3 Ways to Raise a Global Citizen at Home

Inspiring your child to be a good global citizen doesn’t have to stop when the family vacation is over. Raising global citizens is an ongoing commitment that can and should continue well after the luggage gets unpacked.

Want some creative ways to inspire your kiddo to be a citizen of the world year-round? Check out these fun ideas.

1. Explore the World through Native Animals

My kids love just about anything to do with animals. Whether we’re reading a book or watching a documentary about zebras, tigers, orangutans, or flying fish, they’re hooked. Exploring native animals is a great way to introduce children to new countries and regions of the world.

Incorporate a globe and maps into your animal explorations, and you’re well on the way to a fun geography lesson. Your child also needs to be aware of some of the challenges facing native animals today. These include:

• climate change
• loss of habitat
• illegal poaching

Learning more about animals around the world will raise your child’s global awareness. It’ll help your child understand the role we all share in protecting the Earth and its creatures.

2. Celebrate an International Holiday or Festival

One thing that all human cultures have in common is our love of throwing a good party. So, why not check out how cultures from other parts of the world celebrate?

Events such as the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., and the Los Angeles Cultural Festival in Southern California get lots of attention and are great options if you live nearby. But smaller cities hold international celebrations, too, like Scottish Games, Irish Fiddle Contests, Chinese Lantern Festivals, Italian Food Festivals, and more.

Not sure where to start? Give your nearest community college or university a call to see if they have an active international student organization. If so, find out when the group holds events and celebrations and if they’re kid-friendly and open to the public.

Or, check out Everfest. The site includes a comprehensive list of festivals from all over the world and allows you to filter your search. It’ll make your hunt for culture and heritage festivals a cinch.

3. Create a Global Collage

Use old maps, atlases, magazines, books, and the internet to collect pictures and fun facts about other countries. Then, help your child make a collage that they can hang in their room.

Does your child want the collage to focus solely on one nation? One culture? One religion? Or, perhaps, one language? Does your little one want to focus on kids around the world? Animals? Or, landscapes?

The options abound. Creating a global collage is a great way to help your kids develop essential motor skills such as cutting and gluing. And it introduces them to other places, people, animals, and landscapes.

Raise a Global Citizen

Helping your child become a global citizen can be a blast for children and adults alike. And you get to learn fascinating facts about the Earth, too. So, dive in! Which one of these fun activities does your child want to try first?

At Our Whole Village, we’re here to help you and your family experience the world, its people, and cultures. Contact us today to learn more about the unforgettable experiences that we handcraft to introduce kids to the world and make a difference.