Fun and Fascinating by Fun For Kidz

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3 Check It Out! 4 Rollicking Roller Coasters 6 10 Fun and Fascinating Facts 8 A Ride on a Boneshaker 9 Decoding License Plates 10 Puzzles 12 Building Castles in the Sand 13 Max & Gracie 14 Jill & Jasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Outdoor Puzzle 18 A Horse Is a Horse 20 Make a Balancing Horse 21 Draw a Horse 22 Summer Lights 23 When Lightning Strikes 24 Crimestopper Cat 27 The Fascinating Praying Mantis 28 Kids Corner 30 Puzzle Solutions 2

here are so many fun and fascinating things to do in summertime. Adventures are always just around the corner. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve shared some popular activities with you. Is your favorite among them? Are you crazy about riding roller coasters? Is cooling off at the beach your number one choice? Maybe you like looking for unusual insects like the praying mantis or chasing fireflies at night. Whatever you enjoy doing during the warm summer months, write or send us a picture and tell us about it. We will share your thoughts in a future issue of Fun For Kidz and also write back to you! Be sure to let us know if you have a favorite we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think of. Have a great time enjoying fun summertime activities! Report in to us at: Fun For Kidz, PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227. Or email us at: kidscorner@funforkidz.com

Rollicking Roller Coasters by Diane Winebar

What gives you a dizzying, topsy-turvy, stomach-churning feeling? Roller coasters! Climb aboard a coaster named The Racer, Corkscrew, or Mean Streak, and you know you’re in for a hair-raising ride! Many families go to amusement parks during their summer vacations just to ride their favorite “scream machines.” Instead of the wild, looping rides we have today, the first “rolling coaster” in America was more like a runaway train. It actually was a train that once brought coal down a Pennsylvania mountain. When the train was no longer used for coal, the owners decided to turn it into a ride. It would carry people instead of coal. Tourists came from miles around to experience the exciting, shaky descent down the mountain. Soon more “railway” rides were built across the country. The age of roller coasters had begun! Most early roller coasters were pretty mild compared to modern coasters. One Pennsylvania ride built in 1902 cruised over gentle hills at 10 miles per hour. It is called Leap the Dips and is the oldest operating coaster in the world. If 10 miles per hour seems too tame for you, never fear. Lightning-fast coasters are found in many large amusement parks. North America’s fastest and tallest roller coaster is the Kingda Ka at New Jersey’s Six Flags Great Adventure. This steel Mantis, Cedar Point, Ohio coaster’s top speed is an astounding 128 miles per hour. It shoots riders up 45 stories into the sky. Wow! The longest roller coaster in the US is at Kings Island in Ohio. The Beast is a wooden coaster that carries riders along a nearly one-and-a-half-mile-long track. This ride lasts just over four minutes, but when you’re going 65 miles per hour in an open car, that can seem like an eternity! Steep turns and tunnels keep you wondering what’s coming up next. Some roller coasters have you standing the entire ride. Others leave your legs dangling in the air. Some go fast, and others go more slowly. But they’re all fun, and that’s why they’re called thrill rides!

American Eagle, a wooden roller coaster in Six Flags Great America, Illinois

Raptor, Cedar Point, Ohio

s r e t s a o C g in ll o R o t s e d li S e c I m o r F Would it surprise you to know that roller coasters were inspired by winter ice slides in cold, snowy Russia? Over 300 years ago, Russian ice slides were very popular. Imagine climbing lots of stairs to reach the top of a 70-foot-tall wooden structure. Someone is waiting there to help you get on a sled. The sled might be made of wood, or it might be just a block of ice with a straw pad. It’s a good thing that pad is there. Otherwise, brrr! Once you’re settled, you grab the rope that’s attached to the sled. Do you see the sloping ramp in front of you? It’s hundreds of feet long and covered in a sheet of ice. Someone gives your sled a little push and whoosh! Off you go, speeding down the icy slope! Built-in bumps make your ride even more exciting. Before you know it, the ramp levels off, and you plow into a pile of sand that slows you down. People in other countries wanted to build their own ice slides. But there was a problem. Some places weren’t cold enough to keep the slides frozen. Someone had the great idea of putting wheels on the sleds. Later, tracks were added to the ramps. Now the cars could run on tracks and move smoothly and swiftly down the ramp. No ice needed! Who first thought of adding wheels and tracks to the slides to make a rolling coaster? No one really knows. But aren’t we glad they did?

How would you enjoy riding a boneshaker or a dandy horse instead of your bicycle? If you lived 230 years ago, you would be thrilled to have any kind of riding machine. Many men came up with their versions of something to ride. A Frenchman built a wooden contraption called the velocifere in 1790. The rider sat on a cushion and used his feet to move forward. There were no brakes and no way to steer. Then a German created the earliest twowheeler in 1819. Named the dandy horse, it had a way to steer, but you used your feet to push it forward and glide. (See illustration.) This was the first balance bike. Later models didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t become popular until 2013! In 1864, a French father and son team designed a machine with an iron frame. The wooden wheels were wrapped in an iron rim. Pedals were attached to the front wheel. It was called the boneshaker because of the way it shook the rider as he rode on bumpy cobblestone streets. Today there are all kinds of bicycles. What will riding machines be like in 2056? Will they even resemble the bikes of today? Maybe they will glide off the ground like a hoverboard. Use your imagination, and draw what you think the bike of tomorrow will look like. Send it to us at Fun For Kidz, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll share it with our readers. Who knows? Maybe your drawing will look like the real bike of tomorrow.

It is summertime, and your family has planned a road trip to visit a national park. You are excited about going, but not about spending hours in the car. To help pass the time, watch for unusual license plates on other cars. Some people pay extra to put their own messages on their plates. These are called “vanity plates.” How can you figure out what the owner of the car is trying to tell you? Here are clues to help you:

1. Write down the license plate. It might take you a little while to figure it out, and you don’t want to forget what the letters and numbers were.

2. Sound out the phrase. The letters R or AR can stand for the word “are.” A group of T’s (TTT) could be translated as “tease.” Here’s an easy one: RU. Just repeat the two letters, and it says “are you.”

3. Sometimes, letters and numbers are combined. 2TH means “tooth.” B4

is “before.” LV2 reads “love to.” Can you guess what BU2FL means? It’s “beautiful.”

4. Consider the vehicle when trying to decipher the plate. If you see a

black jeep with the letters BAABAA, it might mean “baa-baa black jeep.” If the plate’s letters are “EIEIO,” maybe the last name of the car owner is MacDonald.

5. If you get tired of looking at plates while riding, try making up some of your own. Have fun with it! Send us your ideas, or send in a photo of any unusual plates you see.

C U L8R!

a Sta r Wa rs fa n

fo u r- w h e e l W h a t d o e s th is o th ro u g h ? d ri ve ve h ic le g

A-Maze-ing Summer Fun by Guy Belleranti

Find your way through the letter maze by connecting letters to spell out FUN SUMMER ACTIVITIES. You may move any direction, but letters cannot be connected more than once. Write the unconnected letters on the blank lines to find eight fun summer activities.

Fraction-nition

Start F

M M

by David Lindo

Find the letters described by the fraction given in each statement. Print the letters you select, in the order provided, into the boxes to answer the riddle.

The last 1/2 of HERO The middle 1/3 of FOLLOW The first 1/3 of ERASER The middle 1/7 of MERCURY The first 2/3 of OAR The middle 1/3 of FASTER The last 2/5 of RIDER

Finish

What dips up and down, around and around, and is sometimes upside down?

Eight fun summer activities: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, _ _ _ _ _ _, _ _ _ _ _ _ _, _ _ _ _ _ _ _, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, _ _ _ _ _ _ _, _ _ _ _, _ _ _ _

_ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _

Hints: by Julie Truesdell

Four kids are on teams that compete in different water sports. Use the clues to match each one with his or her sport and the name of his or her team. Use the grid to eliminate possibilities. Put an “x” in a box if you know a child doesn’t go with a sport or team name. Put an “o” if the child does. Good luck! DIVING SCULLING SWIMMING

Avery Dylan Karen

Shannon

1. Avery enjoys sculling but not with the Otters. 2. Dylan is a Marlin, but they are not a diving team. 3. The Eels compete in swimming, but Shannon isn’t on the team.

WAKEBOARDING EELS MARLINS OTTERS SHARKS

Mystery Picture Puzzle ax jet bell bird pants worm canoe onion match spoon ladder shovel ball bat canteen 2 tepees slingshot fish hook flashlight 2 needles camp knife toothbrush hiking boot hamburger toasting fork

ÂŠLiz Ball

www.hiddenpicturepuzzles.com

For

by Evelyn B. Christensen

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fun to do things with friends during the summer. Fill in the squares so that each row, column, and 7-square section has the letters F-R-I-E-N-D-S.

D S S D R F

I N F N

R I

D S E I D R F I S E D D E R I

Answers & Solutions Page 30 11

Families enjoy visits to the beach. This is the perfect opportunity for you to make a great sand castle. All you need is sand, water, and a few tools. These include a small shovel, a water bucket, an ordinary table knife, a putty knife, a plastic container to make small bricks, and your hands. You begin by digging a hole in the sand until you reach water. Make a pile of your loose, wet sand from the hole. Flatten the top and sides of this mound with your hands. This will become the base of your castle. Next, stir the sand in the hole you dug. Scoop out handfuls that are as wet as cooked oatmeal. Flatten each handful into a flat pancake. Stack several of these on top of each other on your base. This will form a tower. Build as many towers as you wish. Make them as high as you want. These stacks bond together and help strengthen the construction of your castle. Now, using your table knife, slice off triangular pieces to make a pointed roof on each tower. You may also want to carefully carve out windows and doors. A putty knife works best for this. You can make walls around your castle by fashioning small bricks from the wet sand. Stack them as you wish and then smooth the sides. Steps can be built in the same way. Your castle can be as simple or as fancy as you like. This activity is fun to do alone, with a friend, or with the entire family. Just be sure to clear away all your tools and any litter before you leave the beach. Send us a picture of your castle, and tell us something about it. You might see your photo in a future issue of Fun For Kidz!

Santa Monica, California 10:05 AM Surf’s up! It’s a sunny beach day! Max and Gracie and their owners, Linda, Craig, and their seven-year-old son, Ed, are driving the back roads of America. Perhaps you have seen Max and Gracie with their heads out the window. If not, here is a letter describing their most recent adventure.

“Oh, sister!” “Oh, brother!” Or, I guess I should say, dleboard, much cie has been trying to ride Ed’s pad Ever since we got to the beach, Gra from shore. on it when Ed had it out about 10 feet to Ed’s dismay. First, she tried to get board rd with her front paws. WHOOPS! The boa the grip to d trie she n, The co! Fias ber of times in the water. I’ve lost count of the num somersaulted in the air and crashed bring it back to Ed. Gracie had to go get the board and “Mom, make her quit it,” Ed yells. blanket at ball of fur. She hurls herself onto my Linda calls to Gracie, who is one wet warp speed. to Ed. There’s a salty tongue lick, then races back “Gracie!” I bark. She gives my face e with us. no way Linda and I can keep her her the edge the board by himself and brings it to Ed eventually gives up trying to ride walks on. She does, enthusiastically. Ed then of the water. He tells Gracie to hop When a on. still s cie’ es. So far, so good. Gra the board out past the first set of wav terfully mas cie ases the board. We watch Gra roll of waves starts to form, Ed rele k to the bac s so excited, that when she gets balance on it. She’s a natural! Gracie’ rolls around in the sand. beach, she jumps off the board and “Gracie!” ?” “I know, Max. She’s a mess, isn’t she Linda scratches the top of my head. Linda sighs. winding up in my I sigh, too, thinking of all that sand bed tonight. Oh, Gracie!

Max

by Frances Mill illustrations by Pamela Harden This summer, maybe you’ll go horseback riding. Did you know that if you visit the zoo, you might see some relatives of the horse? A horse is a horse, of course, but don’t be too sure. A rhinoceros is related to a horse. I bet you thought this animal belonged to the pig family, right? Wrong! Rhinos are not the only pig-likelooking animals that are related to horses. The tapir also is related to the horse. All three of these animals belong to the order Perissodactyla (pair-ISS-ohDAK-til-uh). This means “odd-toed.” The odd numbers are one, three, five, etc. We know horses have a single hoof on each foot. The hooves are a horse’s toes. Rhinos have three toes on each hoof. Tapirs, however, have four toes on their front hooves and three on their back hooves.

The teeth of perissodactyls are perfect for what they eat. They use their front teeth to bite off plants. Their back teeth are close together, perfect for chewing grass, leaves, and other plant matter. We all know what a horse-type nose looks like. You’ve probably seen a donkey’s, a zebra’s, a burro’s, or a wild or tame horse’s nose. Now take a look at two other horse noses. The rhinoceros has horns on the middle of his nose made of compacted fibers of keratin. This is what our fingernails and hair are made of. I’d hate to be scratched by a rhino’s nose nails! A tapir has an extended wiggly snout that can be used as a snorkel when the animal is under water. He uses this flexible trunk-like nose to pull food into his mouth. Let’s not start on elephants! They belong to a different order of animals. The four-legged animals that we are talking about have tough, thick skin. Their hair is often bristly. A horse is a horse, of course, but some of their relatives surely don’t look like horses at all.

Gravity is a force that pulls things downward. If you drop something, it will fall down. Try setting a ruler with its middle on your fingertip. It won’t fall down. Why not? Every object has a CENTER OF GRAVITY, the place where gravity pulls on it. The ruler’s center of gravity is right in the middle. As long as your fingertip is under the center of gravity, the ruler CANNOT FALL DOWN! Another name for the center of gravity is the balancing point. The ruler balances on your fingertip. Here is a science “toy” you can make that has an unusual balancing point.

What You Need: • sheet of thin paper • a pencil • glue or paste • a piece of cardboard • scissors • a 12-inch-piece of stiff wire • 5 pennies • sticky tape

trace this horse

What You Do Lay the paper over the outline of the horse, then trace the horse with the pencil. Glue the paper onto the cardboard. Cut out the horse. Try setting the back feet of the horse on your fingertip to balance the horse standing straight up. It will fall off! The horse is an odd shape, and it is almost impossible to balance it as you did the ruler. You must change the balancing point. Follow the illustration to see how to bend the wire and tape it to your horse. Stack the pennies and wrap tape around them to keep them together. Tape the bundle of pennies to the end of the wire. Now, balance the horse on your fingertip. You can do it easily! You can even rock the horse back and forth, and it won’t fall off. The new center of gravity is in the stack of pennies. The pennies can’t fall down, so neither can the horse!

Color and decorate your balancing horse. It will look great balancing on a shelf or on the edge of a table.

1. written and illustrated by Andrew Wales

A. Make the practice drawing.

1. Begin sketching basic shapes. Two round shapes make up the front end and back end of the horse. Connect the two shapes with lines that slightly curve. (Fig.1) 2. Draw the two lines that make up the neck. Now begin the head. (Fig. 2) 3. Next, start drawing the legs. Add the ears and lower jaw to the head. Then add the finishing touches: legs, hooves, tail, mane, etc. (Fig. 3) Sketch out the shape beneath the horse that represents the shadow. (Fig. 4)

4. Shade your drawing with pencil. Think about darks and lights in the horse and the texture in the grass. (Fig. 5) B. Keep on sketching. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop with just one drawing. Look for other horses you might draw. Are there any near where you live that you might visit? You can also use books on horses from your local library as a reference.

C. Send us your drawing. Choose your best drawing and send to Fun For Kidz, PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227, or scan and send to kidscorner@funforkidz.com. Tell us about your picture and where you found the horse you have drawn. Be sure to include your name, age, and where you live. You might see your drawing in a future issue of Fun For Kidz!

r e m m Su s t h Lig by Linda Wirkner The summer sky is just beginning to grow dark. Suddenly, you see a tiny yellow flash of light. Then another. And another. What are all those sparkling lights? Fireflies! These insects are also known as lightning bugs. But fireflies aren’t really flies at all. They are soft-bodied beetles. There are more than 1300 different kinds of fireflies, blinking their lights all over the world. In the US, most fireflies are found in the eastern half of the lower 48 states. They are seen in early summer. What makes the firefly light up? The body of the bug produces a substance called luciferin. When this substance comes into contact with air, it glows. Usually, the last segments of the firefly’s abdomen are what light up. A firefly’s light is unusual because it is a “cold” light. Normally, when light is produced, much more heat than light occurs. In a light bulb, for example, only about 10 percent of the energy released is light. Ninety percent of the energy is heat. But the glow of the firefly produces almost no heat at all, only light. That is why it is called cold light. (See time-lapse photo showing the path of a firefly’s glowing light.) This special light is important to fireflies. They use their lights to communicate with each other. Each species has its own blinking rhythm. The number of flashes per minute depends on the kind of firefly. If you live in a place where there are fireflies, write and tell us. Let us know where you live and if you like to catch fireflies at night. If you catch them, be sure and let them go so they can continue to entertain us with their glowing light.

A blue-yellow flash appears outside your bedroom window. It is followed by a loud clap of thunder. A summer thunderstorm is on the way! You can tell how far away lightning is just by counting. When you see a flash of lightning, start counting the seconds until you hear thunder. One-Mississippi, twoMississippi, and so on. Counting to five after seeing the lightning, but before hearing the thunder, means the lightning is about one mile away. If you can count to ten, it is about two miles away. Another lightning flash strikes in your backyard, and it seems like thunder came at the same time. “That was close,” you say. Normally, you see a flash of light before you hear anything. That’s because light waves travel faster than sound waves. When the flash and the sound came together, it was because the sound waves and light waves didn’t have to travel very far. A thunderstorm is one of nature’s most amazing displays of power and energy. Take this quiz, and see how much you know about thunder and lightning. Find the answers on page 30.

Lightning striking tree 1. Can a person survive being struck by lightning? 2. What are the odds of being struck by lightning? 3. How hot can lightning get? 4. Does lightning ever strike twice in the same place? 5. Can lightning travel at the speed of light? 6. Which comes first in a storm, thunder or lightning? 7. Does lightning serve a purpose? 8. What does thunder have to do with lightning?

If you hear thunder when you are outside, take cover immediately, even if you haven’t seen lightning or felt rain. Although it is beautiful to watch, you don’t want to be outside during a thunderstorm. Be safe, and enjoy nature’s brilliant light display from inside a building, looking out.

by Bunny Schulle • illustrated by Ginny Pruitt • colored by Gaurakisora Tucker “Hey, Amanda! Come see what Alley dragged in this time.” My brother, Tom, sounded excited, but I was in no hurry to be disgusted by our cat’s usual offering of a lizard or a mouse. Alley Cat roamed our neighborhood but came home each day for a meal and attention, which she sometimes repaid with a “gift.” “Quick! Come here!” Tom yelled again. When I got to the door, Alley had something green hanging from her mouth. “Gross! A chameleon,” I said. But then she dropped it. I heard a clink that definitely was not from a limp lizard. I picked it up. It was a bracelet made of greenish stones. “Some kid must have lost it,” Tom said. “Maybe, but check the clasp. It looks like the gold ones on Mom’s better jewelry.” We fed and petted Alley while we wondered what to do. “Should we take it to the police?” Tom asked. “They might laugh at us if it’s a piece of junk. But if it’s not . . . ” Tom finished my thought. “A reward! Amanda, we sure could use help saving for summer camp.” “And we love to solve mysteries,” I reminded him with a smile. “OK,” he agreed. “Let’s give it 24 hours. If we don’t find the owner by then, we’ll go to the police.” The next morning, we looked in the newspaper, but there were no ads for lost bracelets. Then, after school, Alley was meowing outside our front door. When we opened it, she sat there looking pleased. At her feet was something glittery. It was an earring! It had diamonds and a big blue sapphire in the middle. At least, that’s what we thought the jewels were. “Could be fake,” Tom said. I shook my head. “Could be real and very valuable. We need a plan – and quickly – before Alley gets us into trouble. What if she’s stealing from neighborhood homes, and we get blamed for being jewel thieves?” Tom agreed. “We have to follow her and hope she leads us to wherever she’s finding this stuff.” We fed Alley and did our homework while she catnapped. Then, at dusk, she scratched at the door to be let out. Our plan was to rollerblade behind her. We could go fast but not be as obvious as we’d be on bikes. We told Mom we’d be back in half an hour, and off we went.

We were able to keep Alley in sight. She’d chase after birds, and we’d speed up. Then she’d sit and preen. We’d wait impatiently. One time, she went into a backyard to check out a garbage can. Suddenly, a growling Doberman lunged out. We had to race to catch up with her. “Maybe we should give up and head home,” I said. “It’s getting dark.” Just then, Alley dashed into another yard. “Uh-oh,” Tom said. “That’s the Klapton kid’s house. He’s always in trouble. Let’s go!” Tom started to turn away, but I grabbed his arm. “Wait! Look at Alley!” Our cat had run to the back of the house and scampered up a tall oak. She was creeping toward something hanging from the end of a high branch. “It looks like a bag,” I whispered. “Alley’s trying to pull something out of it with her paw!” Suddenly, a screen door slammed, and a teenage boy came out. “Got you this time,” he shouted. “I’ll teach you not to take my loot.” To our horror, he pointed a BB gun at Alley. “No!” I screamed. He wheeled around as our cat leaped from the branch and sped away. Alley ran faster than we could rollerblade and beat us home. We barely caught our breaths as we dialed 911. Within five minutes, the police were at our door. We blurted out the whole story and showed them the bracelet and earring. They left immediately for the Klapton house. Later, one officer came back to talk with us.

“There have been robberies in this neighborhood for the past month,” he said. “We’ve had our suspicions but could never prove anything. There was no evidence. But tonight we caught the Klapton boy trying to stuff his stolen goods back into the bag. Your cat must have knocked it off the tree branch when she jumped.” “Why did he hang it from a tree branch?” Tom asked. “He thought he had the perfect hiding place. He was waiting to pawn everything in another town. We beat him to it, thanks to you. You’re heroes. By the way, there are rewards offered for much of the jewelry. So be prepared to collect.” “Cool!” Tom said. “Awesome!” I said. “But Alley’s the real hero.” Alley licked her paws. “Meow,” she said.

by Melanie Freeman She sits quietly. She is hungry, but she must wait. Her large black eyes are quick to spy any small insect that scurries past. Suddenly, her head whips around. She sees her meal! Her thin legs slowly inch forward. At just the right moment, WHAM! With lightning speed, the spikes on her front feet pierce the skin of her prey. In less than a second, she takes her first bite. The praying mantis is an intriguing insect. Each part of her body enables her to be a skilled hunter. Like all insects, she has six legs. However, her special features – a head that swivels, long folded legs, and sneaky hunting tricks – set her apart. Her triangle-shaped head is possibly her greatest asset. While her body remains motionless, her head is able to turn in all directions to get a better look. How does an insect that can grow to be six inches long hunt undetected? Won’t her prey see her and escape? The mantis can blend in with her environment. Green mantises live in leaves. Brown mantises live on tree bark. The rarest of all mantises is bright pink, and she looks like the jungle flowers she hides in.

Rare orchid mantis eating lunch

The mantis also disguises herself. One trick is to gently sway back and forth as if she were a leaf blowing in the wind. Pretty sneaky, huh?

Praying mantises blend into their environment.

Once her prey is spotted, a mantis uses her front legs, called forelegs. The mantis folds her forelegs in the “praying” attack position. Look closely, and you will see rows of tiny, needlesharp barbs on her forelegs. They help her catch and hold prey. The largest barb is the spike at the tip of each foreleg. Aren’t you thankful that mantises have healthy appetites? Just imagine the insect population if mantises weren’t on the hunt!

s, ork, Dear Rea der letters, artw r u o y in d n e S ns for other creatio d n a y, r t e o p z.co m, publication! r@funforki d

scorne Email to: ki d OH or mail to: 227, Bluffton, ox B O P r, ne Kids Cor 45817- 0227.

Vacation

Very relaxing and fun A chance to have family time C an be boring at times A time to be with friends T hing no one can live without I n the summertime O ut of school Never want to keep up with time by Joshua Sauls, age 13

ed Sam, There once was a cockroach nam . Who dined on a piece of smoked ham The cook was so mad, That Sam felt quite bad ! And decided to switch to grape jam by Ben Huff, age 10

I have an iguana named Izzy. He climbs on his cage and get s dizzy. He hangs upside down, Then falls to the ground And works himself into a tizzy. by Bryan Patterson, age 9

w York, There was an old woman from Ne Who would never eat any pork. On New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, She changed her way And ate pork with a silver fork. by Sarah Smith, age 8

by Josephine Pruhs, age 11

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, half. I I am Karina. I am seven and a Vivian, am from Ireland. My friends are orite color Grace, Karen, and Rita. My fav z. is purple. I love Fun For Kid From, Karina rbaijan The International School of Aze

Dear Editor, My name is Rita. I am sev en and a half. I live in Croatia. I have a lot of friends, including Madeline, Emma , Ofelia, Sophie, Vivian, Gyibin, Karina, Se an, and Tyler. I have a cute little puppy ca lled Rina. My favorite colors are pink, ye llow, and purple. From, Rita The International School of Azerbaijan

by Zoe Schisler, age 10 Dear Editor, e. I really like your magazin er I read it and I want anoth . lot a tch co one. I miss Hops a of ng I am sending a drawi I flower. I am 10 years old. to have included the answers m the ve ha I the contest. I hope ard stc right. Could you do a po t page written between a ca and a blue jay? Love, Â Zoe Schisler Cocoa, FL

Water Logic Puzzle on page 10

Mystery Picture Puzzle on page 11

Avery: Sculling, Sharks Dylan: Wakeboarding, Marlins Karen: Swimming, Eels Shannon: Diving, Otters

Friends Sudoku on page 11

E S D N

Lightning Quiz on page 23

D S R I N F I N F E D R R F S N E I F R I D S E

1. Yes, if the lightning does not pass across the heart or spinal column. 2. Over 600,000 to 1 3. 60,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is six times hotter than the surface of the Sun.

R E I D S F N I S E N F R D F N D E R I S

4. Yes. Tall buildings can be struck several times during a storm. 5. Yes, when coming down.

Kyle Ellefson Jones Monroe, WI Erin Henderson Franklin, MA

6. Lightning 7. Yes. It returns a negative charge to Earth that is lost through leaks into the atmosphere.

Fraction-nition on page 10

8. Thunder happens when air, heated by lightning, expands and contracts, creating a sound wave that can be heard up to 20 miles away.

What dips up and down, around and around, and is sometimes upside down? ROLLER COASTER

Zoe Schisler Cocoa, FL

Check It Out! Contest – May 2016 Wild Animal Planet

We’re still accepting entries!

A-Maze-ing Summer Fun on page 10

Start F

M M

Eight fun summer activities:

Check It Out! Wild Animal Planet, May 2016

Email to: contest@funforkidz.com

Finish

SWIMMING, SPORTS, PICNICS, READING, VACATIONS, FISHING, CAMP, ARTS AND CRAFTS

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V i s i t U s O n l i n e ! F a c e b o o k . c o m / F u n F o r K i d z • w w w. F u n F o r K i d z . c o m Vol. 15 No. 4 • JULY/AUG 2016 Publisher: Thomas M. Edwards Editor: Marilyn Edwards Associate Editor: Diane Winebar Graphic Design: Gaurakisora Tucker Marketing Director: Jonathan Edwards

FUN FOR KIDZ (ISSN 1536-898X) is published bi-monthly by the Bluffton News Publishing and Printing Company, P.O. Box 227, 101 N. Main St., Bluffton, OH 45817-0227. Telephone: 419-358-4610. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fun For Kidz, P.O. Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227. Periodical postage is paid at Bluffton, OH and Preston, ID.

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FUN FOR KIDZ, INC. accepts no responsibility whatsoever for Article, Photo & Artwork Submissions: We accept and any injuries arising out of the use or misuse of ideas, materials, encourage article, photo and artwork submissions. Unsolicited and activities featured in its publications or products. materials will be considered for publication and will be returned Science Editor: Larry White Copyright © 2016 by the Bluffton News Publishing and Printing if accompanied by sufficient first-class postage. Guidelines are Co. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be available with a SASE. The publisher accepts no responsibility Science Illustrator: Alan Wassilak reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Riding ... with Max & Gracie Editor: Lisa Rehfuss FUN FOR KIDZ™, and the FUN FOR KIDZ logo™, are trademarks for unsolicited material. of FUN FOR KIDZ, The Bluffton News Publishing and Printing Co. Submissions should be sent to FUN FOR KIDZ, INC. Cover Artist: Chris Sabatino P.O. Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227.

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