Author: Lisa Mungovan

Get out of the summer heat, by visiting a museum for Smithsonian Day. If you live near Washington DC, you’re lucky. All of the Smithsonian museums are always free! See dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum and planes at the Air and Space Museum. Visit art museums, the zoo, and so much more!

Did you know, it’s Spoil Your Dog Day? Take your dogs on a long walk, play fetch as long as they want, give them all their favorite treats, and give them lots of belly rubs. It’s also Celebrating Your Lakes Day, so everyone should enjoy a day by the water.

Today is Skyscraper Appreciation Day. The world’s tallest building is over half-a-mile high, in Dubai. Could you climb to the top? Maybe not today, since it’s also Lazy Day. See if you can sleep 16 hours, like a cat! When you wake up, make s’mores around a fire. S’mores Day celebrates the chocolate-marshmallow-graham cracker treat.

Summer vacation is winding down, but there’s still time to visit a park. The year you’re in 4th grade in the United States, you can get into any National Park for free! Students can print a free annual pass, good for everyone in the car, at Every-Kid-Outdoors.gov. Where will you go first?

Today is the United Nations’ International Day Of The World’s Indigenous Peoples. This year’s theme is, Indigenous Peoples and A I, Defending Rights and Shaping Futures. Artificial Intelligence could play a role in helping to preserve the languages and cultural heritage, of the original inhabitants of the lands around the world.

Today is Melon Day. There are at least 30 varieties of melon, so if you buy them all, you can have a feast! The biggest cantaloupe in the world, weighed 65.9 pounds, while the world’s biggest watermelon weighed over 350 pounds! Plant the seeds, and maybe you can grow your own watermelon bathtub!

Today is Garage Sale Day. Also called yard sales or boot sales, they’re full of treasures. Shop early in the morning before the best stuff is gone. Maybe you’ll find a bowling ball, for Bowling Day. Your local bowling alley might have special deals, so you can test it out.

Books are the best. Book Lovers Day is for those who take time to appreciate a good book. If your home looks more like a library, with books everywhere, this day is for you! It’s also Rice Pudding Day, so cook up a batch of this creamy dessert, and dig in.

Even if you’re not afraid of spiders, tarantulas might freak you out. But the big hairy spiders are generally harmless to humans, and can make good pets. There are more than 900 tarantula species, including some that are blue! The smallest is fingernail-sized, while the largest is dinner plate-sized. Happy Tarantula Appreciation Day!

Have you ever been camping? Tonight is Global Sleep Under The Stars Night. Whether you’re an old camping pro, or never slept outdoors in your life, spend the night outdoors. You can pitch a tent in your backyard, sleep on your porch, or pack up and camp in the wilderness. Don’t forget mosquito repellent!