The world at our feet

Just in case you had not heard the news, Euro 2012 is in full swing and the Olympics are coming up soon. Funnily enough, such sporting extravaganzas do not seem to evoke a desire to play football, go rowing, throw a discus (thankfully) or high jump in my children. Instead, I have found myself inundated with questions about the world and all that it entails – Where is Poland? Is China bigger than India? What language do they speak in the Ukraine? Is Antarctica up or down on the world (they do not seem to grasp the concept of north and south yet!). In any case I love their sense of curiosity, their need to grasp the world and to understand the concept of cities, countries and continents (try explaining Europe to them when I do not quite understand where it starts and where it stops – geographically that is of course) - even if said curiosity often confronts me with my own lack of knowledge (thank goodness for Wikipedia). So I ask myself, what better time to teach my boys about the world then now?

You may be wondering, how do I bring the world into my house? 

Play football with an inflatable globe or hang a collection of them from the ceiling (the choice is enormous: plain, with animals, with dinosaurs or looking like the earth looks from outer space!). 

If your children are as puzzle crazy as mine, let them learn about countries and their native animals one step (or puzzle piece) at a time. 

Bring the world to the dinner table by cooking food from other countries and sharing interesting facts and stories from that country. Give them a copy of  “De gele Ballon”, a book my son took to bed with him every single night for 12 months – they will discover things about the world that we may not even know about. 

Or light up their room with a globe – a gift my boys were recently given that has provided us with hours of entertainment (and yet more questions…). Last but not least, if you want to make sure your children grasp the enormity of the world they live in, go big…. I mean really big… a map, in the brightest of colors, that covers the entire wall of a room. 

I doubt that you will have any difficulty finding your next holiday destination or showing your children where Usain Bolt comes from (after he wins his next gold medal in London)!

Geschreven door: Christina
Categorieën:  Boys Only - speciaal voor jongens ,  Home & Design - Kinderkamer - Hebbedingen