1 . Did you know you can visit the Great Wall of China, see famous paintings or check in on your favourite zoo animals without leaving home? That’s good news any time. Here are some of explore-the-world-from-home ideas.

THE GREAT WALL, CHINA

This incredible landmark is a collection of walls. It’s often said it’s the only human-made structure that can be seen from the Moon but that claim was made many years before anyone had been to the Moon. Today, the Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history.

VISIT thechinaguide.com/ destination/ great-wall-of-china

CINCINNATI ZOO, US

This famous zoo is offering virtual home safaris. “We’re bringing the zoo to people who are stuck at home,” said zoo director Thane Maynard. “The goal of the daily live sessions is to provide fun and educational content to people who are staying at home.”

VISIT cincinnatizoo.org/home-safari-resources

SMITHSONIAN, US

The Smithsonian Museum and National Zoo has a large range of exhibits available to view online, including Animal Cams—live streams of their animal enclosures so you can get up close with lions, pandas, elephants and more.

VISIT si.edu/kids

MUSEE D’ORSAY, FRANCE

Take some time to study the paintings of Monet, Cezanne, and Gauguin at the Musee D’Orsay, Paris.

VISIT m.musee-orsay.fr/ en

MARS

And for a truly out-of-this-world experience from the comfort of your own home, take a virtual tour of Mars. The tour images are recorded by NASA’s Curiosity rover.

VISIT accessrmars.withgoogle.com

2 . After months of deliberation, we can finally reveal the shortlist for our beloved 100-word-story competition. Now it’s up to you to vote for your winners in the under-12 category.

“The Shelf” by Li v Packer, 11, London

I have sat on this dusty shelf for decades—33 years to be exact. Everyday, people enter the library, hoping to find a book to occupy themselves with. No one seems to want me though. Young children walk across the aisles ignoring me and running to their favorites. Considering I haven’t been touched for at least 20 years, I’m shocked that I haven’t been moved to the back yet. That’s where the forgotten books go. Oh! I spoke too soon!

“Moon Land” by Amelia Jacobs-Moronta, 6, Kent

I wanted to get to the moon so I decided to jump, but that didn’t work so I used the tallest ladder but it reached even higher so I slid down the ladder and jumped onto the moon. The moon was bumpy and hard. I did space cartwheels and jumped around. The moon was made of every single food you can imagine so I ate a bit but I can’t eat too much because if I eat too much the moon will disappear.

“The Mysterious Duck with A Moustache” by Jana Ramsey, 9, Angus

There once was a duck who had a moustache. He had a secret that he was lonely. Days went by, the duck decided to explore. He went from California to Egypt to Columbia and Scotland. The duck made many friends. He was happy and that’s all that matters.

Voting will close on April 29 and the winning entries will be published in our May 2024 print issue. Good luck to all of our shortlisters, and thank you for your entries and votes!

3 . Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Next door to the La Brea Tar Pits sits the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the linchpin of the Los Angeles museum district. Since its opening in 1965, LACMA has showcased thousands of pieces, from Islamic artifacts to European impressionist paintings to modern art. With constantly shifting exhibitions and unique architecture, LACMA offers a rewarding experience for both serious art lovers and casual travelers.

LACMA’s collection is housed in multiple buildings. The Ahmanson Building, the Hammer Building, and the Art of the Americas Building are historical structures that have long been part of the museum’s landscape. Currently, the museum is constructing a new building for its permanent collection, called the David Geffen Galleries, which is scheduled to open in 2024. For now, pieces will be on display in the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) and the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion. The Urban Light and Levitated Mass exhibits remain open to visitors. There is a restaurant and grab-and-go eatery on-site. Many visitors appreciated both the indoor and outdoor art exhibits and were impressed with the size of the collection of modern and contemporary art.

Situated on Wilshire Boulevard in west Los Angeles, LACMA is open from 11 am to 6 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays; from 11 am to 8 pm on Fridays and from 10 am to 7 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. It is closed every Wednesday.

As for residents outside the county, general admission tickets cost $25 for adults, $10 for those aged 3 to 17 (children aged 2 and younger get in for free) and parking will set you back $21. Tickets can be purchased online or at the museum’s ticket office.

4 . For high schoolers, a career goal can help them choose a major and college. They may find a career that fits for the first try. Therefore, do encourage the career exploration below. It describes a few new ones that will be available when your teen reaches adulthood.

Unfortunately, psychological health issues are unlikely to decrease soon. The existing research is far from a cure-all. Psychological help will likely be an ever more interesting and in-demand profession.

The U. S. is facing an overburdened health care system. So, an ever-higher percentage of health care will be provided by intermediate-care providers such as physician assistant, dental assistant, etc. The good news for career-seekers is that the training is much shorter.

Experts in database architecture, artificial intelligence, and machine learning will stay in demand. New applications may include AI-assisted diagnosis (诊断) and treatment recommendations, individualized education, and advanced embryo (胚胎) selection to ensure absence of genetically influenced diseases and so on.

In your teen’s lifetime, major diseases will likely be prevented and/or treated with molecules custom-matched (定制) to the very specific disease. Your math-centric teen who can picture getting a PhD could help make that happen.

It’s great when teens are able to explore careers on their own. You might want to sit alongside, but let your teen sit in the driver’s seat. Only help as much as needed.

6 . Four Best Zoos in the US

Saint Louis Zoo

Saint Louis Zoo is devoted to research and conservation. In 2022, it received the Worldwide Conservation Award from the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums for research and work in the Galdpagos Islands. The zoo is home to more than 16,000 animals, which are kept in clean and spacious natural habitats (栖息地). Open year-round and free to visit, Saint Louis Zoo houses Andean bears, polar bears and Surnatran orangutans, to name a few.

Zoo Atlanta

Opened in 1889 and one of the oldest zoos in the US, Zoo Atlanta is one of the top zoos worth visiting in Atlanta. Home to giant pandas, Sumatran tigers and western lowland gorillas (猩猩), the zoo participates in local and global conservation programs. Visitors say the gorillas and giant pandas are two of the highlights here. Adults (12-64): $34; Seniors (65 & over): $ 32; Children (3-11): $26; Children (3 & under): free.

Bronx Zoo

With more than 700 species and an area of 265 acres, Bronx Zoo in New York City is the largest urban zoo in the US. Since it’s hard to see the entire zoo in one day, prioritize must-see attractions like the Wild Asia Monorail (单列车) and the Congo Gorilla Forest during your visit. Adults (13 & over): $33. 95+; Seniors (65 & over): $28. 95+; Children (3-12): $23. 95+; Children (2 & under); free.

Oakland Zoo

Oakland Zoo is situated about 20 miles east of downtown San Francisco, It is home to more than 850 native and foreign species. Visitors can see African lions, American alligators and grizzly bears in large natural habitats, Zoogoers say they like the hillside layout and the Sky Ride that affords bird’s-eye views of the animals. Children under 2 years and seniors (76+) : free; Children (2-14) and adults (15-75): $15.75.

10 . Things to Do in Northern Ireland This Autumn

WEE BINNIAN WALKING FESTIVAL (SEPTEMBER)

The exact dates of this annual walking festival are still to be confirmed, but if it’s similar to last year, it’ll offer a choice of ten walks and hikes around the Mourne Mountains, ranging from easier lowland routes to tough, multi-summit challenges. Evening social events are also included.

GREAT NORTH LINKS CHALLENGE (18-20 OCTOBER)

Calling all golfers. You can enter this three-day event-spread along the north coast between Ballyliffin, Portruth and Portstewart, as an individual or team of four. A perfect opportunity to play three Irish Open links courses in three days.

ARMAGH FOOD AND CIDER WEEKEND (SEPTEMBER)

A four-day feast of authentic food and artisan ciders (苹果酒) in Ireland’s “Orchard County”. This celebration is also coupled with the traditional apple harvest. You can taste local food from the country’s most inventive chefs.

OULD LAMMAS FAIR (LAST WEEK OF AUGUST)

People have been flocking to the seaside town of Ballycastle since the 17th century to celebrate this fair. Attractions include a Heavy Horse Show, horse speed events on the beach, funfair, outdoor concert and a fireworks display, as well as unique local produce and handmade arts and crafts.