I’ve started to buy my daughter’s gifts for under the Christmas tree this year, and I’m on the hunt for fun things that will excite her imagination and curiosity about the fascinating world that we live in (short of actually jumping on a plane to a different country). With this in mind, I’ve come up with a bunch of “around the world” gift ideas for children…
1.) Maps. Whether its a fancy floor globe for an older child, or a laminated place mat for a younger child, there are a range of options to have the world at their fingertips for learning and to incite conversation. I’ve found globe pillows for bedrooms and playrooms or wall sized fabric maps. There are a ton of options for maps online and in stores depending on a child’s age and to suit a range of budgets.
2.) Around the World Dress Up Clothes. I thought this was a great idea for children that are still into pretend play. Dress up clothes can be made for less at home (if only I was handy with a sewing machine) — a Japanese kimono, an Indian sari, a Scottish kilt — the possibilities are endless! In the USA I found some available online at Lakeshore Learning.
3.) Foreign Language Books. I started teaching my daughter a second language by reading her children’s books in French (see article). Did you study another language at some point, but feel like you retain nothing now? Chances are, if you had a children’s book in that language in front of you, you may surprise yourself that you can read it to your child. And, you might even get better at it as the years go by.
There are many foreign language children’s books on good ‘ole Amazon.com, and the variety depends on the language and your location. But, for a wider selection of French children’s books, I order from Canadian online bookstores like Archambault, too. I’ve also had success with foreign language magazines for my older niece who is studying French in high school. I’ve found topics that interested her, and she enjoyed picking out the cultural differences!
4.) Story Books About Different Cultures. From old African stories to learning about a country in South America, I like the idea of taking my daughter on a tour around the world just before bedtime every night. In addition to local and online bookstores and libraries, I happened to have come across a site for these types of books on Growing Muses, a fellow WordPress blog. Barefoot Books is offering a 15% discount for first time buyers if you use code SCSHFT. (They have global themed puzzles, too!)
5.) Foreign Children’s Music. Whether it’s in the language that my daughter is learning, music from our heritage, or neither, I like to spice up our playlist with a new children’s foreign music cd. There are many out there to choose from. For example, one of our favorites for French is Charlotte Diamond‘s “Nous Sommes Tous Comme les Fleurs.” She also has other CDs for children in English, French and Spanish.
6.) Local Global Adventure. An idea that I’d like to use in the future is to pick an ethnic restaurant that we’ve never been to before, and give my daughter an invitation to join us on an exploration of tastes of another land for dinner one night. My plan is to start off by pointing out the country on the map and then do some research online together about the country and the types of food. Then, we will pick a date and set out for our global family adventure!
7). Building Blocks or Puzzles of International Structures. Whether it’s the twin towers of Kuala-Lumpur, the Eiffel Tower of Paris or the Egyptian Pyramids, there are blocks or puzzles that represent structures such as these and may excite a child’s imagination about different places in the world!
8.) Handmade Jewelry or Crafts from Around the World. African beads or Middle Eastern bangle bracelets — oh my! Giving a child a piece of jewelry (doesn’t have to be expensive) or craft that was made somewhere else in the world with a story behind it could be fun! (Here, in the U.S., I happen to like to search the non-profit, 10,000 Villages, for global jewelry and unique crafts.)
9.) Toys with Global Themes. Whether it’s dolls in different ethnic costume, toy cars from different places on the globe, or toy planes representing different international airlines, these types of things may open up a child’s mind to other countries!
10.) Adopt an Endangered Animal in a Foreign Country. I have to do some research on finding a reputable charity that does this sort of thing, but one year I’d like to adopt a wild animal in my daughter’s name. Not only will she maybe learn about a new type of animal species, but she will also learn about a new place, where the animal’s habitat is, on the globe.
Sometimes you don’t have to go very far to give your child the world. I’m always looking for new ideas to open my daughter’s mind to other cultures and the broader picture of what this planet has to offer. Some of these ideas I have used, and some I hope to use in the future. I hope you enjoyed them!
Do you have ideas for global gifts for children? Please share them with us!
This has been an original post for World Moms Blog by Veronica Samuels, in New Jersey, USA. Veronica can be found on her Facebook Page, on Twitter @Veronica Samuels or also contributing to Jersey Moms Blog.
Photo credit of Korean dolls to http://www.flickr.com/photos/kodomut/3504219964/. This photo has a creative commons attribution license.
Veronica Samuels has not received any kickbacks from the vendors mentioned and linked to in this post. The 15% discount at Barefoot Books is available to all first-time buyers. Veronica has come across all of these vendors, products and ideas through her own experience of searching for global gifts for her daughter. Please shop at your own risk! 🙂
You have some great ideas! My kids have the built-in advantage of having a grandmother in South Africa. She writes them stories about African culture and she illustrates them herself – they are always a hit with the kids!
Kirsten
Thanks, Kirsten!
That is so special that your children have your mom in another country, and she shares African culture like that with them. Awesome!!!
Veronica Samuels 🙂
What a great article! We are doing many of the things you listed above, but trying to incorporate Spanish, as that is the 2nd language our family is learning. I do LOVE your idea – #6 – taking your child out to an ethnic restaurant. Our Spanish tutor recommended in the past to go to a local Mexican restaurant on Cape Cod, they only speak Spanish. I have yet to get there, shame on me! To tell the truth I think the idea is fantastic but my fear of how my girls will behave b/c they don’t have “pasta” on the menu worries me. I love sushi, Thai food, etc. and would love for my girls to broaden their tastes, yet they are the most picky eaters… EVER! Plus, my 2-year-old sometimes is not restaurant material. BUT, I have high hopes and am looking forward to trying your idea!
Courtney,
Give it a try and see what happens! From ordering in food, my daughter likes gyoza, noodles and soup. So, if we’re in an Asian restaurant, we can usually find something to order her. Brown rice is always a good option, too! And, if she won’t eat it, well, then there’s something else she can eat when she gets home. But, she usually won’t want to wait, so she eats something. I think if we did Mexican, she may eat meat from the fajitas, and definitely…the chips! Now I’m totally in the mood for Mexican!!!! Yum!
Veronica Samuels 🙂
Great post Veronica! I’m an early Christmas shopper, so I’m actually all done (thank God), but you’ve given me great ideas for upcoming birthdays.
Kally,
I’ve bought foreign language books for birthday, too! I’m glad you can use something from these ideas! 🙂 (and bravo, for being done with shopping!!)
Veronica 🙂
Thanks Veronica – great ideas! I like the books “A Life Like Mine: How Children Live Around the World” and “Children Just Like Me” (published by DK in collaboration with UNICEF) and have gifted them a few times. I just ordered “Around the World with Mouk” for my niece, which seems like fun (yes, I’m the annoying auntie that sends a global-themed gift just about every year). Now I just need someone to gift these books to me;)
Shaula,
Thanks for the new titles — I’ve never heard of those! We will have to read them!
Veronica 🙂
Great ideas Veronica – love them!
With regard to:
1) My oldest daughter has a world map hanging in her room. Whenever we go somewhere, we talk about where it is in relation to Seattle. We also have family abroad, so we’ve put pictures of them next to the country they live in. When we meet people from other places, we also pay the map a visit to see where it is 🙂
4) A couple of my favorites: The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell (Southwest U.S. version of the 3 Little Pigs available in Spanish too) and Mama Do You Love Me? by Barbara Joose (Alaska Native mother/daughter story).
5) We have a couple of the Putomayo Kids CDs – African Playground and Animal Playground – which I acutally find I can still tolerate after listening to them the millionth time!
10) My oldest daughter’s pre-school class is putting on a performance of “Caps for Sale” in their classroom next week. Any money donated by attendees will be used to buy an animal for a family in need through (I think) Heifer International. They did this last year (with a performance of One Duck Stuck) and were so excited that they were able to buy a goat. They also received a nice card that talked about how the family would be able to use the goat.
Correction – just found out this morning it’s World Vision, not Heifer International.
Thanks, Eva! I like the putting the pictures next to the place on the map idea!!
Veronica Samuels 🙂