Last week people in Spain were celebrating La Tomatina, a yearly festival in which participants throw tomatoes at each other. My seven-year old was very intrigued about this peculiar event and asked me several questions that I didn’t know the answers to. So we surfed the internet together to learn about this Spanish tradition and wished we were there, throwing tomatoes at each other!
In my perfect world, I would be traveling around the globe with my children. I’d love to expose them to new cultures and languages. But, the reality is that this is not possible for us.
However, there are great resources and activities that parents can do. Here I share my favorite 7 cultural activities to introduce global learning to children from our home.
Make a Dish
Cooking is a fun way to teach your children about other cultures. A few months ago our local library had an event where children were taught how to make kimbap, a popular Korean dish made of rice and other yummy ingredients.
My girls enjoyed trying new tastes and textures while learning about this Asian country. Look for other favorite treats and desserts from other countries and try to recreate them at home!
Make a Craft
Did you know that your kids can learn culture through a craft? Crafts encourage creativity and exploration and it is a fun way to teach global learning.
The internet offers limitless possibilities for your children to explore the world through crafts. For example, I taught my girls about Frida Kahlo’s paintings by making a headband. Check here for more multicultural crafts ideas that are easy peasy to make and are friendly crafts for the non-crafty mom.
Visit Churches
I like taking my children to other religion’s festivals whenever we have the opportunity. Teaching my children about other faiths is very important to me.
Although we may not agree with some beliefs, I found the beautiful experiences teach my children that the world is a diverse place and we need to be respectful of what looks different to us.
Attend Festivals
The beauty of festivals is that children can experience a glimpse of the culture through their senses. It promotes learning and curiosity for what they are seeing.
Check your local newspapers, magazines and libraries for festivals that are coming up near you and plan to attend. Make sure they are family friendly and offers the accommodations that you may need for you to attend.
Read a Book
Oh the places you’ll go through the pages of a book! We are so lucky to have so many available options to learn about cultures and traditions. Check out my favorite list of bilingual books here. Here are good titles to start traveling around the world through a book:
| All About China: Stories, Songs, Crafts and More for Kids |
Play Games
Add some global learning to your children’s outdoor play. Check out for games around the world that you can teach your children. They don’t require any materials except for the desire to have fun!
