Author: Lisa Mungovan

Today is National Boy Scouts Day. The Boy Scouts of America was created in 19 10, inspired by the British Boy Scouts. Since then, 130,000,000 Scouts have enjoyed earning 135 different merit badges. The Pinewood Derby, where Scouts design their own miniature wooden racing cars, has been taking place since 19 53. Scouts pledge to do their best.

Grab your favorite kite and head outside. It’s Kite Flying Day! While you’re out there, sing a song in your best opera voice. You can listen to some famous opera singers like Luciano Pavarotti or Maria Callas for inspiration, since it’s Opera Day. Finally, celebrate Molasses Bar Day, with a pan of homemade treats!

Sometimes you break a world record, without even knowing it. When Bob Hutchinson was 92, he went water skiing in Ontario. That made him the world’s oldest male water skier, but it wasn’t official until recently. Bob’s family applied for the Guinness World Record, so the now 94-year-old will be listed in the record books!

Nzambi Matee is a materials engineer in Kenya. She designed machines that recycle plastic, into bricks. Nzambi uses the plastic waste that can’t be recycled into new products, and mixes it with sand. The materials are heated and compressed into bricks, which are about 5 times stronger than concrete bricks. Matee’s factory can produce 1500 bricks-per-day.

Today is Fettuccine Alfredo Day. It’s an Italian dish consisting of long, flat pasta noodles, covered in a creamy butter and cheese sauce. It’s also Yorkshire Pudding Day. The British recipe is closer to a roll or muffin, than chocolate pudding. A flour, milk and egg batter rises into a savory, puffy pudding.

Can you name all the elements? If you said no, you just named Nobelium, number 102 on the Periodic Table of the Elements! Today is Periodic Table Day. The chart arranges all the chemical elements by atomic number, properties, and electrons, into groups and rows that make sense. So far, there are 118 known elements.

When you see your neighbors today, don’t just give them a nod. It’s Wave All Your Fingers At Your Neighbors Day! Then go leaping and twirling down the sidewalk, because it’s Ballet Day! Take a break from dancing, to make a card for someone, since it’s also Send A Card To A Friend Day!

Danilo Schwarz and Meire Matayoshi started making origami dogs, to bring awareness to the large homeless dog population in Brazil. The folded paper sculptures grew into the world’s largest display, of origami dogs. Matayoshi, a professional origamist in Sao Paolo, taught Schwarz how to make them. They created 1,010 dogs in a rainbow of colors.

Wearing face masks helps prevent the spread of COVID, but the disposable masks are not great for the Earth. Researchers in Australia, have found a use for them. When discarded masks are added to road-paving mixtures, they make the road more flexible and durable, and less expensive. What a great way to recycle them.

Today is Take Your Child To The Library Day. Spend some time exploring your library. Look for a new book by your favorite author, check out a book on crafts or science experiments, or read a biography about someone you’ve never heard of. You can even get your very own library card. Have fun!