Museum Has Cure For Boredom

Mon., July 24, 2000

By Kandis Carper kandisc@spokesman.com

Are your kids using the dreaded “b-word” more often lately? As summer begins to wane parents often hear “I’m bored,” and “There’s nothing to do.” The Children’s Museum of Spokane has a great resource to cure the summertime blues.

The publication “Play Book” lists local activities for children ages 11 and under. The book includes the following resources: Mom and Me groups, child care, parent education, libraries and activities, classes in art, computers and language, theaters, cinemas, music, dance, sports, swimming, youth organizations, clubs, parks, playgrounds and much more.

The book costs $3 and is available at the Children’s Museum of Spokane, 110 N. Post, and at various retailers listed on the museum’s Web site: www.childrensmuseum.net.

* Speaking of books: “The World Almanac for Kids 2001” (World Almanac Books, $10.95) will hit the bookstores and libraries just in time for the new school year. This reference guide for kids ages 8 to 14 promises more information, facts, tips and details on everything from pop music and sports to science, transportation, money, computers, culture, experiments, Web sites and recent news. The book is colorful, well-designed and is interesting to adults as well as children. It is expected in bookstores in August.

* Sun stickers: Next summer your kids may be sporting stickers that warn them when they’ve had too much sun. Round patches — about the size of a quarter and wearable on clothing or skin — have been designed by an Israeli scientist to change color when exposed to too much sunshine.

Called the Sticker, the patch will come in six protection levels to match different skin types. According to developer Ori Faran, the disposable device measures the amount of ultraviolent light absorbed by the body since the patch was attached.

Assuming you assess your skin type correctly, your Sticker will change colors shortly before you reach the level of exposure that would cause a light sunburn, giving you time to head for the shade - or to add a squirt of sunblock.

The Sticker is expected to hit U.S. markets next spring and are expected to cost less than a dime each.

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