Kids News - Articles for Grades 2-3

With no threat of predators or the need to hunt for food, shelter, or find a mate, zoo orangutans have an extremely comfortable existence. But this also means that the smart animals lack the critical challenges they need for their mental and emotional well-being. To ensure the curious mammals that share 97% of their DNA with humans do not get bored and depressed, zookeepers are always looking for new ways to keep them entertained and challenged....

There were many talented youngsters at the World Inter School Rope Skipping Championships held in Dubai in November 2015. However, none was as impressive as 11-year-old Cen Xiaolin, who skipped an astounding 108 times in 30 seconds. And that is just the count of his right leg jumping over the rope because that is what the judges use for the score. All in all, the young boy managed to skip 216 times during the short period....

On January 13, 2016, France became the first country in the world to pass a law requiring supermarkets to donate food that is approaching its expiration date instead of throwing it away. The regulation that applies to supermarkets over 4,000 square feet requires stores to sign donation contracts with local food banks....

On May 18, 1969, NASA astronauts Thomas Stafford, John Young, and Eugene Cernan blasted off from Cape Canaveral aboard the Apollo 10 lunar module, the fourth manned mission in the US Apollo Space program and only the second after Apollo 8 to orbit the moon. Its mission was to circle the moon and thoroughly test the components and procedures to pave the way for the first lunar landing. The mission went flawlessly and without incident — At least that's what everyone believed....

The expression 'caught with a hand in the cookie jar', took on a whole new meaning on Sunday, February 28, when a young Australian boy got his hand stuck inside a vending machine. The chain of events leading to the bizarre incident began just after noon, when four-year-old Leo Shorthouse saw a vending machine filled with all kinds of yummy goodies in a hotel lobby in Melbourne, Australia....

Thrill-seekers looking for a challenge may soon have a new option - Wingboarding. The sport is similar to wakeboarding except for one thing - Instead of performing acrobatics on water, wingboarders will conduct heart-stopping maneuvers in the skies while being towed behind an airplane....

The fact that cats are obsessed with cleanliness is well known. Felines, after all, do spend 50% of their waking hours grooming. However, this cat in Japan appears to be also concerned about keeping its home spotless....

Every February 27, the world observes International Polar Bear Day. Started ten years ago by US-based nonprofit Polar Bear International (PMI) it is observed to raise awareness of the vulnerable species whose rapidly dwindling numbers are often forgotten because they dwell in the sparsely populated circumpolar Arctic....

Just like Harry Potter's invisibility cloak, Marty Mcfly's hoverboard, featured in "Back to the Future" Part II and III, has captured the imagination of both fans and scientists. But despite numerous claims, no one has been able to replicate the flying skateboard that bounced off walls and easily outpaced cars. Now thanks to US-based ARCA Space Corporation, hoverboards may finally become a reality....