BUG OUT

Bug Off!

It’s bug season! Here’s what the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends to prevent bites:

Read the label. DEET (in 10 to 30 percent concentration) is the best defense against biting insects, but picaridin in concentrations of 5 to 10 percent can work as an alternative.

Don’t use combination products with both DEET and sunscreen. DEET may make the sun protection

By Arricca Elin SanSone

factor (SPF) less effective and because sunscreen must be reapplied, you may overexpose your child to DEET. Dress your child in long, lightweight pants, a longsleeved shirt, closed shoes and a hat for activities such as nature hikes (we know it’s hot, but this offers the best protection). Do a skin check at the end of the day (ticks can be as tiny as poppy seeds!) in areas such as armpits, ears, the belly button and scalp.

Parenting in the New Normal

How can you keep the kids safe at the beach, pool and elsewhere this summer during the pandemic? Head to njfamily.com/newnormal for expert answers to your most pressing questions.

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VIRTUAL REALITY (Summer) We’ve rounded up some free ways to educate and entertain kids during this socially-distanced summer.

ou’ve probably spent a lot of time figuring out how to keep the kids busy and entertained this summer while making sure they’re safe during the pandemic. If you’re worried the summer slide will be even worse than usual, we’ve found fun ways to help the kids learn new skills, volunteer and stay entertained—all while respecting social distancing guidelines, and without spending a dime.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW

With Varsity Tutors, kids and teens ages 5-18 can enroll in weeklong, interactive sessions through August. Classes range from By Megan Muessen making a LEGO movie and playing chess to coding and learning human anatomy to creating a hands-on science lab and learning about dinosaurs—and some even have celebrity teachers. Each session starts on Monday and ends on Friday. New classes are added daily—you just need to reserve a spot at varsitytutors.com.

At School on Wheels, older kids can volunteer tutoring services to others. After applying online, kids will do some training before they’re matched with a student. Ages 12-15 may tutor with an adult family member or guardian and ages 16-18 can become peer tutors. Volunteers are typically asked to dedicate one hour per

week between 3-7 pm. Sign up at schoolonwheels.org.

GET MOVING

Thanks to UNICEF Kid Power, kids can spend their extra energy with free dance, yoga and activity videos. They can play UNICEF Kid Power Ups to unlock food that’ll be delivered to malnourished children—that way, your kids can be empowered to help others in a time when they might feel out of control. They can also try the Kid Power Exchange to plant trees, give meals and gift supplies to local doctors. Try it at unicefkidpower.org.

GAME AND LEARN

PBS Kids offers online games on topics like feelings, math, coloring, adventures, teamwork and more for ages 3-9. These programs offer entertainment and education on things like problem solving, measurement, healthy habits and vocabulary. The website, pbskids.org, has a daily newsletter with activities and tips for kids to play and learn at home.

Camp Wonderopolis uses Maker experiments to explore interactive STEM and literacy-building foundations. Kids of all ages will learn science and reading comprehension, plus build vocabulary and literacy skills. They’ll select an avatar and visit six different tracks of exploration, plus use Wonder Cards to test their memory and share experiences on the Wonder Wall with other campers. Camp topics can be found at camp.wonderopolis.org, including music, construction and engineering, health and fitness and more. Go to njfamily.com/ virtualcamps topics like space rangers, river rangers, literacy in the sciences and DIY space camp (with categories like archaeology, flight, bees and

Ages 2-7 can hop on the Khan Academy for more options more). Download an adventure tracker and Kids app (it doesn’t have ads or require a the kids will reading log at startwithabook.org. subscription), which uses animal characters to encourage drawing, storytelling, coloring love. the If you have a library card, you can download Libby app and access your local library’s and other activities that teach reading, language, e-books and e-audiobooks from your devices. Once writing, math and stimulate skills like social-emotional you download the app and enter your barcode, see which development, problem-solving and motor development. perks and resources your library has available, like magazines, GET CRAFTY animated books or educational shows, your library code will also

Combine music, science and color theory with this experiment, grant you access to them on the Kanopy app. inspired by The Sound of Music. With a few glass bottles and food coloring, your kids can fill the bottles and create colors, then use CODE ALL SUMMER utensils to gently tap the glass and perform their own version of Using Google’s Made with Code, tweens and teens can work on “Do-Re-Mi.” Full instructions can be found at sayyes.com. projects like animating GIFs, composing music and making emojis. TURN ON THE RADIO science concepts while creating their own projects. Beginners

SiriusXM will host Camp KPL throughout the summer, each can download the Grasshopper app and learn fundamentals and weekday from noon to 3 pm, with shows available on demand for JavaScript through lessons and visual puzzles. Projects are free at two weeks after. The series will host outdoor activities, creative madewithcode.com. projects, play family-friendly music and more. There’ll also be a daily movies or music. If you’re looking for more resources, like With CS First, students can collaborate and learn about core computer storytime, a kid’s comedy club, Guinness World Record challenges TAKE A TOUR and daily missions. While SiriusXM is typically a paid service, you Programs like Google Arts & Culture provide virtual tours of can access four months for free at siriusxm.com/homefree. museums, parks and natural icons. Your family can visit Yellowstone National Park or the Champs-Élysées without leaving home. Disney OPEN A BOOK World is also serving up 360-degree street views on the Disney Parks

Using Start with a Book’s summer science programs, download website and virtual theme park rides on the Virtual Disney World toolkits that include fiction and nonfiction books, hands-on YouTube channel. Check out live streams from aquariums or zoos, activities, vocabulary and writing prompts. Programs include too, like the New England Aquarium or the Bronx Zoo.