Smokey Kids

This article originally appeared in SLJ's Extra Helping.

...No matter what time of year it is, it’s important to teach kids how wildfires and forest fires get started and what they can do to help prevent them. The website www.smokeybear.com/kids/default.asp is well done.

“In the Forest” teaches kids how valuable trees are, and “Campfire Games” contains five super online games and over 40 print-and-color pictures. Kids can also, with a parent's permission, receive monthly emails from Smokey. Be sure to point out the links at the bottom of each Web page. “Only You” will take older kids and teens to a ton of information about wildfires, including a wildfire map that is updated daily and a real-time estimate of the number of acres burned this year (1.2 million acres so far). Finally, the “Resources” link contains wonderful teacher/librarian resources.