Apps For Kids

An invasive species called the hammerhead worm, is spreading across the United States. The half-moon-headed flatworm, can grow 15 inches long, and regenerates new worms from pieces of itself. Heavy rains and warming temperatures give them the perfect environment to thrive, eating snails and earthworms. They’re coated in toxins, so don’t pick them up.

Today is World Immunization Day, established by the World Health Organization. This year’s theme, is “For Every Generation, Vaccines Work.” Vaccines prevent many life-threatening illnesses, but some people think they don’t need them, helping previously rare diseases make a comeback.

Cupcakes are so yummy, but it’s hard to choose a favorite flavor. Don’t worry about choosing today, because it’s Vanilla Cupcake Day! You can eat one while watching Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, and their friends, since it’s also Sesame Street Day. The children’s TV show was first broadcast in 1969.

Today is Area Code Day. In the old days, a telephone operator had to connect your call, using the location, and a numerical address, like Murray Hill 5 9 9 7 5. With area codes, people could call directly, without the operator’s help. Now, there are so many phones, some areas have 2 codes!

The 5-day celebration of Diwali, continues today. It’s the Hindu Festival of Lights, marked by oil lamps and candles, fireworks, feasts, and gifts. Do you have any friends that are Hindu? Ask them to tell you about their family traditions. Make foods like samosas or sweet gulab jamun, for a taste of the festivities.

A new kind of bus is making the rounds, in Madrid Spain. The fully autonomous electric bus, doesn’t need a driver. It will picks up passengers, and gives them a free ride around the commercial district and parking lots. You can wait for one every 15 minutes, or book it on-demand through an app.

An Air B N B in England, comes with an optional perk. You can get a visit, from a miniature horse named Basil. The apartment is in part of a renovated barn, with a door that can be opened into the stable, where the Shetland pony sleeps. Basil loves visitors, and all the attention.

Do you have an art gallery in your town? It’s Go To An Art Museum Today Day! You can also visit museums virtually. Check out the Guggenheim in New York, the British Museum in London, or the National Gallery of Art in DC, through ArtsAndCulture.google.com. Explore abstract paintings, hyper-realism, modern art, and old masters.

The world is a busy place, and waiting for the perfect moment to do something may never come. Just embrace the craziness, on Chaos Never Dies Day! Today is also World Freedom Day, commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall. Learn about the history of East and West Germany, and be thankful for freedom!

Today is Diwali, the height of a 5-day celebration. It’s the Hindu Festival of Lights, marked by oil lamps and candles, fireworks, feasts, and gifts. Do you have any friends that are Hindu? Ask them to tell you about their family traditions. Make foods like samosas or sweet gulab jamun, for a taste of the festivities.