School Study Guide: Avoiding the “Spring Slump”

Birmingham, Ala. (March 13, 2026) — Spring is right around the corner. The weather will be warming up, flowers will be blooming, and spring break trips are being planned.  As the school year ends, it is also a time for school-age children to experience the “spring slump.”

“Spring slump is a loss of motivation for kids,” said Katherine Taunton, an education liaison and teacher with the Sunshine School at Children’s of Alabama. “We often hear it as well as senioritis; that’s probably the most common term we hear.”

The “spring slump” often affects students between March and May. Taunton says it can be seen in different ways for children. For younger children, Taunton says it can look like children skipping breakfast or telling their parents that they don’t want to go to school. Taunton says that in older children, the “spring slump” can look like hitting the snooze button more, taking longer to get out of bed, or missing or failing assignments.
 

“One of the overall ways to really help keep a child out of the slump is protecting their routine and supporting their schedule,” said Taunton.
 

Taunton says that when children know what to expect throughout their day, they can go from one routine to another without being caught off guard, and it can also help keep them motivated. 

She also says there are three ways parents can help with that.

1.    Protect the morning routine.
“If we start our day off by skipping breakfast or feeling rushed, which does happen, we can help by focusing in and jump-start the day with fuel, with feeling like you are already progressing through the day and not having any hiccups that kind of make you feel like you are already defeated for the day,” said Taunton.

2.    Support the Routine.
“If you have a younger child, give them a visual aid of the schedule,” said Taunton. “If children are older, help them manage a schedule so they know what they are doing for the day, what their goals are. Seeing them visible check that off is super helpful.”

3.    Go outside.
“This one is kind of fun. Here in Alabama, in the spring, we are outside,” said Taunton. “We have beautiful walking paths around, so I really support being outside because the sun does a lot more healing than we think.”

Those outside activities during the spring can include sports or end-of-the-school-year activities. It is important for parents to help balance fun and school, and one way to do that is by thinking about the days of the week.

“One of the big things is not living for the weekend,” said Taunton. “We get into a routine where Monday through Friday, if we can get through this, we can hit the weekend, and a really fun way to motivate kids as a parent is to enjoy things during the weekdays. Plan a walk or plan an activity outside with friends for your children on a Wednesday, Thursday, or any weekday afternoon.”

Another way Taunton says parents can help children stay motivated is by encouraging them to participate in a school activity they really love. She says this gives a child something to look forward to, keeps them interested in school, and lets them have fun at the same time.