Many people are super excited for summer break and the end of the school year. However, over summer break, many kids will forget the information they learned this school year and will build unproductive habits. According to the Interparochial Catholic School, “Often summertime is when children begin to lose some of what they studied over the past year” (Interparochial Catholic School). Let’s avoid the “summer slide” with these ways to keep your mind sharp and prevent bad habits over the summer.
Reading Daily
Reading is a great way to keep your mind fresh. “Just like exercise can train specific muscle groups and keep the body strong, reading will fine tune the mind and keep it engaged” (Mountain Heights Academy). Reading every day can help your mind stay active and prepare you for logical thinking when school starts in the fall.
Summer Activities
Summer activities are a great way to keep your mind active and occupy your time. “Summer is the perfect time to try new things and learn new skills. For students who want to keep their brains active during the break, summer school programs and summer camps are excellent options”(Interparochial Catholic School). Summer activities can familiarize you with interacting with others and logical thinking.
Sports
Playing sports can benefit the mind in many ways, especially to maintain or develop skills required for school and extracurricular activities. For example, “problem-solving is also a valuable aspect of playing sports, whether in an organized league or a casual neighborhood game. There are tons of variables that need to be
addressed when it comes to focusing on a goal of beating another team or learning how to cope when a player is out sick. Knowing about health, fitness, and nutritious eating habits is also part of a well-rounded education. Children who gain athletic ability will often be able to enhance their self-esteem and make growing up a little bit easier. Organized sports provide an excellent opportunity to develop essential social skills such as teamwork” (Tutornerds.com). Problem-solving is one skill that you need in sports that also helps strengthen the mind. Along with problem-solving, other skills such as incorporating healthy nutrition and positive self-esteem are key components to preparing for a successful year at school. In addition, playing sports builds healthy exercise habits and social skills, which are also extremely beneficial for school.
Get Off of Screens
Spending time on your phone is a terrible habit for young people. Spending too much time on your phone can cause reduced attention spans, impulsivity, and less mental capability. It’s also been proven that students who use phones do worse in exams. “When students are allowed to use phones, tablets, or other devices for non-academic purposes during classroom lectures, they perform worse in end-of-term exams” (Rutgers University). Don’t waste your time on the phone and do something active.
Get Enough Sleep
Over summer break, it is super important to stay well-rested. There are many negatives to your health when not getting enough the CDC, a government public health organization, says, “Children and adolescents who do not get enough sleep have a higher risk for many health problems. Examples include obesity, type 2 diabetes, poor mental health, and injuries. These children are also more likely to have attention and behavior problems, which can lead to poor academic performance in school” (CDC.gov). Instead of going to bed super late and waking up early, go to bed at a reasonable hour and sleep in. Around 8-10 hours of sleep is recommended per day.
Summer break is a fun time for many students, but students are prone to forgetting school information and social habits. Activities like reading a book, summer projects, and athletics can really help with keeping your mind fresh over the summer. But students need to avoid bad habits such as too much screen time and not getting enough sleep. Over summer break, you should play a sport or read a book. Make sure to stay productive over summer break and say no to screens.
Works Cited
Buccino, Neal. “Cellphone Distraction in the Classroom Can Lead to Lower Grades, Rutgers Study Finds.” Rutgers University, 27 July 2018, https://www.rutgers.edu/news/cellphone-distraction-classroom-can-lead-lower-grades-rutgers-study-finds. Accessed 15 April 2026.
Mountain Heights Academy. “Tips for Keeping Your Mind Sharp Over Summer Vacation.” Mountain Heights Academy, Mountain Heights Academy, https://mountainheightsacademy.org/tips-for-keeping-your-mind-sharp-over-summer-vacation. Accessed 15 April 2026.
“Shuttershock images.” Shuttershock, https://www.shutterstock.com/search/summer?dd_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F.
“Sleep and Health | Physical Education and Physical Activity.” CDC, 2 July 2024,
https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-education/staying-healthy/sleep.html. Accessed 15 April 2026.
St. Cecelia Interparochial Catholic School. “How to Get Ahead in School Over the Summer.” St. Cecelia Interparochial Catholic School, St. Cecelia Interparochial Catholic School, 1 July 2015, https://www.st-cecelia.org/how-to-get-ahead-in-school-over-the-summer/. Accessed 15 April 2026.
TutorNerds. “5 Reasons to Play Sports over the Summer.” TutorNerds, TutorNerds, https://tutornerds.com/learning-blog/5-reasons-to-play-sports-over-the-summer/. Accessed 15 April 2026.
