By Amber Swinehamer

As someone who enjoys educational traveling, COVID-19 took the wind out of my traveling sails last year. I was bummed that we wouldn't be making any memories while learning in new environments over spring break, so I started brainstorming on ways we could do that at home. What ensued was a week’s worth of family-friendly educational activities where we learned about different cultures, got creative with crafting and even made some yummy treats! We had so much fun doing it that we're going to replicate it again this summer, and I can't wait to see what new countries we “visit” this year.  Read on to see how we accomplished stamping our virtual passports.

1. Use search databases to find facts to learn about different places. 

We used Google and Wikipedia to get some basic facts about the countries we chose and made “fact sheets” to present to each other. First, we found our countries on a map and discussed where they were located in relationship to where we live. We discovered our countries’ native languages, what the populations were, what types of jobs were most popular, etc. We kept it simple.

2. Use Pinterest to find craft ideas.

From painting flags to coloring sheets, the creative possibilities are endless.

3. Use online music streaming programs to listen to music together.

We found everything from mariachi music to relaxing traditional Japanese music online and played the songs while we finished our crafts.

4.  Find recipes online to make simple culture-influenced desserts or snacks.

We made churros out of crescent roll dough and constructed a tiramisu, for example.

5. Select a movie that is set in the country you learned about that day.

Disney has plenty of movies that are set in different countries, so that made this pretty simple. Between an extensive physical DVD movie collection and several online streaming programs, we had no problem finding a movie that fit our “destinations.” This proved to be a relaxing and fun way to wrap up our journey!

We learned a lot on our last “trip” around the world, and I'm excited for us to add some new countries into the mix this summer. If you're not ready to travel post-COVID restrictions, or if you are on a tight budget/trying to avoid the logistics from traveling with a new baby (maybe that's just me … ), or if you are just looking for something fun and educational to do with the kids this summer, this is a great activity. It's like your own trip to Disney’s World Showcase at EPCOT right there in your own home.

Amber Swinehamer is a stay-at-home mom and resides in Bluffton, South Carolina, with her husband David and two sons. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, live music, Atlanta Braves baseball, and all things Washington, D.C.