Apps For Kids

Last year, billions of periodical cicadas emerged from the ground after 17 years, filling the air with their song. But you might still be hearing cicadas. Some species of annual cicadas, emerge later in the summer every year. The big bugs are all harmless, so just enjoy their singing.

6,000,000,000 trees are cut down each year, to make everything from cardboard to toilet paper. A European company gives trees some relief, by making paper out of dead leaves instead. Releaf Paper uses leaves from city trees, collected from streets and clogged sewers. One year of fallen leaves in Paris, produces 3,000,000 paper bags.

Knock knock. Who’s there? Interrupting duck. Interrupting duh-Quack-quack-quack-quack-quack! Ha ha ha! It’s Tell A Joke Day! You can ask me to tell you a joke, so you can learn some good ones! It’s also Rollercoaster Day! Are you brave enough to ride the Steel Vengeance? It has a 90 degree drop. That’s straight down!

Have you ever heard thunder, while at the pool? The lifeguards make everyone exit the water, because a lightning strike would conduct electricity through the whole pool. That’s why you should also avoid taking a shower or washing dishes during a thunderstorm. Electrical and telephone cords can also provide a path for lightning.

Butter is made from milk, which comes from a cow. But sometimes, a cow is made from butter. The Illinois State Fair, unveiled its annual 500-pound butter cow sculpture. The 105th Butter Cow is accompanied by butter sculptures of a woman eating ice cream, and her dog on a scooter.

Bees are essential to pollinate crops, but honey bee populations have been declining. You can help the honey bees by planting more flowers, setting out water for them, and not using pesticides. Or start a beehive! Say thank you to a bee today, for World Honey Bee Day!

Do you do the same thing every day? Even if it’s something you love, like playing video games, your brain would like to try something new for Break The Monotony Day. Start with something new for breakfast. Next, how about a treasure hunt, for Geocaching Day? Check out Geocaching.com, to get started. Good luck!

How do you like to relax? Floating in a pool? Swinging in a hammock? Reading a good book? It’s Relaxation Day, so find the thing that relieves your stress, and do it! If it involves eating pie, even better, since it’s Lemon Meringue Pie Day. I’ll be eating mine outside, while listening to birds!

Today is World Lizard Day. From the giant 6-foot-long Komodo dragon, to the teeny-tiny 1-inch-long nano-chameleon, these amazing reptiles live all over the world. There are more than 7000 different lizard species. Chameleons can change color, geckos can walk on ceilings, and basilisks can run on water. Which scaly critter is your favorite?

On this day in 1457, the Mainz Psalter was the first book ever printed in blue, red, and black ink, using different-sized fonts. Celebrate Color Book Day, by reading a picture book. It’s also Wiffle Ball Day, invented nearly 500 years later. It’s like baseball, without the fear of breaking any windows.