We talked parent to parent about what’s actually getting her through it, and she was honest about the parts that stress her out too. Here’s what’s worth stealing.

By Sara Goldstein
Updated Jul. 17, 2026

In the often-unscripted reality of modern parenting, especially during the seemingly endless stretch of summer vacation, parents are constantly seeking effective strategies to entertain, engage, and manage their children. Actress Ellie Kemper, known for her roles in "The Office" and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," has shared her approach to navigating summer with her two sons, aged six and nine, offering practical insights that resonate with parents facing similar challenges. Kemper’s philosophy centers on simplicity, imagination, and a conscious effort to alleviate parental guilt, a sentiment many caregivers can deeply understand.

A Look Back: Kemper’s Journey to Parenthood

Before gracing television screens, Ellie Kemper’s path was marked by a diverse educational and creative background. Her early years in St. Louis included improv classes, a surprising precursor to her eventual success in comedic acting, even sharing a stage with Jon Hamm before their "Mad Men" and "The Office" connections. Her academic pursuits at Princeton University and a year at Oxford honed her intellect, while writing for "The Onion" sharpened her wit. These experiences, seemingly far removed from the demands of managing young children during summer break, have perhaps inadvertently shaped her pragmatic and creative parenting style. Today, as a working parent, Kemper grapples with the same question many parents do: "How do I make this summer work?"

The Power of Unstructured Play: The Costume Bin Strategy

One of Kemper’s most lauded and practical strategies is the concept of a "costume bin" – a readily accessible collection of old Halloween costumes and everyday clothing that children can repurpose for imaginative play without needing adult permission. This approach, dubbed "Captain’s Closet" as part of a partnership with Pirate’s Booty’s "Captain Bob’s Summer Quest" activity guide, is designed to foster independent creativity. The guide itself offers a curated selection of no-prep, low-mess activities that parents can deploy on demand.

Kemper’s own childhood experiences directly inform this strategy. She recalls growing up with a large box of assorted costumes, a seemingly chaotic collection that, through sibling collaboration, sparked elaborate narratives and imaginative scenarios. This formative experience, she notes, directly led to her career in acting, highlighting the profound impact of unstructured play on childhood development and creativity. The inherent simplicity of this method — a bin of items that requires no elaborate setup or constant adult supervision — is its greatest strength. It empowers children to direct their own play, fostering problem-solving skills and storytelling abilities.

The Broom-Handle Flag: A Simple Yet Engaging Project

Beyond the overarching strategy of accessible play, Kemper highlights a specific, low-effort activity that has proven to be a consistent hit with her children: the broom-handle flag. This simple craft involves a broom handle, an old t-shirt, and sponge paint. The resulting pirate flag provides a prop that can fuel hours of imaginative play long after the paint has dried. The minimal setup and cleanup required make it an ideal choice for parents seeking quick wins during busy days. This project exemplifies Kemper’s emphasis on activities that offer a high return on investment for parental time and effort, a concept she playfully refers to as "parenting ROI."

Embracing the "Good Enough" Parent: Managing Crafting Stress

Kemper candidly admits that even for a seasoned actress with a prestigious education, craft time can be a source of stress. She confesses to not always excelling at fine motor skills, particularly in areas like drawing and painting. Her solution is to prioritize low-mess, low-fuss activities and to avoid projects that demand more setup than the child’s engagement is likely to yield. This pragmatic approach underscores a broader parenting philosophy that many find liberating: the acceptance of being a "good enough" parent.

The pressure to constantly provide elaborate, Pinterest-worthy activities can lead to parental burnout and anxiety. Kemper’s strategy of selecting activities based on their "investment versus payoff" serves as a valuable filter for parents. If a project requires significant preparation and cleanup for a potentially fleeting moment of interest, it’s perfectly acceptable to skip it. This focus on reducing stress for both parent and child is a cornerstone of her approach, acknowledging that a calmer parent often leads to calmer children.

The Art of Stepping Back: Balancing Involvement and Independence

Kemper advocates for a balanced approach to parental involvement, one that shifts between hands-on engagement and strategic stepping back. Her method involves initiating an activity, playing alongside her children for a brief period, and then allowing them the space to continue independently. This "pop in and play" technique provides children with the initial engagement and support they need to build confidence, while also fostering independent play, a crucial component of childhood development.

This approach offers a middle ground for parents who may feel guilty about either hovering too much or disengaging too early. It acknowledges that consistent, intense involvement is not always feasible or necessary. Ten minutes of parental buy-in can be sufficient to launch hours of imaginative exploration and self-directed learning for children. This also aligns with research suggesting that independent play fosters creativity, problem-solving, and self-reliance. A 2020 study published in Child Development highlighted the long-term benefits of unstructured play on executive functions, crucial for academic and social success.

The Permission Slip for Unscheduled Time

Perhaps one of the most significant takeaways from Kemper’s parenting philosophy is the permission she grants herself, and by extension, other parents, to embrace unscheduled time. The relentless pressure to fill every hour with structured activities can be both financially draining and emotionally exhausting. Kemper draws on her own childhood experience, noting that her parents did not meticulously program every moment, and she, like many of her peers, turned out well. She extends this logic to her own children, betting that the same principles of ample downtime apply.

This perspective challenges the pervasive notion that constant stimulation is necessary for a child’s development. In reality, periods of unscheduled time allow children to engage in free play, develop their own interests, and simply be bored, which can often spark creativity and resourcefulness. The "summer slide" is often associated with a lack of academic engagement, but the "summer bloom" can occur when children are given the freedom to explore their own ideas and curiosities without a predefined agenda.

Broader Implications for Modern Parenting

Ellie Kemper’s summer strategy offers a refreshing antidote to the often over-scheduled and guilt-ridden landscape of modern parenting. Her emphasis on:

• Accessible Creativity: Providing materials that encourage imaginative play without demanding adult intervention.
• Low-Effort Engagement: Prioritizing activities that are simple to set up and clean up, maximizing the return on parental investment.
• Acceptance of Imperfection: Recognizing that "good enough" parenting is not only sufficient but often more beneficial for overall family well-being.
• Balanced Involvement: Finding the sweet spot between engaging with children and allowing them space for independent exploration.
• Embracing Downtime: Valuing unstructured time as a crucial component of childhood development.

These principles are not just applicable to summer vacation but can be woven into the fabric of daily parenting throughout the year. By shifting the focus from elaborate programming to fostering imagination and reducing parental stress, Kemper provides a blueprint for a more enjoyable, less guilt-ridden parenting experience. The success of her approach, rooted in personal experience and practical wisdom, offers a valuable model for parents seeking to navigate the demands of raising children in today’s fast-paced world. The true takeaway is that a well-stocked costume bin, a simple craft, and the freedom to let children lead their own adventures might be more impactful than any meticulously planned itinerary.