schooldays

Consider this a well–into–the–summer reminder from the Teacher and check out some good reading in the Sunday Parade.

In the lazy, hazy days of summer, don’t forget to keep your body moving. According to this article, Exercise Your Memory by Michael O’ Shea, doing so can help keep your mind sharp.

While this brief article is about the long term effects of regular exercise, I believe keeping the body moving can help students stay sharp in the brain, whether on a long or short break from school.

Depending on where you live, the temperatures are climbing upwards to the peak of summer heat. It can be hard to stay motivated and energetic. Here are a few tips and ideas:

* If outdoor activity is the best for you, try getting outside as early in the morning as you can. It’s the coolest time of day to let the kids help work in the garden, take a walk, jump rope, or ride a bike.

* Take advantage of city pools and shaded parks for fun and cool physical activity

* Don’t waste water, but if you’re going to water a garden or lawn anyway, let the kids put on a bathing suit or some old clothes and run around in the sprinkler.

* Keep fruity, citrus drinks handy: lemonade, orange juice, Gatorade for a refresher.

* Exercise doesn’t have to be outside: Go up and down the stairs for 10 minutes, do a short workout (10-15 minutes),

* Get up from sitting down at least every 30 minutes and stretch or take a quick walk three times around your house or up and down stairs in your apartment building.