The holidays are a great time to explore the geography of a new travel destination, rediscover the geography of your local community, or take part in fun geography crafts and games at home. Try to plan at least one geography-themed family activity over the holidays. Here are a few ideas:
1) Play a geography trivia or board game like Brain Quest, World Wise, or Passport to Culture
2) If traveling, let the kids play navigator and program the GPS device. Or, go old-school and chart your route on a map.
3) Bake a cake or sheet of gingerbread. Using candy and icing, decorate it with a map of your holiday travel plans or an upcoming trip.
4) Bake a traditional ethnic treat, such as Danish rice pudding, able skiver pancakes, or potato latkes.
5) Instead of the traditional gingerbread house, build a global village out of candy! Make an adobe abode for warm-weather dwellers, an igloo, maybe even an eco-home. Get creative!
Here are some more holiday tips from National Geographic Kids:
1. Take a winter holiday quiz:
“Quiz Your Noodle”
2. Learn more about winter celebrations including Chinese New Year, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Eid al Adha
3. Make Kwanzaa Creole bread pudding
4. Find ways to give back over the holidays
5. Hear about Christmas from kids around the world
Ayat, 10-year-old blogger for “You Are Here: Jordan” celebrates Christmas in Jordan
Global Bros, two world traveling brothers ages 8 and 11, celebrate Christmas in Australia
6. Learn about cold-weather creatures with a visit to the arctic animals photo gallery
7. Read how one science fair project can “Snowball into Something Big“
Continue on to the next post for holiday recipes and tips for building a global village!