1 . The Four Most Exotic Black Sand Beaches in the World

Papenoo Beach: Tahiti, French Polynesia

Popular with surfers, this remote black beach on Tahiti’s northern coast boasts some of the most impressive waves in the world. Here you will discover more breathtaking natural beauty of the island, with its green mountains and picturesque scenery. Not- to-be- missed sights include the spectacular waterfalls: Topatari, Puraha and Vaiharuru falls.

Lovina Beach: Indonesia

A highlight of this beach destination is visiting Kalibukbuk, one of the coastal villages along Lovina Beach, and the Kalibukbuk Buddhist temple on the beach. There is also an abundance of incredible marine and underwater life, so diving is a popular relaxation, but the main draw for beachgoers is spotting the playful bottle nosed dolphins.

Stokksnes Beach: Iceland

One of Iceland’s most dramatic landscapes is the mountain Vestrahorn on the Stokksnes peninsula in southeast Iceland. The magical setting here was featured in the Bollywood movie Dilwale. It’s a popular destination for photographers but surprisingly not a big tourist spot; this privately owned land charges a small fee to visit. You can visit the Stokksnes beach on a group Ring Road tour or a self-driving circuit of the country.

Perissa Beach: Santorini, Greece

Situated in southeastern Santorini, this unique black beach boasts crystal clear waters and the rocky Mesa Vouno mountain. For more active pursuits beyond sunbathing and swimming, visitors can rent water sports equipment for other fun activities like diving. You can also hike to the top of Mesa Vouno to visit the ancient ruins of the city of Thera.

2 . Tips for First-Time Campers

Nature provides for us in a variety of ways, whether we recognize these gifts or not. But nature isn’t just there for us to explore.     1    

While the saying “always be prepared” is a noble enough guideline for activities like hiking and camping, sometimes, less is more. But depending on the area where you’re staying, the weather can be unpredictable,     2    . Having a simple repair kit and a first-aid kit may save you from minor headaches and injuries, as will doing your homework when planning where to go and what to take camping.

If you’re hiking, be sure to bring plenty of clean water along, as well as nutritious foods to keep you going. For coffee, cheap instant coffee packets can lessen the mess. You may also be able to use running water or river stones to keep items cooler longer (or simply use a thermos).

Become familiar with different trees and what they offer. Some trees provide wood that’s good for whittling and making walking sticks and canes. Some wood is good for starting fires, while other wood is good for keeping them going.     3    . You can use pine needles in tea or rub them on your skin if you’re trying to be stealthy while hunting deer. If you spot elm trees near a creek or river, you may be able to find the famous morel mushroom nearby — just make sure you can positively identify the mushroom or are with someone who can!

    4    . Some places charge a small fee to park or camp or they require conservation fees to keep the area clean. Depending on where you live, you may want to invest in a metal detector or a boat for a bit of additional fun. You can also purchase a fishing license, which helps keep areas clean and lakes and rivers stocked with fish.

I don’t like to hunt or party; I enjoy simply sitting on a sand bar at dawn, watching the mist rise from the water. I see and hear all kinds of wildlife, such as deer, owls, bats, birds, squirrels, and beavers. I listen for the beavers making splashes at night with their wide, flat tails. I hear coyotes howling at night too. I’ve seen cottonmouth snakes and even panther tracks! I love the serenity and the small thrills, the kinds of experiences I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.

3 . SUMMER BREAK CAMPS

Strategic (策略) Thinking Training Camp

Ages: 6﹣16

Tel: 818﹣699﹣6401

Location: In person (Cobble Hill)+ Online

Full﹣day or half﹣day Summer Break Camps explore strategic thinking using board and card games. Kids will develop and discuss strategies for game play through socialization and learn good sportsmanship through cooperative and competitive play.

Rock Camp

Ages: 8﹣18

Tel: 918﹣210﹣1720

Location：In person (Williamsburg)+ Online

The music school is offering an in﹣person “ Rock Camp”for kids to play music with a band. Kids will spend three hours every day learning and rehearsing(排练) songs from popular bands. The week﹣long camp will get to its peak in a live performance to be showed on Facebook to friends and family. You can also sign up for a “5﹣day Immersion Pass” that will allow kids to learn one instrument in a program.

The Maker Space Camp

Ages: 6+ years old

Tel: 718﹣576﹣3035

Location: Online

The maker space is offering many remote programs at Geek Forest for kids’ exploration, cooperation (合作), self﹣learning, making, and sharing, which includes “Storytelling through Comics” (ages 6–10), “Video Production Lab” (ages 8–12), “Arcade! JavaScript Game Design”(ages 8–12) , and “Creator Collector, Carnifex”(ages 12+).

Virtual Camp

Ages: 7﹣15

Tel: 618﹣966﹣6000

Location: In person (Prospect Park) + Online

They are offering an in﹣person camp where kids meet in Prospect Park and create their own Survivor Kids show. Campers learn all about making short video projects while having fun outside. Virtual camp options include a painting show and a cooking show.

5 . Top After-school Programs in NYC

The Art Farm

Animal lovers get hands-on time with turtles (乌龟), rabbits and bearded dragons while learning science skills such as classification. Babies (and caregivers) also hang out with various creatures in Rocks and Animals, a mommy-and-me class that combines animal visits with music and stories. If your kid shows interest in cooking, consider the Farm Foodies Cooking Class. Ages 14 months~8 years.

SciTech Kids

Trained scientists and engineers answer students’ questions like “How would a superhero’s heart be different from a normal human’s heart?” or “Can 3-D printers be used to help save the environment?” in Sci Tech Kids classes. Offerings include “SciTech Explorers” where students can discover natural phenomena and “SciTech Investigators” for students who are curious about what is going on within the field. Ages 3~15.

JCC Manhattan

Enjoy a traditional after-school program experience, complete with creative play, homework help and tasty snacks. Kids looking for extra activities can also sign up for special courses (at an additional fee), which include kung fu for energetic kids and coding (编码) classes that use Minecraft. There’re also courses that teach swimming techniques to all levels of swimmers. Ages 4~11.

MoMath

Mathematics may be a serious subject in a typical classroom, but MoMath teaches the subject in a fresh and exciting way. Through weekly courses that are broken down by experience level, the program covers the subject’s wonderful topics. Parents must fill out an application for their child to be considered. Grades l~12.

8 . Which is your favorite museum? You can send letters to us and share it with others. Here are some readers’ letters about their favorite museums.

Tullie House Museum

“My two sons love it. We go there every few weeks and they are always very happy. My older son especially enjoys the Roman part, where he can learn a lot about Roman history. The restaurant there also provides a good choice of food for grown-ups and children,” Lindsey Bradley said.

Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway Museum

“It has the largest collection of railway memorabilia (纪念展品) in Scotland and is a great hit with my five-year-old grandson. He loves getting on and touching all the railway engines and carriages. It is a dream playground for any little boy. A visit with a journey on the steam train is a perfect day out for any family,” Ronald Dingwall said.

The Collection Museum

“The play area at The Collection Museum is an exciting free activity centre for younger visitors, encouraging learning through play. You can create a work of art to take home or hang on the masterpiece wall. Not only does my four-year-olds on love the play area and the interesting games there, but he is also attracted by the helmets and swords on show. When he grows up, he wants to be a knight!” Angela Driver said.

Chertsey Museum

“Every month they hold a Friday morning game called Museum Monkeys for children under the age of five. There, the children can do singing, handicraft activities and go on a treasure hunt, followed by a story. I take my daughter to this game every month. She loves it,” Chloe Mayes said.