Apps For Kids

Did you know, it’s Sea Otter Awareness Week? Sea otters are the heaviest members of the weasel family, and one of the few mammals to use tools. They float on their backs while eating, using rocks to pound shells open. Their dense, super-fine fur keeps them warm, with 1,000,000 hairs per-square-inch!

Today is Punch Day. No, you don’t get to punch somebody! It’s a sweet, fruity drink. Mix your own fruit punch! Make some fried rice to go with it, because it’s also Fried Rice Day. Take day-old rice, and fry it in a pan combined with diced vegetables, ginger, and soy sauce. It’s delicious!

Today is International Astronomy Day. It’s always held around the quarter-moon, so the skies are darker. Plan an evening of stargazing, by looking up some constellations to search for tonight. Use binoculars or a telescope for a closer look. Free phone apps, like Sky View, Lite, can help you identify stars and planets.

If you went to the beach this summer, did you see any trash? Whether it was left by rude beachgoers, scattered out of trashcans by the wind, or carried in on the waves, trash needs to be picked up by humans. Hit the beach with a garbage bag today, for Coastal Cleanup Day.

It’s International Red Panda Day. Over 100 zoos worldwide will be celebrating, by creating Red Panda Rangers: children who spread the word about endangered red pandas. They are more like raccoons than pandas. Since it’s also Gymnastics Day and Dance Day, tumble and dance like a red panda. Don’t forget to shake your tail!

Today is Love and Friendship Day. Take the day to spend time with the special people in your life! Maybe you guys can go apple-picking, since it’s also Eat An Apple Day. Crispy Honeycrisp, tart Granny Smith, and sweet Golden Delicious, are a few of over 7500 apple varieties. What’s your favorite?

R, r, r! It’s me favorite day matey! It’s Talk Like A Pirate Day! Exclaim your favorite pirate phrases, using a gruff, sea-weathered voice all day long! Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! Except make that a bottle of butterscotch pudding, since it’s also Butterscotch Pudding Day. Now whar’s me pudding!

State Parks in Virginia have special viewfinders, that help more people see the spectacular beauty of autumn leaves. The scopes allow people who have red-green Color Vision Deficiency, to see a full range of color. Around 13,000,000 Americans are red-green colorblind, so Virginia leaf-peeping season could get very busy!

The Strong National Museum of Play, in Rochester New York, inducts toys into its Toy Hall of Fame each year. Some of this year’s finalists include Tickle Me Elmo, Yahtzee, Bingo, Polly Pocket, Pokemon, Mahjong, Mouse Trap, and playground slides. You can vote for your favorite on the Player’s Choice Ballot, at MuseumOfPlay.org.

Today is Hug A Greeting Card Writer Day. It might be hard to find a writer, so maybe just show your appreciation, by sending someone a greeting card instead. It’s also Rice Krispies Treats Day. You only need crisp rice cereal, marshmallows, and butter, to make these delicious treats. Save one for me!