Did you know that there is a festival in Spain in which thousands of people gather in the streets to throw tons of over-ripe tomatoes?  It is called La Tomatina, and it is held on the last Wednesday of August every year. Did you know that World Wildlife Day, World Day of Prayer, and World Poetry Day…

They have been performing for the past 50 years, and have been nominated for Grammy, Tony, Emmy, and Academy awards.  Nelson Mandela called them “South Africa’s cultural ambassadors.” They are Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a male a cappella choral group from South Africa that performs all around the world teaching about their country and culture.   In 1960 Joseph…

South Africa was at a major turning point in the early 1990s. Apartheid was coming to an end, a democratic government was being formed, and Nelson Mandela was about to become the first black president of South Africa.  The country needed a new flag to represent its new vision.   A public competition was held for the design of…

A Journey in South Africa Africa is pretty huge. In fact, Africa is the second largest continent both based on size and population. Therefore, as you can probably imagine there is a very wide range of culture, climate, landscape, and development across the nearly twelve million square mile place. However, for the sake of saving…

One of the ways our family likes to “travel” is through food.  While researching for our Taste of South Africa night, we weren’t surprised to learn that the cuisine is as diverse as the country itself.  Influenced by many cultures including indigenous, Dutch, Malaysian, French, and Indian, South Africans have a rainbow of choices. Bobotie is considered to be the closest…

Kids will love investigating the beautiful country of South Africa and creating a book or a poster to share what they learned. Materials a poster board or sheets of paper stapled together glue or tape printables library books about South Africa National Geographic Kids Kids World Travel Guide Project Cut and paste the printables to make a…

South Africa’s official participation in the Olympic Games began in 1908; however, the country’s involvement at the 1904 Games is a great, rarely heard story – revealing the athletes that weren’t there to compete in the first place. The 1904 Olympic Games The 1904 Olympics (the third modern Olympic Games) were held in St. Louis, USA as part of the World’s…

South Africans are extremely passionate about sports.  While many different sports are played in South Africa, this post will focus on what are known as “The Big Three.” Soccer Also known as football, soccer is the most popular team sport in South Africa.  The men’s national soccer team is Bafana Bafana (The Boys) and the women’s national soccer team is Banyana Banyana (The Girls).  They are competing…

Sprinkle typical summer activities with some cultural learning. Introduce and celebrate the beautiful diversity in our world. READ! Head to the library or your local bookstore. Choose books that feature diverse characters and communities and that offer a look into other experiences and cultures. Here are a few resources to get you started. Read Around the World Summer Reading…

What in the world do YOU do with your tooth? A boy in Mexico leaves his tooth in a box on his bedside table.  He hopes that the magic mouse, El Ratón, will take his tooth and leave some money. A girl in South Africa leaves her tooth in a slipper in her room.  A mouse comes…

May 5 Children’s Day Celebrations National Children’s Days are observed on various days throughout the year in countries all around the world.  The day is devoted to celebrating the health and happiness of all children. Japan and South Korea celebrate Children’s Day on May 5, the fifth day of the fifth month. Kodomo No Hi is a national holiday in Japan.  Colorful…

Orthodox Christians in Greece, Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and other countries around the world celebrate Pascha (Easter) with church services, decorating eggs, playing games and eating traditional foods are typical parts of the celebration. The Eggs Decorated eggs are an important part of the Orthodox Easter tradition. In Greece, the hard-boiled eggs are dyed a bright red. Romanians paint hollowed-out eggs in traditional…