The long summer break can feel like a mixed blessing when you run a business during the school holidays. For self-employed mothers, the six-week school holiday in England and Wales is less a relaxing pause and more a logistical puzzle: client deadlines, meetings and invoices still need attention, but so do picnics, paddling pools and bored children.
According to ONS Labour Market Statistics from 2024, around 1.5 million women are self-employed in the UK, and a significant proportion are working mothers. If you are facing your first summer as a business-owning parent, the good news is that a little planning makes the juggle far less stressful. Here are practical, UK-focused strategies to help you run a business during the school holidays while still enjoying time with your children.
How to run a business during the school holidays
Start with a summer calendar
Treat the school holidays like any other busy period in your business. Print out a calendar covering the full break. In 2026, many state schools in England and Wales break up around 21 July and return around 1 September, giving a six-week window based on local authority term dates published by the Department for Education. Block in the days when you have client commitments, calls or deadlines. Then add the days when you want to be fully present with your children. Seeing the whole stretch at a glance helps you spot pinch points early and stops work from bleeding into every evening.
Be realistic about what you can achieve. Most business owners can maintain core client work over the summer, but it is rarely the right moment to launch a major new product or rebrand. Protect your most important revenue-generating tasks and defer anything that can wait until September.
Use time blocking and boundaries
Children thrive on routine, and so do businesses. Divide each day into clear chunks: focused work, child-focused activities, and household admin. Early mornings, nap times and evenings can become quiet work windows, while the middle of the day is often better reserved for outings or hands-on play.
Let clients know your summer hours in advance. A short note on your email signature or website stating your reduced availability sets expectations and reduces last-minute pressure. If you need to take a call while the children are around, explain to them what you are doing and how long it will take. A visual timer can help younger children understand when you will be free again.
Involve children without exploiting them
There are age-appropriate ways to include children in your working day. Older children can help with simple filing, sticking stamps on envelopes, or brainstorming names for a new service. Younger ones often enjoy “playing office” with a spare notebook and stickers while you answer emails.
Reward charts and small treats can motivate primary-aged children to complete a quiet-time task. A sticker for thirty minutes of independent play, followed by a trip to the park, teaches them that your work has a beginning and an end. Just keep anything you do not want decorated out of reach; sticky fingers and brand-new carpet do not mix.
That said, your children are not employees. Use these activities as short distractions rather than a substitute for proper childcare when you have important deadlines.
Arrange reliable childcare and support
There is no shame in booking extra help over the summer. A six-week stretch is a long time to expect children to entertain themselves while you work, and it is unrealistic for most businesses to shut down completely.
Holiday clubs, sports camps and council-run play schemes are widely available across the UK, although costs and availability vary by area. Many are Ofsted registered, which means you may be able to pay using the government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme. For every £8 you pay into your online childcare account, the government adds £2, up to a maximum of £2,000 per child per year, or £4,000 if your child is disabled.
If you are on a low income, Universal Credit childcare support can cover up to 85% of your childcare costs, capped at £1,014 per month for one child and £1,739 for two or more children, according to 2025/26 DWP rates. You must use registered childcare and pay the costs upfront before claiming them back through your Universal Credit claim.
Working parents, including many self-employed parents who meet the earnings rules, can also access 30 hours free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year. From September 2025, this was extended to eligible working parents of children from nine months old up to school age. Check your eligibility on gov.uk, because the rules on minimum weekly earnings and approved providers apply whether you are employed or self-employed.
Other options include registered childminders, swapping days with another self-employed parent, or asking family for a regular half-day slot. Even a few structured childcare sessions a week can create the headspace you need for deep work.
Share the load with other working parents
Working alongside another parent can transform the summer. Whether you arrange a nanny share, book a co-working space with a crèche, or simply take turns hosting at each other’s homes, shared care cuts costs and gives children company.
Many business networks and local parent groups run informal summer swaps for self-employed mothers. One person cannot lift half a piano, but two can lift a whole one; the same applies to childcare. Agree on ground rules in advance, including how you will handle work calls, snacks and screen time, so the arrangement supports everyone’s business rather than creating new stress.
Stop trying to multitask
When you are working with children nearby, multitasking can feel unavoidable, but it is rarely effective. Switching constantly between a spreadsheet and a small child asking for a snack leads to more mistakes, slower progress and a shorter fuse by teatime.
Instead, practise single-tasking. Set a timer for twenty-five minutes and focus on one job until the bell rings. Then give your children your full attention for a defined break. You will get more done and feel less guilty.
Build in downtime for everyone
Finally, resist the urge to pack every day with work or activities. Children need unstructured time, and so do you. A slow morning in the garden, a trip to the local library, or a walk to the park can reset everyone’s mood. If you are self-employed, the summer is also a chance to model the work-life balance you are building your business to achieve.
With realistic planning, clear boundaries and the right support, you can run a business during the school holidays and still enjoy the break. Your business will still be there in September, and so will your sanity.
Practical steps before the holidays begin
- Print or create a six-week calendar and colour-code work days, childcare days and family days.
- Check your eligibility for Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit childcare support, and 30 hours free childcare on gov.uk.
- Email regular clients by mid-July with your summer availability and any delayed response times.
- Book at least two childcare or activity sessions per week before the holidays begin.
- Identify one task you can defer until September to protect your headspace.
