Fake news is shared to maintain social circles; national parks you can visit without madding crowds . . .

From sunshine to fresh air to admiring trees, outdoor play is the healthiest for kids. “Science shows it can help your kids’ sleep patterns, undo the damage from screen time, and bolster their mental health,” reports Lindsay N. Smith of National Geographic. “You may not have time for a trip to the park every day, but letting your kids spend five or 10 minutes at the school playground after pick-ups can pay dividends.”

Warm weather is a tricky variable for mushers in this year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska. Sunny skies and temperatures hitting 40 have made planning rest times and other strategies more challenging, reports Zachariah Hughes of Anchorage Daily News.

Teach kids math by using dessert (’cause it’s almost Pi Day, 3.14!)

Are you tired of all the people? Longing for the outdoors? You can visit these delightful national parks and avoid crowds.

Marguerite Richards made a TikTok stoking her father’s 10-year-old thriller novel. “Within a matter of days, millions of people would see her video, and her father’s book would top Amazon’s best-eller list. . . . Whether it was the gripping thriller, the author’s unassuming Vermont mien, or the efforts of a proud, tech-savvy daughter, the story of Lloyd Devereux Richards and Stone Maidens struck a chord,” reports A.J. Willingham of CNN.

Rural schools need more mental health services. In Oklahoma, Project Rural Innovation for Mental Health Enhancement aims to hire 64 mental-health professionals in high-need rural Oklahoma schools. The five-year $5.6 million grant program will pay for the counselors, social workers and behavior analysts to attend graduate school, as well as cover fees and costs in the program,” reports Kristi Eaton of The Daily Yonder.