Engaging children in fun and educational activities from around the world activities for kids is a fantastic way to broaden their horizons and foster a deeper appreciation for diverse cultures.
Whether it’s through arts and crafts, cooking, games, or storytelling, these activities provide a unique opportunity for kids to explore traditions, customs, and lifestyles from different parts of the globe.
In this collection of activities, we will embark on a global journey that sparks curiosity and creativity while promoting cultural awareness among young learners.
So, let’s embark on this exciting adventure and bring the world closer to our children’s hearts and minds.
Around the World Activities for Kids
International Art Gallery:
Encourage your kids to become little artists by hosting an international art gallery at home. Provide them with art supplies like paper, paints, markers, and colored pencils, and introduce them to famous artists and art styles from various countries. For example, they can create Japanese cherry blossom paintings, Mexican folk art, or Aboriginal dot paintings. This hands-on activity not only allows kids to express themselves creatively but also teaches them about art’s global diversity.
Global Cooking Adventure:
Turn your kitchen into a global culinary classroom! Choose a different country’s cuisine each week and involve your kids in preparing a traditional meal. Research together to learn about the country’s food culture, ingredients, and cooking techniques. Whether it’s making Italian pasta, Indian curries, or Chinese dumplings, this activity exposes children to the world’s flavors and helps them appreciate different tastes and traditions.
Language Treasure Hunt:
Transform language learning into an exciting treasure hunt. Select a few common phrases or words from different languages and hide them around the house. Create clues or riddles related to the country of origin for each language, and let your kids embark on a linguistic adventure to find and decipher the hidden words. This activity not only promotes language skills but also introduces cultural context and geography.
Related: 20 Captivating Around The World Preschool Activities
Around the World Storytime:
Travel the world through the pages of books by hosting an “Around the World Storytime.” Collect a variety of children’s books that feature stories set in different countries or cultures. Each night, choose a new book to read together, and then discuss the customs, traditions, and values depicted in the story. This activity not only promotes literacy but also encourages kids to embrace diversity and empathy.
Cultural Game Night:
Gather your family for a cultural game night filled with board games, card games, or puzzles from around the world. Games like Mahjong from China, Mancala from Africa, or Parcheesi from India offer both entertainment and a glimpse into other cultures. Exploring these games together fosters critical thinking, strategy development, and an appreciation for the cultural heritage behind each game.
Passport to Adventure:
Create “passports” for your kids and embark on a pretend international adventure. Each week, select a new country to “visit.” Research facts about the chosen country, including its flag, capital, famous landmarks, and traditional clothing. Encourage your kids to decorate their passport pages with drawings and stickers representing the country. As you “travel” to each destination, immerse them in the culture by trying foods, learning a few basic phrases, and even exploring virtual tours of famous sites online.
Global Music Jam:
Introduce your children to the world of music from different cultures. Gather a variety of musical instruments or simply use household objects like pots and pans as makeshift drums. Play music from around the world, such as African drumming, Indian sitar melodies, or Caribbean steelpan tunes. Let your kids experiment with the instruments, create their rhythms, and even dance to the beats. It’s a fun way to explore the diverse sounds of the world.
Country Collage Challenge:
Encourage creativity and geography knowledge with a country collage challenge. Provide magazines, newspapers, and printouts of images related to different countries. Let your kids choose a country and create a collage that represents its culture, landscapes, and landmarks. This hands-on art project not only enhances their artistic skills but also deepens their understanding of various nations.
Related:25 Outstanding Show and Tell Letter O
World Geography Scavenger Hunt:
Transform geography lessons into an exciting scavenger hunt. Create a list of countries, landmarks, or geographical features from around the world, and challenge your kids to locate them on a map or globe. You can make it more interactive by having them find specific facts about each place they discover. This activity makes learning about geography both engaging and informative.
Cultural Dress-Up Day:
Organize a cultural dress-up day where your kids can explore traditional clothing from different parts of the world. Gather or create outfits that represent various cultures, such as kimonos from Japan, saris from India, or kilts from Scotland. As they dress up, discuss the significance of each garment and its role in the culture it represents. Encourage them to express their creativity and learn about the diversity of clothing styles worldwide.
Origami World Tour:
Dive into the art of origami and take your kids on a journey around the world through paper folding. Choose origami projects that represent animals, objects, or symbols from different cultures. For example, create a Japanese origami crane, an Egyptian pyramid, or a Mexican papel picado banner. This activity not only enhances fine motor skills but also introduces children to global art traditions.
World Flags Bingo:
Make learning about flags of the world a game by playing “World Flags Bingo.” Create bingo cards featuring flags from various countries, and provide small markers or coins for your kids to cover the flags as you call them out. Use a world map or an online resource to learn fun facts about each country as you play. It’s a fun way to reinforce geography knowledge and flag recognition.
Global Science Experiments:
Combine science with cultural exploration by conducting simple experiments inspired by different countries. For instance, create Chinese paper lanterns and explore the principles of buoyancy or make Italian gelato while learning about freezing and melting points. These hands-on experiments not only teach scientific concepts but also introduce kids to the scientific contributions of different cultures.
World Dance Party:
Organize a “World Dance Party” at home by exploring dance styles from around the world. Watch online tutorials or videos of traditional dances like the Irish jig, the Brazilian samba, or the Indian bharatanatyam. Encourage your children to learn the basic steps and movements of these dances and even create their own fusion dance routines. It’s a great way to promote physical activity while celebrating global diversity.
Cultural Exchange Pen Pals:
Foster global connections by helping your kids find pen pals from different countries. Use online platforms or connect with friends and family members living abroad. Encourage your children to write letters or emails to their pen pals, sharing information about their own culture, interests, and daily life while learning about their pen pals’ cultures in return. This activity promotes communication skills, empathy, and an appreciation for worldwide friendships.
Around the World Puzzle Challenge:
Collect puzzles featuring maps of different continents or countries and work on them together as a family. As you assemble the pieces, discuss the geography, landmarks, and cultures of the regions depicted in the puzzle. This activity not only sharpens problem-solving skills but also reinforces global knowledge.
International Movie Night:
Host an international movie night with your kids, featuring films from various countries. Choose age-appropriate movies that provide a glimpse into different cultures and traditions. After watching, discuss the film’s storyline, characters, and setting. You can also prepare snacks or meals from the country where the movie is set to make it a full cultural experience.
Global Gardening:
Create a small garden or planter box dedicated to growing plants from different parts of the world. Choose flowers, herbs, or vegetables native to various countries, and involve your children in planting and caring for them. While tending to the garden, talk about the climate, soil, and agricultural practices of each region. This hands-on activity teaches kids about biodiversity and the importance of nature conservation.
World Currency Exploration:
Introduce your kids to the fascinating world of money by collecting and exploring currency from different countries. You can start by acquiring a few foreign banknotes or coins. Discuss the history, symbolism, and cultural significance behind each currency. Encourage your children to create their pretend “world market” where they can “buy” and “sell” items using these currencies, promoting math and cultural understanding simultaneously.
Around the World Virtual Tours:
Utilize the power of technology to take virtual tours of famous international landmarks, museums, and cultural sites. Many museums and organizations offer free online tours and exhibits. Explore the Egyptian pyramids, the Louvre in France, the Great Wall of China, or the Amazon rainforest—all from the comfort of your home. After each virtual tour, engage in discussions about what you’ve learned and experienced.
Cultural Storytelling Circle:
Create a storytelling circle where family members take turns sharing tales and myths from various cultures around the world. You can find these stories in books or online resources. Discuss the morals, values, and lessons conveyed in each story. Encourage your kids to retell the stories in their own words and even act them out for added fun and creativity.
World Atlas Adventure:
Use a world atlas or online interactive maps to embark on a global geography adventure with your children. Select a country or continent, and together, explore its geographical features, climate, wildlife, and landmarks. Discuss interesting facts and compare them to your own location. This activity enhances geography knowledge and encourages discussions about the environment.
Multilingual Karaoke Night:
Host a multilingual karaoke night where your kids can sing along to songs in different languages. Search for popular songs with lyrics available online, representing a variety of cultures. Singing in other languages not only exposes children to diverse musical traditions but also helps improve pronunciation and language skills.
World Flag Craft Exploration:
Engage your kids in a craft project that focuses on creating flags from different countries. Provide materials like colored paper, markers, and craft sticks. Encourage them to design and construct flags while discussing the symbolism and significance of each flag’s colors and patterns. This hands-on activity combines art, history, and culture.
Global Nature Scavenger Hunt:
Take your children on a nature scavenger hunt that explores different aspects of the natural world from around the globe. Create a checklist of items to find, such as leaves from various trees, rocks of different colors and textures, or animal tracks. As you collect items, discuss the biodiversity and ecosystems of different regions and their importance for the planet.
Related: 20 Fun Engineering Activities for Preschoolers
