Suzanna D. Smith, Ph.D., MSW, CFLE, Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Relations

Thinking of vacationing along France’s beautiful Mediterranean coast? Imagining your family on safari in Kenya? Hearing steel drums calling you to visit the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago? Don’t have the funds for these exotic trips? You don’t have to travel to enjoy at least a taste of places you would like to go.

Summer is a great time for children of all ages to explore the world, from their home and their community library.  Along the way, they’ll learn other important skills, too.

• Learn about a country your family would like to visit. Help your child find information about the country from a variety of sources.
• Public libraries often have many children’s books, music CDs, and movies available.
• Select a few age appropriate websites for your child to read.
• Help her or him send a letter or email to the country’s tourism center for brochures and maps.
• Post a map and colorful pictures of the destination’s cities, countryside, and people.
• Pick a traditional dish that you can make together at home and serve it to your family, or at a pot-luck party.
• You might want to come up with a few questions for your child to answer about the country’s famous citizens, natural environment, family life, and so on.
• Have an international feast. Invite friends for an international pot-luck, where everyone brings a dish from another country or culture. You may want to encourage younger children to dress in clothing from the country they studied. 
• Get started with another language. Listen to language training tapes or enroll your child in a language camp or lessons in your town. Listening to music or watching movies or TV in another language are fun and entertaining ways to learn.
• At your local museum, look at art work from other countries. Or, use the Internet to find information about a country’s art. Be on the look out for concerts or other
• Find international music at your music or bookstore or library. There are fantastic international music CDs compiled specifically for children. Be on the lookout for performances by international artists at nearby locations.

These activities can be adapted. For example, while younger children will be satisfied with thinking about the country’s culture, older children may be just as interested in political controversies, government and social systems, and the country’s heroes. Also, children can work alone, but may find it even more fun to work with a sibling or friends, exploring one country together or learning about different nations. They help broaden a child’s perspective on the world’s cultures, history, and environment. Don't forget to take some pictures!