotional and social development throughout the school day.

Don’t hesitate to seek support! 

Seeking support is a sign of strength and care. Connecting with school counselors, pediatricians, or child development professionals can provide guidance tailored to your child’s needs. 

How Tessa International School Ensures Children’s Social-Emotional Health

At Tessa International School, we nurture the whole child. With happiness as one of the three pillars in our school’s mission, we prioritize emotional well-being alongside academic growth. Therefore, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is integrated into every aspect of school life, helping students gain emotional intelligence and develop a lifelong love of learning.

Why Social and Emotional Learning Matters in Education

The benefits of SEL are well-researched, with research consistently demonstrating that promoting SEL yields positive outcomes for students, adults, and school communities:

Tessa International School’s SEL Approach: RULER

To design and implement our SEL techniques, Tessa International School applies the RULER model, developed by Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence. This research-backed method teaches students to:

  • Recognizing emotions in oneself and other people; 
  • Understanding the causes and consequences of those emotions; 
  • Labeling emotions with precise words; 
  • Expressing emotions; 
  • Regulating emotions.
Teachers at Tessa International School frequently have professional training on social-emotional learning model, RULER.

At Tessa, we prioritize students’ social-emotional development alongside their academic progress.

RULER is an approach, as opposed to a program. In this light, it is about infusing the principles of emotional intelligence into everything that happens in and out of our school, from how the leaders lead, to how the teachers teach, to how students learn, to how families parent. 

Practice of RULER Approach in Tessa International School’s Curriculum

As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, we integrate the practice of RULER with our Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework. 

  1. IB Learner Profile: The PYP encourages ten attributes—including being caring, principled, balanced, and open-minded—that promote emotional awareness and social confidence. These traits are taught explicitly and modeled across the school day.
  2. Learner Agency: Unlike conventional curriculums dictating exactly when, where, and how a student should carry out an activity, the PYP allows learners a degree of freedom to make meaningful choices on their own. From toddlers choosing their learning center during free play to older students leading their own conferences, the self-effacy enables students to develop their social-emotional skills. 
  3. Transdisciplinary Themes: The PYP is a transdisciplinary curriculum framework that offers authentic learning experiences. Through inquiry-based learning connected to real-life contexts, our students explore issues like identity, relationships, and community, enhancing their social understanding and emotional intelligence across traditional subject borders.

 

Recognizing the significant impact of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) on students’ well-being and academic success, we aim to create a nurturing environment where children can develop positive relationships and essential self-management skills. Through this evidence-based approach, our goal is to help every child feel safe, supported, and happy. Parents and caregivers are essential collaborators in this journey. By fostering these skills early in life, these qualities empower children to grow into emotionally intelligent, socially responsible, and well-rounded individuals.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What are the signs that my child may be struggling emotionally?

Children often express emotional challenges through behavior. Common signs include sudden mood swings, withdrawal from social interactions, changes in sleep or appetite, frequent tantrums, or difficulty concentrating. If these behaviors persist or interfere with daily activities, it may be beneficial to consult with a pediatrician or child psychologist for professional guidance. ​

Q: How can I support my child’s social-emotional development at home?

Supporting your child’s social-emotional growth at home can start with:

  • Observing changes in your child’s behaviour, mood, or energy level to stay attuned to their emotional needs. 
  • Offering positive reinforcement to build their confidence and resilience. 
  • Encouraging open conversations about feelings in a safe environment. 
  • Modeling healthy emotional responses.
  • Teaching coping strategies like deep breathing or drawing. 

Q: How does Tessa International School support social-emotional learning? 

At Tessa, we integrate Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into every aspect of school life. Using the evidence-based RULER approach from Yale University, our educators teach students to recognize, understand, label, express, and regulate emotions. Combined with our International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme, we foster a welcoming environment where students develop well-rounded, social-emotionally healthy learners.

 

Are you ready to discover Hoboken’s leading international private school?

Contact Tessa International School to learn more!

 

 

A boy hugging his father after his performance in nursery school

Nursery School vs Daycare: What’s The Difference?

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Terms like “daycare,” “nursery school,” and “preschool” are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not the same. While both provide care and supervision for young children, it’s important to understand the key differences when selecting the right option for your child. In this blog post, we will explore the similarities and differences between nursery school and daycare, as well as what you can typically expect from each type of program.

Nursery School vs. Daycare: Terminology

Child care center means any home or facility, by whatever name known, which is maintained for the care, development, or supervision of six or more children under 13 years of age who attend for less than 24 hours a day. 

– New Jersey’s Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers (N.J.A.C.3A:52)

According to state laws in NJ, both nursery school and daycares fall under the broader category of child care centers. However, different terminologies used to describe them indicate their different focus on education, age group, curriculum, and methodology, helping families understand what each program offers.

A nursery school, as its name suggests, refers to a schooling program for toddlers with a formal curriculum on early childhood education. In some regions, a nursery school may be considered as part of the preschool. It commonly serves younger children (around 2) compared to preschool programs, which generally accommodate children ages 3-5 as an introduction to kindergarten. The educational environment, likely led by highly-trained teachers, creates a dynamic and enriching environment that introduces children to a classroom setting and lays a foundation for building pre-academic skills. 

Daycares, on the other hand, commonly focus on care and nurturing for a wider age range from infants to young teenagers. While some daycare centers incorporate learning activities, their primary purpose is to provide a safe space for children like babysitting rather than structured educational instruction. Caregivers ensure children’s well-being but are not necessarily required to engage them in developmental or academic activities.

Nursery School vs. Daycare: What are the Similarities?

Both nursery schools and daycare programs must be licensed by state regulators and are usually subject to the same laws and regulations for child care centers. These regulations cover aspects such as director qualifications, safety protocols, staff-to-child ratios, and recordkeeping requirements. You can find all licensed child care centers in New Jersey here. 

Both preschools and daycares make safety a top concern, ensuring that children are well cared for while supporting their physical, emotional, and cognitive development.

Nursery School vs. Daycare: What are the Differences?

Understanding that child care programs have different goals and areas of focus, let’s examine some key differences between nursery school and daycare. 

Educational Focus

As mentioned earlier, nursery schools tend to be more learning-oriented. Although daycares may provide opportunities for children to develop life skills through spontaneous, self-directed learning, nursery schools design stimulating learning experiences, such as group play and conflict resolutions, encouraging socio-emotional and intellectual growth under teachers’ guidance. 

Moreover, nursery schools prepare children for the next stage of learning by introducing foundational skills in math, language, music, and art through engaging, play-based activities. Teachers in nursery schools are more likely to be well-trained in early childhood education. There should be a set educational curriculum such as International Baccalaureate (IB), Montessori, or Bank Street, with a framework focused on different learning outcomes. 

For instance, the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) at Tessa International School’s nursery program offers an inquiry-based, transdisciplinary curriculum framework. It promotes play-based learning that fosters toddlers’ curiosity, creativity, and confidence, equipping them with the skills needed to thrive both now and in the future.

Little boy marvels as a volcano science activity

Nursery education paves the way for greater learning capabilities as early brain development brings rapid cognitive, emotional, and physical growth for a child.

Services

Nursery schools generally follow a daily schedule similar to that of a kindergarten classroom, helping children develop a sense of routine and reducing anxiety when transitioning to the next educational phase. Varied by school, options such as half day or full day programs, before and after school services, and summer programs may be available to accommodate working parents. 

Daycares, by contrast, often offer more flexible services, including drop-in child care. Some daycares operate year-round, including during the summer and on weekends. However, the flexible hours and less structured environment can sometimes lead to inconsistent interactions among children and a lack of continuous staff supervision, which may unfavourably impact young children’s social development.

While some daycares are home-based, nursery schools are mostly center-based, accommodating a larger size of students with school facilities. Nursery schools also tend to have lower teacher-to-child ratios to allow for more personalized learning experiences.

Age Requirements

Nursery schools typically serve children starting around age 2, while daycare centers may enroll children from infancy up to school age. Some daycare centers use a mixed-age model, where children of different ages interact with one another. While this model can foster social development, it may also lead to conflicts or challenges in addressing each child’s developmental needs. In contrast, nursery schools provide more age-appropriate learning opportunities tailored to their specific curriculum and methodology.

Nursery Program at Tessa International School

At Tessa, our nursery program provides students as young as 20 months with a unique introduction to the school experience, initiating toddlers to a second language, fostering creativity through play-based activities, and laying the foundation for lifelong learning. 

Unlike traditional daycare centers, our nursery program offers: 

  • A Bilingual Program: When it comes to bilingualism, the earlier the better. The majority of instruction is conducted in the target language–Spanish, French, or Mandarin–helping students build strong language foundations.You can learn more about the benefits and suggestions of raising a bilingual child here. 
  • A World-Class Education: Guided by the IB and the French, Spanish, and Chinese Curricula, our program provides a foundation for lifelong learning. Children are introduced to key concepts in literacy, math, the arts, and physical development. These early experiences are carefully designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and prepare them for deeper learning in the years ahead.
  • A Play-Based Curriculum: By balancing structured activities with free play, we encourage children to learn through exploration and discovery while having fun. Learn more about how we prioritizes happiness as a key pillar of the school mission here. 
Our Spanish Nursery teacher guides toddlers in language learning.

Learning a second language earlier and for a longer period is most likely to lead to proficiency.

 

Are you ready to discover Hoboken’s leading language immersion summer program? 

Contact Tessa International School to learn more!

 

 

Two students happily smiles

Tessa International School: An Education Based on Happiness

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The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human aspiration, demonstrably linked to positive life outcomes. Beyond subjective well-being, research increasingly reveals a causal connection between happiness and cognitive function, academic achievement, and social engagement. Happiness plays a key role in how well students learn and a child’s emotional well-being is the strongest predictor of adult life satisfaction. 

Any great school needs to foster a deep-seated love of learning. At Tessa, happiness is one of the three pillars of our school mission. Ensuring the well-being and happiness of our students is at the heart of everything we do. 

Understanding Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence, also known as emotional quotient or EQ, is the ability to perceive and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. This ability is essential for preparing students for real-world interactions and becoming happy and effective global citizens. 

Emotionally intelligent individuals often cultivate fulfilling relationships that contributes to happiness.

Our school employs RULER, the renowned methods of the Yale Center for Social and Emotional Intelligence (YCEI), to guide students towards enhanced emotional awareness and interpersonal skills. RULER is an acronym for the five skills of emotional intelligence: 

  1. Recognizing emotions in oneself and others
  2. Understanding the causes and consequences of emotions
  3. Labeling emotions with a nuanced vocabulary
  4. Expressing emotions in accordance with cultural norms and social context
  5. Regulating emotions with helpful strategies

Research on the impact of RULER shows that emotional intelligence can benefit youth development by modeling people’s behaviors and maintaining positive school climates. Implementing RULER can also improve leader, educator, and student outcomes in schools serving PreK to 12 students. Specific outcomes include: 

  • Development of emotion skills
  • Fewer attention and learning problems
  • Greater social and leadership skills
  • Less anxiety and depression
  • Less stress and burnout
  • Better performance in school

Creating a Positive Learning Environment

 A healthy physical school environment promotes learning by ensuring the safety of students and staff. Additionally, researchers found that school facilities, such as lighting and space, can also affect students’ degree of happiness. 

Located on three floors of the Monroe Center, our facility has been designed to offer our students a modern, bright and warm space. The architectural features are designed to promote healthy learning, enhance students’ focus, and encourage a positive attitude. Through bright classrooms and purpose-built facilities, our community’s well-being is our priority.

A bright and warm classroom at Tessa International School

Classrooms at Tessa are designed for a positive learning experience.

Take a virtual tour of Tessa International School here.

Providing Community Support

Beyond the walls of the classroom, Tessa boasts a vibrant parent organization (PTO), which plays a vital role in Tessa’s community-building efforts. It is the School’s and PTO’s joint mission to build a cohesive, global-minded community and work together to make a difference in every child. Our active and close-knit community provides a strong support system for families, fostering friendships and a sense of belonging. 

Parent Organization organized Back to School Events to raise students' happiness.

Parent involvement can help students make social connections.

A sense of community is vital to help students feel engaged and connected to the learning process. By organizing events such as United Nation Days Celebration and Career Week, parents and teachers can foster social connections with students inside or outside the school. This can be especially important for children to practice their social skills, including learning the rules of conversation and age-appropriate behavior. 

 

To ensure that our education fosters happiness, we provide concrete support psychologically, physically, and interpersonally for students to thrive in this fast-changing world. We believe that happiness is a fundamental need – a key priority in our educational aims. It is one of the most important assets in fueling children’s life-long success and the achievement of many other goals. 

 

Do you want to explore education provided by one of the top Hoboken private schools?

Contact Tessa International School to learn more!

Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

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Social Emotional Learning! What is it?

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a very important piece of a child’s education and directly impacts their success in learning. CASL has identified five essential skills linked with Social Emotional Learning. Using these skills Tessa International School has selected a program that helps to promote a balance of high academic achievement and strong social emotional skills.

Process? The first step is to help children recognize their own emotions and thoughts. Next, we focus on self-management skills so children learn to regulate their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations. The third step is to help children develop empathy and understanding that others perspectives may not be the same as theirs. Fourth, we focus on maintaining positive relationships with others. Important elements in the fourth step include active listening, communicating clearly and appropriately, and cooperating with others. The final step is preparing children to be responsible decision makers. The will learn to make thoughtful choices that promote positive social interactions, evaluate the consequences of actions, and be empathetic of the well-being of others.

Why is this important? A good Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program not only increases children’s prosocial behaviors such as demonstrating kindness, sharing and empathy, but it also has strong links to increased achievement in school.

How do we do it? The first step is identifying a research-based method that has authentic data that proves it has an impact on both the social and academic growth in children. After selecting the program classroom teachers are carefully trained to synchronize their classrooms and the system becomes not only a school-wide effort, but it extends to the family and community. This way expectations can be taught and modeled in and out of school allowing children to practice and refine their skills in a variety of environments.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is taught through clear lessons and integrating the lessons in content areas such as math or language so children are provided opportunities to practice in real situations.  Teachers are provided the necessary resources and training to develop positive relationships between children and their peers and with children and adults.

The method of teaching and reinforcing Social Emotional Learning skills can be done in numerous ways. Children can be asked to demonstrate their learning through role-play or other activities. We believe in the importance of scaffolding which means taking progressive steps to build upon what children already know (their schema). This means learning the key vocabulary of emotions and learning new skills. Another useful way is through books read to children and have them make connections with the feelings of characters to themselves. Through clear modeling and expectations children will be provided the tools in how best to express their emotions. This can be accomplished again through role-play activities. It’s extremely important that the expression of feelings and emotions in children are validated and children are encouraged to express their feelings. Reflection is a key aspect of a good Social Emotional Learning program. Young children must be guided towards reflecting about actions and events that happen in their lives. They can be asked questions such as “Why did Mary cry when Tommy took her toy?”
Tessa International School believes that in preparing children to become world citizens, prepared to embark on their learning journey that will possibly take them across the world, it must have clear policies and procedures to ensure children receive the very best.

Best Plan? There are numerous programs, but which is the best. The answer can be quite subjective and biased depending upon who you ask and which programs they have tried. We at Tessa International School have worked extensively weighing the benefits and drawbacks of each program. We have looked carefully at the research data of the various programs and have found a system which we strongly believe will help children develop the skills necessary to become truly internationally-minded world citizens.

Join us at Tessa International School

Discover why our bilingual curriculum is recognized as one of the best. Learn how we combine academic excellence with engaging, interactive experiences that foster global awareness.

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Join us at Tessa International School

Discover why our bilingual curriculum is recognized as one of the best. Learn how we combine academic excellence with engaging, interactive experiences that foster global awareness.

Office: (201) 755-5585

Location: 720 Monroe St. Hoboken, NJ 07030