It’s summer break, and you know what that means: time to avoid learning anything! Well, maybe not. There are many ways to keep your mind sharp and active even during a time of relaxation. You may be surprised by how much you could accomplish while still enjoying some down time. Learning new skills like guitar, piano, or even ukulele can be more enjoyable than binging a show!
What is exercising your mind?
Exercising your mind is keeping your mental functions active. It’s like working out your body, but for your brain. It is so easy nowadays for kids to become immersed in worlds on-screen and forget about activity, which is why you encourage them to ride bikes or swim. You want them to stay active. Their brains need the same type of attention. The good news is there are plenty of ways to keep your mind moving all summer long. You can try piano lessons, or educational programs.
Why it’s important
It’s important to keep your mind moving during the break, or you may find yourself forgetting important information or skills. In fact, research shows that half of the information you do not use in a year is lost. So if you learned 150 skills last year and only use 50 of them, that leaves 100 skills unused. Just like when you declutter once a year, your brain keeps the 50 skills you use regularly. Then it takes a look at the remaining 100. When decluttering, you choose what to keep based on what you might use and get rid of the rests. Your brain does something similar. It decides that 50 of the remaining unused facts will likely not be needed, thus you forget.
Encouraging your child to use these skills regularly will help them to remember.
Tips and tricks to keep your brain moving
To help your child exercise their minds, try:
- Taking on a new challenge. Learning something new is a great way to keep your mind active and engaged. Why not try taking guitar lessons or learning a new language?
- Spending time with others. It’s fun to socialize, and research has shown that social interaction can help reduce memory decline and cognitive decline. Put your child in a tutoring program, or summer camp.
- Getting physical. Exercise is not only good for your body, but it’s also good for your brain. Physical activity can improve mental function and help protect against cognitive decline. Just go on walks or swim.
- Playing games and puzzles. Games and puzzles can help improve memory and problem-solving skills. There are some great educational games too. So break out the Scrabble or Sudoku and have some fun!
- Keep learning. Whether you’re taking a class or reading a book, continuing to learn can keep your mind active and engaged.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our tips on keeping your mind moving during summer break. Remember, even though it’s a time to relax and recharge, it’s also important to keep your brain active. By incorporating some of these educational and stimulating activities into your daily routine, you can return from summer break feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the school year ahead.