Here are some ideas for you to learn about Mexican culture with your kids, and celebrate el 5 de mayo:

Check out your local area or a nearby town to see if there are traditional dance performances. Ballet Folklórico ensembles often include several costumes and dances representing regions across Mexico, with lively music and swirling colorful skirts that keep kids enraptured.

Teach your kids about a traditional Mexican folkart called amate /ah-MAH-tay/. Normally painted on the bark of fig trees, these brightly colored scenes can be painted on brown paper bags (learn more about its history and follow instructions here).

Have the kids view google images of beautiful examples of Mexican amate paintings and then create their own whimsical scenes of birds, flowers, and nature (or in the case of my son above, a Chinese dragon:).

Visit a Mexican bakery (look up panadería or pastelería in your local area or a nearby city). Let your kids pick out different pan dulce and then try them at home with good hot chocolate. Cacao was originally prepared in Mexico in 1900 BC. Columbus brought cocoa beans to Spain in 1502 and the rest is history (thank you Aztecs and Mayans!).

Learn the history of the Mexican flag, and the meaning of the colors and central emblem.

Throw out the pre-formed, hard tacos shells and orange cheese and make some authentic Mexican food! Here are recipes for easy and scrumptious dishes:

• Chicken Tinga
• Cochinita Pibil
• Enchiladas Suizas
• Fruit and Veggie plate with Tajin
• Chia Lemonade

How do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Any great ideas that I’ve missed? Please share them in the comments!

The post Amate Mexican Folkart and Easy Ways to Celebrate 5 de Mayo appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

Before having kids, my husband and I lived in London for a couple of years and were able to travel quite a bit- we spent a couple of weeks in Helsinki, Finland in December (including the shortest day of the year!). It didn’t matter if it was cold, or dark- Finns of all ages were outside walking around, visiting the Christmas markets, playing in the snow, and sitting at open air cafes. I didn’t own a winter coat at the time, but I put on layers, topped by a windbreaker and reveled in the festive atmosphere.

Smoke sauna in sauna building in Enonkoski, Finland (creative commons use)

Once back in our hotel, we would warm up in the sauna- did you know there are 2.2 million saunas in Finland (1 for every 2.5 people)? Saunas are an essential part of Finnish life. In fact, sauna is a Finnish word, and the Finns built their first saunas in the 5th century! We were told that some Finns liked to roll in the snow or dip in a frozen lake after being in the sauna- but we weren’t that brave to try it:).

Even more impressive and noteworthy, the Finnish educational system is consistently ranked as one of the best in the world. Its forward-thinking practices (such as no standardized testing in elementary school) differentiate it from other Western cultures, and inspire educators around the world.

Recently I became friends (virtual friends!) with Annika, a mom from Helsinki who runs the web site Be Bilingual. Her 11 year old daughter Emma recently sent us a package through the Worldwide Culture Swap, all about Finland! She told us about The Moomins (funny animated characters), Angry Birds, their favorite sport of hockey, and Santa’s village.

Lingonberries (creative commons use)

Here are some of the typical dishes found in Finland: artisan breads, especially made from rye, barley, oats and wheat; locally picked mushrooms and berries such as lingonberries (see picture above), wild strawberries, and blueberries; locally caught fish, such as salmon, or pickled herring; different sweet breads such as Karelian pies.

Annika shared with me the recipe for a Finnish Macaroni Casserole:  Suomen Makaronilaatikko. This simple, yet hearty macaroni dish reminds me of comfort food from the US, and I imagine a kid coming home from school, or playing outside in the snow, and then eating this for dinner. It’s been a little hot here where we are, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying this ground beef, macaroni, cheese, and custard casserole in our pajamas and at our picnic table:

This is the third post in the new season of “Around the World in 12 Dishes.” This year we have chosen the following countries:

March – Ireland
April – France
May – Finland
June – Spain
July – Kenya
August – Egypt
September – New Zealand
October – Korea
November – Thailand
December – Jamaica
January – Peru
February – Canada

We are inviting our readers to participate in our culinary adventure.

For each country, there’s coloring placemat and a four page passport with lots of fun information, questions, a spot for a photo of you and your dish and space to put your own recipe, so you and your children can really explore and it will be a nice keepsake! You can find the placemats and passports on our Facebook page and our Google+ community page. Each country will also have its own linky, where you can link up your own related posts- we would love to see your posts!

Participating blogs: Adventures In Mommydom, Creative Family Fun, Domestic Goddesque, Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, Glittering Muffins, Here Come The Girls, Juggling with Kids, Kid World Citizen, Kitchen Counter Chronicles, Little Artists, Mermaids’ Makings, Montessori Tidbits, Mummymummymum and The Educators’ Spin On It.

Visit the following links to see how other families are learning about Finland, and please share your adventures learning about Finland here:

(creative commons use)

The post Learn about Finland and Make a Finnish Macaroni Casserole appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

Viewers will go on an emotional journey, as Miguel and his mother ride hidden in a compartment below a tour bus, and subsequently Miguel ends up in a police station.  The love between Miguel and his mom, and the challenges they are overcoming in order to make their journey to the US are both thought-provoking and heart-breaking. Though I allowed my 8 year olds to watch it, the intense scenes might be more appropriate for middle schoolers and high schoolers. Note that the film contains spoken Spanish (with subtitles) and English.

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think motivated Miguel and his mom to try to come to the United States?
2. Why would they choose the US as their destination?
3. What are the most difficult challenges Miguel and his mom faced during their journey?
4. Describe each of the characters in the film, using 5 adjectives per person.
5. How was their experience similar and different to immigrants who arrived by ship to Ellis Island?
6. What issues do you predict that will Miguel have to face in his new life in the US?
7. Write a series of 3 journal entries for Miguel, from his perspective. How would you feel during each of the following scenes? What fears would you have? How would you cope?

• from the inside of the bus
• from the police station
• from his final destination

Additional Resources and Lesson Plans

PBS Teachers has an excellent collection immigration lessons for kids such as tracking immigration, discussing what motivates people to immigrate, origins of immigrants, and many more appropriate for grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. They also have an excellent series called “The New American,” which include lesson plans for grades 7-12 that you can download in pdf.

Scholastic Teachers also has a series of immigration lessons for kids in grades 3-5, and Discovery Education has a similar immigration lesson plan with discussion questions, resources and a wonderful list of young adult literature for students in grades 6-8.

The post New Film “Smuggled” and Immigration Lessons for Kids appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

Bijoy and the Big River, by Meera Siriam and Praba Ram is part of the Where I Live series, which showcases children living in different environments. Other books in the series include Postcards from Ura, Aiyappan and the Magic Horse, and My Friend, the Sea. The story follow a young boy home to where his father raises eri silkworms and his mother spins yarn. Bijoy lives in a village near the Burha Luid, which means Grand Old River. He enjoys swimming in the water, playing on the banks of the river with his friends, and watching the fishermen. Riding in a bamboo canoe, and then a large ferry, Bijoy gets to accompany his father to the weaving village, where yarn is transformed into silk.

Pre-Reading Activities

Before reading, ask your children to look at the cover and pictures in the book.

1. What does the title tell us?
2. What do you think the book will talk about?
3. What do you know about rivers? For example, what kind of animals live in the water? What could rivers be used for?
4. What do you know about silkworms? Do you know how they produce silk?

Now read the book. Think of any questions you have, or areas you would like to learn more about.

Post-Reading Activities

Think about the following questions, and see if you can answer them after reading Bijoy and the Big River.

1. In what ways is the Burha Luit- the big river- important to Bijoy’s family and his village?
2. Why is the silk made from eri silkworms known as “Peace Silk?”
3. What sort of transportation did Bijoy and his father use to travel to the weaving village?
4. What sights and wildlife did Bijoy observe on his trip down the river?
5. What sort of food did Bijoy enjoy in the book?
6. What was the author’s purpose in writing this book?

Extend your Learning

Here is a wonderful page about the life cycle of eri silkworms, with close-up photographs.

Bijoy visits the village of Sualkuchi, India, which is the largest village in Assam and also a “weaver’s paradise.” This video shows the process of collecting and processing the silk from the cocoons all the way to the silk weavings.

The following video is a short ad for a a women’s coop, but nicely describes how eri silk is known as “Peace Silk.”

What extension activities do you use when reading multicultural books with your kids?

The post Exploring Multicultural Books: “Bijoy and the Big River” appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

We recently participated in the Worldwide Culture Swap, where families (or schools) exchange cultural packages and learn about another culture. The letter and package was so thoughtful, I though I would share it with you here. Emma’s mom is the founder of Be Bilingual and has written a fabulous practical guide for multilingual families.

Opening our letter and packages from Finland!

Hello, my name is Emma and I’m 11 years old. I have only recently begun learning English at school so my mom is helping me write to you. I live in Vantaa, Finland, which is part of the greater Helsinki area. Helsinki is the capital of Finland and I go to school there. There is what Finland looks like, can you find Helsinki?

Yes, you’re right: it’s in the south, right by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. As you can see, we have Sweden as our neighbor in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east. Finland is a bilingual country and everyone learns also Swedish at school even if most of us speak Finnish as our mother tongue.

Even though I live in Finland, I’m not only Finnish. My dad is French so that makes me and my little sister Sara, 6, French also. Mom says we’re not half and half, but both Finnish and French. This is why this package will be a bit French too. Here’s a map of Europe, there’s 2000km (1300 miles; it’s as much as from New York to New Orleans) between where we live and where my grandparents live.

At home we speak Finnish and French and my sister and I go to the bilingual Finnish-French school. We go visit our grandparents in France at least twice a year. This past summer we spent 7 weeks with them in Chalon-sur-Saône in the Burgundy region. The region is called Bourgogne in French and as it s happens, that’s also our family name!

I brought you something from France. Please open envelope number 1 and 2 and come back to read where they’re from.

1)   I made this for you with my grandmother, we collected lavender from her garden and made them into what the French call “Pot-pourri.” You can for instance put it in a drawer and it will nicely perfume your clothes.

2)   Special sugar from my grandparents’ region. Blackcurrent (Cassis) is a typical flavor there- I hope you like it!

Back to Finland.

3)  After the sugar from France, you will need to take care of your teeth! Finns have very healthy teeth (for the most part), and this is because of something called Xylitol, a natural sugar extracted from birch trees. Nearly all chewing gum in Finland has Xylitol in it, and children at school usually take Xylitol pastilles after lunch because of its dental benefits. So were sending you a box of these pastilles, which tastes good and are great for your teeth! These you can find in the bag with funny creatures on it. They are called the Moomins and they are characters from books by a famous Finn, Tove Jansson.

All Fins love them and there is even a Moomin theme park, which you can see here.

Go ahead and open more envelopes:

4)   Recognize these birdies? They’re the Angry Birds from Finland! Everyone seems to know them, but do you know why they are angry? It’s because the green pigs have stolen their eggs! I would be angry too! All Finland is crazy about the Angry Birds; there is an “Angry Birds Land”  and close to where we live also a playground with the same theme.

5)   Hockey! That’s the favorite sport in Finland. We’re pretty good at it too, even if we didn’t do too well this past year. The year before we were World Champions after beating our dear archrival Sweden! Here are a few stickers and tattoos, which say “Go Finland!” (The tattoos can be cut in smaller pieces before putting them on so that everyone gets a flag). As you can see, he Finnish flag has white and blue in it. We say the blue is the sky and the thousands of lakes, the white is the snow in the winter and the reflection of clouds in the lakes in the summer.

Next I would like to take you a bit further up north to Lapland. In the summer the sun stays up all day and night. We call it the midnight sun. In the winter however, it’s dark most of the time. Luckily it’s not so bad because of all the white snow- and sauna, another Finnish invention! But now it’s time to introduce you to another famous Finn. I’m sure you know him, but you probably thought, like many others, that he comes from the North Pole. Please open the next envelope (number 6) and I will explain to you how things really are:

6)  You guessed right, I was talking about Santa Claus! He actually comes from the Finnish Lapland, a place called “Korvatunturi,” which translates as “Ear Fell.” As you can see from the brochure and the book we made about his home, it’s possible to meet him and his elves at the Santa Claus Village by the Arctic Circle. Finnish children receive their Christmas gifts already on Christmas Eve, which of course makes sense as this is where Santa Claus and his reindeer take off.

There are other interesting things in Finland and we’ll let you discover some of them on your own. Hope you liked getting to know Finland! If you have any questions, please contact us!!!

Emma also sent us a CD-Rom with pictures and a short film about Finland, plus a CD with children’s songs in Finnish. She also included travel brochures about Finland and about their capital Helsinki, with a children’s map of Helsinki.  What an incredible Culture Swap package!!!!! Thank you so much Emma for sharing a bit of Finnish culture with us!

Would you like to swap a package with another family or classroom from a different country? Sign-up at Worldwide Culture Swap, and tell us what you would send to represent your country! If you do participate, snap a photo of your package before you send it and we’ll post on our facebook page.

The post Explore Finland: Our Worldwide Culture Swap Package appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

To start off, check your local library for local field guides of trees that grow in your state (or area). Often times they have pictures and descriptions of trees and their leaves and seeds. You will use these books after your investigating.

Walking around your neighborhood, have the kids collect leaves and seeds from the trees. We did some bark rubbings, and taped a leaf on each page. Ask the kids:

• What is the shape of the tree?
• How does the texture of the bark feel?
• Does the tree have flowers, fruits, or nuts?
• Can you see any creatures using the trees for food or shelter?

Collect the pages and assemble them to make a specific tree guide for your own neighborhood. The field guides could include the name of each tree, a drawing, a bark rubbing, a leaf from the tree (or leaf rubbing), any information about the tree, and details of where in the neighborhood each kind of tree can be found. This can be adjusted depending on the child’s age and ability.

When you get back home, use your tree identification guides to identify the trees that you found on your hike.

Have the kids label their pages with the proper names, and create a cover for their tree guide. Next time you take a walk, bring your tree guide with you and try to identify the trees you see!

Make a neighborhood tree guide and teach your kids to identify common trees, native to their local community. Get outside and learn about your own environment! 

Additional Resources:

Check this list of national trees around the world to find your National Tree.

If you are in the United States, see this list to find your state tree.

The post Make a Neighborhood Tree Guide appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

I am thrilled to introduce Jenny Buccos, the Series Creator & Director of the multi-award winning ProjectExplorer.org educational series. She began her professional career with Credit Suisse First Boston managing global media projects in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and New York. In 2003, before the existence of YouTube, she founded the online video site ProjectExplorer.org as a means to educate students about global cultures and histories. To date, she has directed/produced more than 400 incredible short films for students.

In February 2013, Jenny was recognized as one of the National School Board Association’s 20 to Watch- “an emerging leader who will shape the world of EDTech for the next 20 years”. In July 2012, she was named a White House Champion of Change. She is a 2010 recipient of a National Award for Citizen Diplomacy; honored alongside Academy Award winner Robert Redford for her exemplary work as a citizen diplomat. Jenny has spoken at three TEDx conferences and regularly lectures on the importance of global competency in primary and secondary education. Check out the exceptional videos, and accompanying articles, lesson plans, and photos at ProjectExplorer.org. You can also follow Jenny around the world (and learn more about global education) on twitter: @goodglobalcitiz (personal) @projectexplorer (organization).

Q1) ProjectExplorer.org has created a phenomenal selection of online global travel videos and lesson plans. How did you come up with the idea?

The idea really grew out of two different things: one was my own experience working abroad, and the other was the desire to encourage global understanding, especially at a young age.

My own global education began when my work with an investment bank sent me abroad to Hong Kong and Japan in 2000. It was an eye opening experience that challenged my own beliefs and sparked my interest in learning more about diverse cultures and histories. The next year, I found myself back in New York, and in the months following 9/11, I noticed some fellow New Yorkers becoming increasingly fearful of the world outside of America’s borders. I began to think about how an early education in global issues and cultures could make a difference in this type of thinking.

It’s simply not feasible to take every student abroad. But, through the internet, I could bring the world to millions of children and give them a more globally focused education. In early 2003, I began to envision an online series, and after three years of research and fundraising the first ProjectExplorer.org series made it’s debut.

Q2. How do you think ProjectExplorer.org will give kids the 21st century skills they will need to be successful and understanding adults?

I believe that now, more than ever, global understanding is a critical skill that students must possess in order to succeed.

ProjectExplorer.org recently polled 223 students & young adults (ages 13 to 25) and found some impressive results on this topic. Of the group: 93% believe “jobs are becoming increasingly international in nature,” and 97% are “curious about world events.” [SOURCE: The Students’ Perspectives on Global Education Survey. This online research was conducted among a national sample of 223 individuals between the ages of 13 and 25, and took place from 14 January to 18 March 2013.]

It’s clear that students want to learn about the world around them and recognize the importance of a global education.

Our multimedia content addresses the need for global competency by providing students virtual passports. This is especially beneficial for those who are not financially able to travel. The programming on ProjectExplorer.org introduces students to new cultures, cuisines, religions and topics of global concern. Currently, we offer 422 short films, 1,764 images, written content, and dozens of cross-curricular lesson plans. All of our materials are offered at multiple grade levels, allowing us to reach students as young as 8 years old, all the way up to high school — and beyond.

Q3. How do you decide which countries to feature and which countries can we expect in the future?

ProjectExplorer.org‘s destinations are largely based on crowd-sourcing. We routinely poll students and educators to understand which topics or regions of the world they would like to learn about most.

For our 2013 series — ProjectExplorer.org‘s 10th anniversary year — we are taking on a 10-country world tour. “The Rise and Fall of the British Empire” will be filmed across 5 continents. Think history class meets the “Amazing Race!”

Q4) What have been your favorite places to visit?

London and Johannesburg! London was on of my first international travel experiences and remains a favorite destination for personal travel. In fact, I’m heading there in a few weeks time. From a professional point of view Johannesburg tops my list. I had amazing collaborators for the ProjectExplorer.org series including Apartheid Museum Founder Dr. John Kani and Noble Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I have been back six times since production in 2007 and consider several of the people I met there my “family.”

Thank you so much Jenny for this interview, and for your hardwork at making global education accessible for students. I wholeheartedly agree with your objectives and mission to bring global and cultural awareness to children,and truly admire your work. Appeal: ProjectExplorer.org is a free site and a nonprofit venture, please consider an online donation to support their mission of raising global citizens through virtual travel.

All images © ProjectExplorer.org

The post An Interview with Jenny Buccos, Founder of ProjectExplorer.org appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

Here are reasons why it’s important to compost, instructions on how to do so with kitchen scraps, and resources (books, clips, and games!) to learn about composting at home.

Reasons to Compost

1). Easy (just throw in your scraps!)

2). Free (after you get the bin, it’s free!)

3). Excellent, organic, chemical-free fertilizer for your garden!

4). Tangible lessons for kids! (environmental and biological science)

5). Less waste! (and less organic material in landfills= less methane gas emissions)

6). Improves soil quality! Soil enriched with compost uses less water, contains more nutrients and good microbes, loosens clay soils, and conserves topsoil.

How to Compost

Choose a spot in your yard that isn’t in the sun the entire day (so it doesn’t dry out). Composting requires a receptacle (or pile) in your yard that you can access daily to drop in your scraps. You can use wooden enclosure, a wire/metal enclosure, a round tumbler bin that you have to spin, or a garbage can-looking bin with vents (click on the types of bin to see pictures in amazon affiliate links).

I usually keep a bowl on my counter to throw scraps in while I’m cooking, and then have my kids go dump them in our compost bin. You should have a mixture of “green stuff” and “brown stuff;” this is the food for the bacteria that will be breaking it down. our compost should also have air ventilation and moisture (I’ve never added water, but in case of a very dry climate you may splash some water on it).

Green: (high in nitrogen) grass cuttings, fruit and vegetables scraps, coffee grounds and tea bags, vegetable plant remains, plants or cuttings from plants. If you have a pet chicken, rabbit or bird, you can add their manure!

Brown: (high in carbon, acts as “fiber”) dead leaves (that you rake), dead plants, dead weeds, cardboard, paper towels (without cleaning chemicals! I put them down when I peel potatoes/carrots), old flowers, natural bedding from small pets, egg shells, hair (from people or pets!).

AVOID: cooked/baked grains (as in bread, pasta, etc); meat/fish or bones; plastic; oil or fat; pet or human feces; weeds that have gone to seed (or else the seeds will sprout with the compost!); glossy paper; coal; and cat litter.

TIP: If you’d like to keep away the flies (though they are doing a job in the compost:) you can always maintain a top layer of brown leaves, and move them to the side when adding your scraps. We do not do this because my kids are in charge, and they prefer to just throw everything on top:).

You will know that the compost is ready by checking the bottom of your bin. We take out about 14 inches of rich, black dirt from the bottom hatch and spread it into our garden every spring!

Resources to Learn about Composting at Home

Books:

Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth, by Mary McKenna Siddals is an excellent book with gorgeous collages. In rhymes, an ingredient for every letter of the alphabet is included in the “recipe” for compost stew. Environmental chefs will learn what to compost so that “Mother Earth will/ have a treat,/ dark and crumbly,/ rich and sweet...”

Compost! Growing Gardens from Your Garbage, by Linda Glaser, is another sweet book that describes how to compost for young kids. I love the simple explanations, and illustrations of a family composting, and then even the kids harvesting their compost for their garden.

Video Clips

Sid the Science Kid learns about his mushy banana:

Very cool! “Creatures of the Compost” video for kids:

A great little video featuring kids, explaining how to compost:

On-Line Games

Can you keep a microbe happy? Feed him, give him water and air, and see if you can help him turn the ingredients into compost humus for your garden.

Compost Crunch! Help the worm find scraps of food and make compost!

Composting Game: Sort the items by dragging them to either the recycling bin or the compost bin.

Get Wallace the Worm to eat the right scraps and avoid the bad ones so that he can make you juicy compost.

Lesson Plans

Mini-compost project in class

Vermicomposting sheet: color a worm!

Compost Ecosystem

Composting with the FBI (fungus, bacteria, and invertebrates)

Compost Science Investigation (CSI) Book

The post {Kids!} How to Compost Kitchen Scraps appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

This month’s carnival is all about our Spring traditions. Do you have a favorite Spring tradition? Is it a cultural tradition, or a special family tradition? Please share your in the comments!

Olga is a Polish mama living in The Netherlands with her German husband. She blogs at European Mama, and shares a wonderful list of Polish traditions associated with Spring and especially Easter. My favorite might be the Śmigus Dyngus- or “Wet Monday”- where kids engage in a water fight!

Kim lives in the United States and writes The Educators’ Spin On It. She introduces us to the Spring holiday of Holi, and how her adorable family (and Hindus around the world) celebrate this welcoming of Spring. She has plenty of quality links that go into more detail, including many ideas for Holi activities.

Ute is German, but is currently living in The Netherlands with her family. On Expat Since Birth, she writes about the exciting Swiss tradition of Sechseläuten (Sächsilüüte): a unique Spring holiday in Zurich, Switzerland where people gather to burn the “Winter,” a snowman stuffed with fireworks! My kids would love this! Ute also shares a Swiss classic story for children about a Spring procession called Chalanda-Marz in Engadine, Switzerland.

Jody currently lives in Malawi on a wildlife reserve (you would love her blog Mud Hut Mama!). She shares her own unique family Spring tradition of making their own piñatas. My favorite quote of the article: “There’s an American baseball swing at a Mexican tradition in Malawi on a British owned estate where they grow a Chinese drink which will most likely be drunk in India.” It doesn’t get more global than this!

Varya from Little Artists gets to celebrate her wedding anniversary every Spring coincidentally during the Qing Ming Festival. Varya is originally from Russia, and tells the story of how she met her husband of Tanzania, got married, and how they have settled together in China.

Giselle is a global educator with a lot of international teaching experience. She writes Kids Yoga Stories has a lovely (free) yoga lesson plan for Spring: “flap your wings like a bird, buzz like a bee, and blossom like a flower with the suggested kids yoga sequence,” including a mini-book the kids can illustrate with springtime scenes. Here are some Spring traditions she does with her daughter.

Alex is from Germany, and he and his wife Valerie live in Quebec, Canada. On Glittering Muffins they share one of Quebec’s biggest Spring traditions: visiting the Cabane à Sucre or sugar shack. Every Spring, “Quebecers (and visitors) flock to the dining halls all over the province to enjoy traditional Quebecois foods.” I loved the photos of the maple syrup production and candy-making.

Leanna, at All Done Monkey, shares her creative idea of hosting a global card exchange for the Bahá’í New Year Naw Rúz. She gathered participants from 16 countries and each family made their cards to exchange. What an incredible effort,and rewarding project- I love that this idea could transfer to most holidays and seasons!

Homa Tavangar also discusses Naw Rúz, in this excellent article at the Huffington Post. As a Persian and as a Bahá’í, Homa talks about ending the fast, marking the New Year (or Nowruz- Persian for New Year), and gives a message of hope and happiness.

Frances is a Latina mom living in the US. On Discovering the World through my Son’s Eyes she writes about making special cascarones (colored eggs normally filled with confetti) and then the fun playdate in the park with a special game of tag.

Lesley is from Australia, and blogs at 52 Days to Explore. She gives ideas for families who’d like to try “Star Gazing,” a popular activity in Australia in the Spring, especially when camping.

Finally children’s librarian Mary, from Sprout’s Bookshelf, shares a list of spring-themed books to get kids ready for green gardens and longer, warmer days.

What are rituals or customs that you follow during the Spring months? Please share your ideas here!

The post Spring Traditions Around the World appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

When you are planning a move overseas the list of things to organise can seem frighteningly long, and when you’re moving abroad as a family there’s even more to consider. One of the first things families intending to emigrate have to consider is what education option would best suit their children, but making the right choice can be tough.

To help make the decision that little bit easier we’ve taken a look at the pros of the three most common overseas-education options: local schools, international schools and homeschooling.

Local Schools

The majority of local schools conduct their teachings in the local language (although English may be taught as a second language). For children who don’t speak the language of their host nation attending a local school can be difficult at first, and they may be put in a lower ability group until they can communicate effectively. For many expat parents this is a huge drawback, but if your move abroad is of a permanent or semi-permanent nature the pros of sending your children to a local school may outweigh the cons.

~ As a rule, children pick up languages more easily than adults and generally the younger the child the more quickly they learn. Children of pre or primary school age may learn to speak the language of their host nation within just a few months of attending a local school.

~ Many expat families have advised that the best way to settle into a new environment is to become completely immersed in it. By sending your child to a local school you will be encouraging them to make friends from the same area and helping them to view their host nation in the same way as local children.

~ Although cost isn’t usually the motivating factor behind parents settling on an education option for their child, it’s a fact that international schools cost substantially more to attend than local ones. In the vast majority of nations local schooling is free until the child reaches tertiary (or post-secondary) education.

~ However, there is one con relating to local schools which parents will need to seriously consider. Some academic qualifications gained overseas may not be transferable, meaning that children could struggle when it comes to gaining admission to colleges/universities in another nation.

International Schools

While international schooling may be one of the more costly education options, it is becoming an increasingly popular choice among expat families. The number of international schools is on the up in nations like the US, Canada, Spain and France, meaning there is usually one a reasonable distance away no matter where you settle. But there are many pros to internationals schools beyond their availability.

~ In an international school children are able to grow up in one of the world’s most culturally diverse environments, benefiting from mixing with a range of global lifestyles.

~ The majority of international schools follow a globally-recognised curriculum, like the International Baccalaureate. As the IB model is accepted across the world the child has the option of being able to continue their education in a huge choice of other countries.

~ Many international schools place a stronger emphasis on extracurricular activities than mainstream schools. As the aim of international schools is all-round development, children are not only encouraged to learn academically but socially and creatively.

Homeschooling

If your stay overseas is for a limited time period you may wish to avoid the upheaval involved in enrolling your child in a new school. If that’s the case, homeschooling could be a good route to go down. While it certainly isn’t for everybody and obviously requires a significant commitment from the parent/parents, there are many positives to homeschooling.

~ Although homeschooled children usually follow a preapproved curriculum, there is typically more educational freedom involved in this form of education. How and where subjects are taught are largely up to the parent, and rather than having to stick rigidly to traditional school hours, work can be done according to the schedule which most fits in with family life.

~ Bullying is one of the aspects of mainstream education which parents and children find most difficult to deal with. In a home-school environment the risk of bullying is eliminated.

~ Furthermore, the vast majority of homeschooling advocates have argued that it helps to build strong family ties.

As homeschooling a child is a full-time job, families have to consider whether they are in a financial situation where they can afford to live on one wage. That being said, homeschooling can actually save money as it eliminates the need to buy school uniforms, PE kits etc and means parents don’t have to pay out for transport costs, school trips and lunches.

Hopefully this brief look at the pros of the most popular education options for expat children has given your family a good starting point to work from. For further information regarding education in specific countries check out the education sections in these country guides.

This post was provided by The Expat Hub, a top online stop for expatriate advice, support and information.

Has your family ever lived abroad? Which school option did you choose? Have you ever considered going abroad?

The post Education Options for Expat Children appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

Kids can learn about France in the interactive NatGeo “People and Places” site, or about French culture at the Dino Lingo site. We read about the interesting places, explored the pictures, and watched the little video- I love how NatGeo caters to kids and piques their interest! The Dino Lingo site even had famous French people and inventions, along with popular French children’s books.

To celebrate French (local) cuisine, we looked no further than our own garden. We had loads of fresh greens that the kids picked, plus some fresh eggs and veggies from a farm that we support.

The Salade Niçoise originated in and was named after the well-known town of Nice in the Côte d’Azur- though now it is served throughout the French Riviera, Paris- and for that matter Europe and the rest of the world. Once we had our French cheese taste test (see this post), we followed this basic recipe and the kids helped to prepare the vegetables and peel the hard boiled eggs:

It was fun to have the kids plate the food, and enjoy the bright colors of the fresh vegetables.

Next we made some delicious rochers coco (literally “coconut rocks”)
by mixing together egg whites and shredded coconut. We found the recipe here.

• 3 cups or 8 ounces (225g) dried, unsweetened coconut flakes
• 3/4 cup (150g) sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Cover a baking tray with baking (parchment) paper. Mix together the coconut, sugar and salt, and then stir in the egg whites and vanilla. My kids stirred with their hands until it was all wet, and then attempted to roll the mixture into little balls/mounds.

After the kids made little coconut mounds, we baked them for 12 minutes (until slightly golden) and ate the delicious macaroons for dessert. They are chewy, sweet, and perfect!

This is the second post in the new season of “Around the World in 12 Dishes.” This year we have chosen the following countries:

March – Ireland
April – France
May – Finland
June – Spain
July – Kenya
August – Egypt
September – New Zealand
October – Korea
November – Thailand
December – Jamaica
January – Peru
February – Canada

We are inviting our readers to participate in our culinary adventure.

For each country, we will have a coloring placemat and a four page passport with lots of fun information, questions, a spot for a photo of you and your dish and space to put your own recipe, so you and your children can really explore and it will be a nice keepsake!  You can find the placemats and passports on our Facebook page and our Google+ community page. Each country will also have its own linky, where you can link up your own related posts- we would love to see your posts!

Participating blogs: Adventures In Mommydom, Creative Family Fun, Domestic Goddesque, Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, Glittering Muffins, Here Come The Girls, Juggling with Kids, Kid World Citizen, Kitchen Counter Chronicles, Little Artists, Mermaids’ Makings, Montessori Tidbits, Mummymummymum and The Educators’ Spin On It.

Visit the following links to see how other families are learning about France, and please share your adventures learning about France here:

The post Salade Nicoise & Coconut Macaroons for Kids and a French Food Linky appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

Here are some more facts about French cheese that we learned:

• the average French citizen consume almost 25 kilos (~54 pounds!) a year of cheese (2nd highest in the world after Greece)
• due to cultural tradition, and geography, French cheese can be made of milk from cow (vache), goat (chèvre) or ewe (brebis). Check out this cheese encyclopedia to see the huge variety, a map of the region, and the best season for each type
• different regions or even towns specialize in different flavors

We conducted our own French cheese taste test to learn about different types of French cheese. First, we went to the supermarket together and the kids helped to pick out the cheeses. The cheeses had flags that helped to label the origin of the different cheese, and we had fun searching for the French flag. Here are the cheeses we picked out, and our reactions:

• Port Salut: soft, a little stinky, pungent. Not the kids’ favorite:).
• Bleu D’Avergne: creamy, blue cheese with a strong taste for kids. They thought it was “cool” that the blue is an edible mold.
• Fromage de Meaux a.k.a. Brie: I love it, the kids can’t get over the rind, and wanted to eat just the middle!
• Gruyère de Comté: very easy to like, semi-hard
• Mimolette: orange, rock-hard, carmelized cheese- the kids’ favorite!
• Chèvre: French for “goat-” soft, easily spread on bread especially when warmed.

We set up the cheeses on a large cutting board, and tasted tiny samples of each. The rule was “you don’t have to like it, but you have to taste it.” For added fun my kids had a count down and would try each cheese together after “3-2-1!” Ask your kids:

What does it look like? (colors, shapes, textures)

What does it smell like?

Touch it: is it hard, soft, or in between?

Then taste the French cheese and everyone can share their opinions!

What’s your favorite French cheese?

The post French Cheese Taste Test appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures (RL.2.9.).

There are many reasons to read fairy tales to children- especially because they’re whimsical, creative, and fun! Today we’re looking at Gingerbread stories.

In order to categorize and analyze fairy tales from around the world, Antti Aarne published the Aarne–Thompson tale type index (1910).  One popular and recurring children’s folktale is based on the idea of the “Fleeing Pancake” (classified as AT-2025). This story was very popular around Europe during the 19^th century, and the version of The Gingerbread Man was well-known in the US at the time.

Here are some reviews by well-known bloggers of different versions of the “gingerbread stories,” mixed into an extensive list of print (affiliate links), and then on-line versions. Choose a handful of stories, and ask your kids to compare and contrast the stories:

Ahlberg, Allan. The Runaway Dinner (UK) reviewed by Mud Hut Mama. In this hilarious story, the entire dinner (peas, carrots, fries, fork, knife, spoon, plate, table and chairs) runs away! A very silly story that your kids will ask you to read again and again. Read how Jody even replicated the dinner in the book for her kids, who wondered if their dinner would get up and run away.
~Aylesworth, Jim. The Gingerbread Man.
~Baumgartner, Barbara. Nursery Classics: Gingerbread Man.
~Bochkov, Natasha. The Russian Runaway Gingerbread “Kolobok” (available in Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and English) reviewed by Little Artists Blog.  Varya has even included a recipe for traditional Russian Kolobok (Колобок), an easy to make small round bun featured in the book. I love pairing activities with the books, and food is always fun for the kids.
~Brett, Jan. Gingerbread Baby reviewed by Sprout’s Bookshelf
~Brown, Marcia. The Bun, A Tale from Russia.
~Campbell Ernst, List. The Gingerbread Girl reviewed by Sprout’s Bookshelf
~Capiuto, Natha. Roule Galette (in French) reviewed by the piri-piri lexicon. Annabelle did such a nice job of introducing this French version, sharing a cartoon version of the story, and showcasing a French galette with a kid-friendly recipe.
~Cauley, Lorinda. The Pancake Boy: An Old Norwegian Folk Tale.
~Compestine, Ying Chang. The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale; The Runaway Rice Cake (set in China) reviewed by me here.
~Cook, Scott. The Gingerbread Boy (Dragonfly Edition).
~De Las Casas, Dianne. The Cajun Cornbread Boy (Louisiana, US).
~Egielski, Richard. The Gingerbread Boy.
~Enderle, Dotti. The Library Gingerbread Man reviewed by Sprout’s Bookshelf
~Esterl, Arnica. The Fine Round Cake.
~Galdone, Paul. The Gingerbread Boy.
~Howland, Naomi. The Matzah Man: A Passover Story.
~Jacobs, Joseph. “Johnny Cake” in Tomie dePaola’s Favorite Nursery Tales.
~Jarrell, Randall. The Gingerbread Rabbit.
~Jones, Carol. The Gingerbread Man.
~Kimmel, Eric. The Gingerbread Man and The Runaway Tortilla (Texas, US).
~Kimmelman, Leslie. The Runaway Latkes (Hanukkah). Make your own Potato Latkes to go with the story!
~Levy, Janice. Runaway Radish is reviewed by All Done Monkey. I had no idea that in Oaxaca, Mexico, people carve radishes (like pumpkin carving in the US)! This radish tries to get away by running through a typical Mexican pueblito. Leanna piqued her son’s interest by conducting an experiment with real radishes, after reading the book.
~Lithgow, John. Marsupial Sue Presents “The Runaway Pancake” (Australia)
~Lobel, Anita, The Pancake.
~Luna, James. The Runaway Piggy / El cochinito fugitivo. (bilingual, Mexico)
~Murray, Laura.  The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School reviewed by Sprout’s Bookshelf
~Rockwell, Anne. “The Gingerbread Man” in The three bears & 15 other stories.
~Rowe, John A. The Gingerbread Man: An Old English Folktale.
~Sawyer, Ruth. Journey Cake, Ho! (Picture Puffins)
~Scieszcka, Jon. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.
~Sierra, Judy. Nursery Tales Around the World. These wonderful collection includes 3 versions of “Runaway Cookies:” The Gingerbread Man from the US, The Pancake from Norway, and The Bun from Russia (above photo).
~Squires, Janet. The Gingerbread Cowboy reviewed by Discovering the World through My Son’s Eyes ♫♫ “Giddyup, giddyup as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man”♫♫ A western twist: I love Frances’ cowboy gingerbread cookies she made with her son to go with the book- what a sweet treat!
~Steel, Flora Annie. “The Wee Bannock” in English Fairy Tales (UK)
~Stolz, Mary. Pangur Ban (Ireland).
~Takayama, Sandi. The Musubi Man: Hawai’i's Gingerbread Man.

If you cannot get copies at your local library or bookstore, or prefer digital reading, here are 2 excellent sites I have found that include multiple versions of gingerbread stories that you can read on-line with your kids:

Sur La Lune Fairytales
D.L. Ashliman’s Folktexts

The post Gingerbread Stories from Around the World appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

1) Multicultural Books Transport Us

One way to begin learning about other cultures through books is to choose one country per month to “study.” By picking stories that are set in a specific country, we begin to experience common cultural themes, and understand the perspectives of some of the people from that country. To extend the learning, you can made food from that country (especially if there are dishes mentioned in the book!), study the map, learn the flag, watch video clips, and decide to read a lot of fiction and non-fiction books.

Map out the settings of the books you read. Hang up a world map in your room, and place a marker with the title of every book you read on the country where it takes place. Purposefully choose books to represent a large geographic area so that soon your markers are spread across the globe. This graphic organizer will help you recognize if there are regions of the world that you haven’t covered yet.

2) Multicultural Fairy Tales Show Common Human Emotions

Check out fairy tales, folklore, and fables from other cultures. For example, try comparing Cinderella stories from around the world. Although the storylines are diverse, you will notice everyone has a common need for love from family and friends, hope and security. No matter where the story is from, we all possess feelings of happiness, anger, pride, and loneliness. When reading the fairy tales, notice how different culture portray and deal with these emotions, and compare them to how you, your family and friends would show the same feelings.

3) Great Multicultural Books Help to Dispel Stereotypes

In choosing multicultural books for kids, there are many great titles- but also some pretty awful stories too, that perpetuate stereotypes. When looking at books about a certain culture, it is imperative to make sure the story does not depict indigenous characters inaccurately or negatively, nor lump together various tribes and people into a general and indistinct group. For example, there is a tendency to erroneously teach young children about tipi-living, feather-wearing, tomahawk-carrying “Indians.” Yet, Native American people are not static or extinct; in fact they are contributing members to society, with deep-rooted traditions and values that are pertinent to our world today. Picking a variety of good-quality books will help to distinguish stories that are purely stereotypical vs stories that are written by people of the specific culture. Reading great books helps to dispel misconceptions and inaccurate stereotypes.

4) Books Teach us about Kids around the World

Kids around the world are curious about their peers: kids wonder where we sleep, what toys we play with, or even what snacks we have. There are many non-fiction books that showcase children living in different countries around the world. For example, there are books that talk about the different homes- both rural and urban- where families reside, different types of schools around the world, children of different religions and their celebrations, traditional and contemporary customs, and even how children around the world play with their friends. By paging through these photographic journals, readers get a glimpse of the life of another child halfway across the world. How are we similar to and different than the families around the world in the books?

5) Multicultural Books Teach Tolerance and Respect

It’s never too early to begin instilling positive attitudes about acceptance and tolerance in children. Reading books about people from other cultures will increase cultural awareness, and help us become more respectful towards people with different backgrounds and perspectives. It is crucial to be exposed to those who might be different than you, because we will often sympathize with others once we’ve become familiar with them. It’s also important, however, to simply encourage the idea that accepting differences is important and that hateful behavior is harmful.

With so much violence in the world today, it is parents’ and teachers’ duties to teach our children about compassion, showing them kindness and respect, and giving them examples and role models to follow. One way to do this is to studying great leaders who embody peace helps kids to make better decisions and learn from others wisdom as well as from their mistakes. Reading biographies written for kids, of leaders from around the world and the challenges they have overcome gives children examples of character traits, perspective on current events, and expands their ideas about other countries. For example, you can read wonderful biographies written for children of leaders such as the Dalai Lama, Wangari Maathai, Jane Goodall, or Nelson Mandela.

6) Characters can Encourage Pride in our Cultural Heritage

Finally, reading books about our own cultural heritage encourages a positive self-concept and self-identity. Students can benefit from reading literature that reflects their own background because it helps develop a healthy pride in our family background. Whether the books recount a historical event, a national leader, or a child hero from another era, positive stories of our own cultural background help us to understand a bit of what makes us unique and special.

Whether in a social studies class, a multicultural unit, or simply for enjoyment, teachers and parents can use these literature journeys to stimulate children’s wonder and increase our cultural awareness of the many different people, cultures, and ways of life around the world. When choosing children’s literature to increase global awareness, I think it is important that the books are visually appealing, culturally accurate and without stereotypes. Books should be age-appropriate, engaging stories that subtly inform and showcase new traditions and people.

Please share your favorite multicultural books in the comments! I am always on the look out for great books to help teach kids about the world!

The post Why Teach with Multicultural Books? appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

• Most of the country is Catholic, and one of the prominent symbols of Ireland is the Celtic cross. Ireland’s patron saint is Saint Patrick, who introduced Christianity to Ireland around 430 AD. He was captured and taken as a prisoner to Ireland, where legend has it that he taught followers about the Trinity using 3 leafed shamrocks, and  banished snakes from the island of Ireland. St Patrick’s Day is March 17th.
• Ireland has the harp as their national symbol (the only country in the world which has a musical instrument!). The oldest known harp in existence- from around 1300AD- is housed in Trinity College, Dublin. Music is a huge part of Irish culture and it is common for everyone in the family to play an instrument, sing, or dance. Listen to some traditional Irish music here. Ireland’s most famous musical export is U2.
• Ireland is a republic, with a president and a prime minister. Since 2002, Ireland has used the euro as it currency.  Agriculture used to be the largest sector of the Irish economy, and while still popular, now industry and services comprise the majority of Ireland’s economy.
• Often times Ireland is said to have “40 shades of green” in its lush landscape. Warmed by the North Atlantic current that brings warm water from the south, Ireland enjoys a temperate climate, and abundant rain.
• If your family is interested in learning more, read these great children’s books about Ireland, watch a family film from Ireland, or do an easy sheep craft.

Irish Food: Recipes for a Traditional Meal

Roast Beef, Cally, Peas and Carrots

I asked an Irish friend about typical Irish food, and this is what she said “Traditional Irish cuisine is very simple. A meat source…. whether roast beef, bacon, lamb chops, steak, plus potatoes, cabbage, carrots and peas. I still have uncles who don’t consider a meal to be a real dinner if it doesn’t include carrots, potatoes and peas. Cabbage is seasonal and not a daily requirement…..And you have to have carrots. Carrots are a ubiquitous part of most Irish meals. Plain old boiled or roasted carrots.”

This was a family effort: I broiled some beef, and had the kids help out with the veggies. The girls peeled a huge bowl of carrots from the farm co-op we belong to, that we roasted with butter and salt (and a couple of random turnips I had).

After boiling the potatoes, the boys helped to peel them. We made a dish called “cally.” Once mashed, season the potatoes well by mixing in some green onions or leeks, some heavy cream or milk, and salt and pepper. When serving the mashed potatoes, leave a well (my kids say it’s a volcano) in the middle and place a big lump of fresh butter, that can melt into the potatoes.

We served the broiled beef, cally, and roasted carrots with some peas, and enjoyed this easy, hearty Sunday meal!

This is the first post in the new season of “Around the World in 12 Dishes.” This year we have chosen the following countries:

March – Ireland
April – France
May – Finland
June – Spain
July – Kenya
August – Egypt
September – New Zealand
October – Korea
November – Thailand
December – Jamaica
January – Peru
February – Canada

We are inviting our readers to participate in our culinary adventure.

For each country, we will have a coloring placemat and a four page passport with lots of fun information, questions, a spot for a photo of you and your dish and space to put your own recipe, so you and your children can really explore and it will be a nice keepsake!  You can find the placemats and passports on our Facebook page and our Google+ community page. Each country will also have its own linky, where you can link up your own related posts- we would love to see your posts!

Here are the participating blogs: Adventures In Mommydom, Creative Family Fun, Domestic Goddesque, Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, Glittering Muffins, Here Come The Girls, Juggling with Kids, Kid World Citizen, Kitchen Counter Chronicles, Little Artists, Mermaids’ Makings, Montessori Tidbits, Mummymummymum and The Educators’ Spin On It.

The post Irish Food at Home: Kids Make a Traditional Irish Dinner appeared first on Kid World Citizen.