City Kids has started a service program this year; we want to give back to our community in ways that include children's participation. While many service organizations rely on volunteers to run, not all volunteer activity is suited for young children, and, for wise and practical reasons, many organizations do not allow young children to volunteer. Therefore, it can be challenging to find programs for young kids who are often eager to lend a helping hand. This week our kid

City Kids recently visited a recycling plant to give our kids a better understanding of why we recycle and the proper way to do so. The kids had an introductory lesson about recycling that included how to recycle, how the recycling gets sorted, and the dangers of recycling improperly. Then we had a tour of the plant; it was super loud in the plant, so we were all given ear plugs--we had to scream at each other to talk. Visiting the plant was educational in many ways; we le

City Kids works with various nature centers in the D.C. metro area, and our kids have learned so much during our nature activities! On more than one occasion, our kids have had the chance to handle live animals, including this beautiful corn snake. Being up close and personal with these animals, while learning about them, is a way to instill respect for nature and the creatures that live in it. Here are a few pictures of some of the awesome fun we have had with our nature

For one of our Religions of the World lessons in our World Cultures program, City Kids learned about Buddhism. We covered Siddhartha Gautama, the first Buddha; the spread of Buddhism; basic tenets of Buddhism; and the practice of meditation. Following up on our World Cultures lesson, Phaedra Siebert, our Exploring Arts program director, took the kids to look at Buddhist and Hindu objects on display. Phaedra encouraged the kids to look at how these objects were used before t