# Ellie Kemper Shares Her Real Summer Survival Strategies
Actress and parent Ellie Kemper opened up about how she actually gets through summer break without burning out. Her approach centers on low-pressure activities and permission to abandon perfectionism.
A costume bin sits at the heart of her strategy. Kids pull costumes whenever boredom strikes, sparking imaginative play that requires zero parental orchestration. This simple setup keeps children entertained while parents step back from constant activity planning.
Kemper admits the summer season stresses her too. The pressure to create picture-perfect memories and fill every hour with enriching activities weighs heavy. She rejects that guilt outright. Instead, she focuses on what actually works in her household: flexible routines, screen time without shame, and accepting that some days will feel unstructured.
Her philosophy aligns with what child development experts recommend. Dr. Megan Gunnar at the University of Minnesota has found that unstructured play builds problem-solving skills and creativity better than heavily scheduled activities. Kids need downtime to process the school year and simply be bored sometimes.
Kemper's honesty about the hard parts matters too. Summer childcare gaps create real logistical challenges for working parents. She doesn't pretend to have everything figured out. Instead, she shares what she's actually doing: letting go of the Instagram-worthy expectation and embracing what feels manageable for her family.
The takeaway for other parents: Summer doesn't require elaborate planning or constant enrichment. A costume bin, permission to say no to overscheduling, and dropping the guilt accomplishes more than any perfectly curated summer camp lineup. Kids remember the freedom and the feeling of having a parent who isn't stressed, not whether every day included a field trip.