Dear Friends The summer vacations have finally begun, now you can eat drink and be merry, as much as you please. But don’t forget that this is the only time of the year when you can channelize all your energies into one thing. You can learn something new or makeup for what you lack, this is what the cover story is about. We suggest many ideas which you can use during the long break. For the story time, we bring you a story about a monkey who solves the biggest mystery in the kingdom, with his hard work and devotion. Also there are interesting facts about swimming as a good form of physical exercise and sport. There is also a project for you in the folds. Visit the Lahore Museum with us and see the treasures it stores. Meanwhile, use the spare time in the long summer afternoons to build the project, send me a picture of what it came out as. Cheers Edi
Designed by Sohail Abbas
Storytime
Cover story
Museum
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Factfile
Hey kids, kindly send us letters, stories, poems and events detail on the following address: youngnation@nation.com.pk Or Editor Young Nation 23- Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore.
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Coverstory
to
HOW
SPEND YOUR
VACATIONS
Summer vacation is the time of the year every child is waiting for; these are probably the happiest days in a student’s life. The days are spent without worry of returning to school or appearing in tests or exams. Starting from June till September, the vacations are a hard earned present after weeks of rigorous study for the exams that precede them. Now it’s for you to decide if you want to utilise the three month long period or to waste it. This my friends is the tricky part, although it seems there is a lot of time and very little to do, it wont be long before
Young Nation-June 2, 2012
we find ourselves is the last weeks, struggling to complete the vacation’s homework, forgetting plans we had made for the long break. The purpose of summer vacations is multi-fold, for one you can relax and indulge in recreational activities, for which you did not have time on a regular school day. However, a more useful way to spend the holidays will be to learn a skill or take up a hobby which would not only entertain you but also equip you with something you could use in the future. You can also utilise the time to make up for your deficiency in a particular subject,
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or study for the next class/ term/semester in advance. Since the summer vacations have begun for most of us, or will be upon us soon, here are a few things you can do during the long break from school.
Volunteering
For all those who claim to want to do something for the country, here is your opportunity. Even if you are very young and don’t think you can’t do much. There are a lot of children who don’t even know how to read simple ABC, teach them! There are schools where they don’t have chairs to sit on and the walls are
bare, draw pictures and decorate the class. Lend your old books to children who can’t buy their own.
Gardening
Try to grow a few plants in your garden, or small pots at home. Gardening is a hobby that not only makes your house look brighter with flowers and greenery but the plants also generate oxygen. To plant the seeds and them see them grow, is a worthwhile experience. Do remember to water them regularly, cut the grass and keep your lawn clean. At the end of summer vacations you will feel proud of your hard work.
Sports
Nowadays we spend too much time sitting to study, watch TV or even play games on the computer and play stations. However, physical activity is necessary for you health. Play some sport with some one other than yourself (as is the
case with PSP), that will inculcate sports man spirit in you. Play football, basket ball, badminton and tennis or our all time favourite cricket. If it’s too hot to go outside, indulge in some board games like scrabble or monopoly that would polish your mental ability.
Crafts
Summer is a wonderful time to take on crafting projects. Learning to sew, knit or crochet is fun for kids so is woodworking and pottery. Recycle stuff to fashion it into a pretty decoration. Hand painted Tshirts can keep you busy for hours.
Travel
Travelling is an experience and has an educative value in it. Our country has many places you can visit, may it be a picturesque valley or a historical place, name it, you have it! Explore the culture and traditions of the area, find the fragments of history scattered in the area. You can always write
about it and send it to the magazine.
Book reading
Try to make a habit to read a book before going to sleep. Ask your parents to help you buy some good books. Once an individual develops interest in books and reading, he/she would earn the most knowledge and never be bored in life. Household Chores If you like your house clean and to eat good food, it would be nice if you learn how it’s done. Help your mother with the work, make some tea for her and clean your room and where you sit in the evening. Small tasks like helping your mom wash the vegies for dinner; setting the table or doing the dishes would make her happy and your time much enjoyable. You get the summer break; don’t you think your mom deserves one too?
Write a Journal
Maintain a daily journal about how you spent the time. Paste photographs of your golden memories along with captions and date. It will not only be a proof of the happy times you spent, but will also improve your writing skills. I hope the things will help you spend the summer vacation in a more productive manner. Have fun!
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Story time
Buddah in meditation
Museum
Minuature Painting
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Part -II
Pr o j e c t
Animal House This artistic project helps tame clutter instead of adding to it Your plush friends will find this cottagestyle cardboard dog house a most inviting place to be. You can shingle the lift-off roof with strips of craft paper, but
Materials
•2 cardboard boxes (ours are 16-1/2 inches tall) •Craft knife (parents only) •Acrylic paint •Foam tray or plate •3-inch-wide foam roller •Masking tape •Scissors •Brown craft paper •Glue stick •Scrap of card stock •Marker
Instructions
1. Flatten one of the boxes. Use the craft knife to cut one side open so that the entire box can lie flat, unprinted side up. 2. Pour the acrylic paint into the foam tray or plate. With the foam roller, paint boardlike stripes on the box. 3. After the paint dries, cut out a door and windows with the craft knife. 4. Reassemble the box inside-out, using masking tape on the inside to seal the bottom and any open seams. Fold the top flaps into the box. Trim the flaps if they block the windows. 5. For the roof, use the craft knife to cut the second box in half diagonally. With the scissors, cut the craft paper into 4-1/2-inch-wide strips that are as long as the width of the roof (we used 20). To create the scalloped edge, accordion-fold each strip into 4- to 5-inch sections. Cut the bottom of each folded strip into a half-circle, leaving at least 2 inches untouched at the top. Unfold the strips. Working up from the bottom edge of the roof, attach the strips to the roof with the glue stick, overlapping the strips as shown. 6. Cover the triangular panels on the front and back of the roof with craft paper. 7. For the nameplate, write a name on the scrap of card stock with marker. Adhere it above the door with a glue stick or tape. Young Nation-June 2, 2012
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What’s
Dive into the pool to cool down from the hot summer heat, you will love the calming feeling of being submerged in water and the fun factor of frolicking in the water. As well as being fun, swimming is a great way to keep fit, stay healthy and make friends. Swimming is a healthy activity that you can continue for a lifetime. It is a low-impact activity that has many physical and mental health benefits. Simply put, some call swimming the perfect form of exercise. Following are some facts about the healthy summer activity: 1. Swimming is a great recreational activity for people of all ages. Recreational swimming
can provide you with a low-impact workout and it’s also a good way to relax and feel good. 2. Your cardiovascular system in particular benefits because swimming improves your body’s use of oxygen without overworking your heart. 3. A swimmer can burn as many calories in an hour as a runner who runs six miles in one hour. 4. Swimming tones your upper and lower body because you’re using almost all of your major muscle groups. The best strokes for all-over body toning are the freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke. 5. There is a low risk for swimming injuries because there’s no stress on your bones, joints or connective tissues due to buoyancy and the fact that you weigh 1/10th less in water. 6. Swimming is extremely relaxing because it allows more oxygen to flow to your muscles and forces you to regulate your
breathing. It’s also a great way to relieve stress. 7. Swimming improves coordination, balance, posture and flexibility. 8. It provides a good lowimpact therapy for some injuries and condition 9. Once you learn to swim it is available in many places and you can swim in swimming pools, beaches, lakes, dams and rivers. 10. Make sure that the environment you choose to swim in is safe. Some general tips Before you dive in: • Make sure you know how to swim. • Choose a safe environment. • Warm up and stretch your muscles and joints before entering the water. • Have plenty of fluids on hand and drink regularly. • Don’t overdo it if you’re just starting out. • See your doctor if you haven’t exercised for a long
Fact file
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Artist’s Corner
T o o b a Yousaf
Zara Ali
NOTE: Kindly send us your drawings on white paper.
Javeria
M a r i a
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