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Children are inherently curious about the people and things in their environment. Learning about various cultures and appreciating individuals from diverse backgrounds is the first step in assisting children in becoming excellent global citizens as technology makes the globe a more interconnected place.Learning about a different culture is most effective over the summer! This summer, make memories with your children by teaching them about various cultures in addition to the classic summertime activities like barbeques, picnics, and pool parties. Hint: introducing children to different cultures can help them avoid summer slide and is also informative.
Exploring the arts, sampling new foods, reading about children from other cultures, and going to local cultural events are all ways to learn about other cultures. Here are 11 fun and instructive ways to spend this summer learning about different cultures.
- Visit a restaurant that serves cuisine from a different culture.
Each culture has its own distinctive cuisine and speciality dishes, most of which use foods that are indigenous to the culture’s geographic location. Your youngster can learn about the area where that culture originated and try new cuisines by dining at a genuine restaurant.
Check to see whether there are any restaurants in your region that you have never gone to that are Thai, Lebanese, Indian, Greek, French, Spanish, or another cuisine. Discuss the menu with your child after locating a copy online. Examine the foods you want to sample and learn about their origins and ingredients.
Visit restaurants that are more popular in America, such Chinese, Mexican, or Italian ones, if your youngster feels more at ease sticking to familiar dishes. Find out if the food your child loves has been “Americanized” to suit the tastes of Americans before ordering it. Discuss with your child the meaning of it and the distinctions between original and Americanized cuisine.
- Cook International Cuisine at Home
In addition to being a lot of fun, cooking is a fantastic way to learn about different cultures. Investigate various cuisines from other civilisations for a while. Cook the foods you want to try for a family dinner while adhering to the eating customs of that nation.
If the ingredients aren’t available at your usual store, visit speciality grocery stores. Find out how the food is traditionally consumed (with chopsticks, with their hands, etc.) and when it is traditionally served.
If you have a favourite Americanized recipe, try the original and compare the two.
- Involve Your Youngster in Geography
Your child will comprehend their place in the world more fully if they have a solid understanding of geography. Discuss the many nations and regions on a globe you own or view online. Each week, choose a nation to learn more about. Are there deserts or mountains there? Do they have an oceanfront? What cultural effects does the nation’s physical surroundings have on its citizens?
Children of all ages can learn about the globe through well-known board games, and craft projects are an excellent method to assist younger children develop a greater understanding of the world.
- Go on an Online Field Trip
Today’s digital world makes it possible to visit the Great Wall of China, the Tower of London, or the Taj Mahal. People’s past is ingrained in their culture, and iconic locations from various nations are a part of that history. Another enjoyable method to learn about other cultures is to go on a virtual field trip to locations that are significant to different people. - Put Yourself in Another Person’s Shoes
List the things you typically do each day, such as where you go, what you eat, and the people you see. Then, without looking, spin a globe or open a map and point at it. Make a list of the things you would do every day if you lived in the country where your finger falls. If your family does this, talk about your experiences.