Activity ideas to spark cultural discoveries at every age

Ages 0 to 2:

The youngest children will be drawn to whatever stimulates their senses.

• Play songs in different languages or instruments from different countries (for example, percussion instruments). It doesn't have to be music made for children.
• For children who are walking: add scarves so they can dance to the rhythm of the music.
• Offer foods from different countries at snack time: let little ones discover them, handle them and taste them if they wish.
• Offer animal figurines from different countries to play with in a water table or a sandbox so they can handle them while exploring different textures.
• Find handicrafts from other countries, for example woven baskets or small handbags in which children can hide toys and so explore the action of filling and emptying.
• Use pictures of babies from the chosen country and stick them near their routine spots, like the changing table. Stick photos of foods from the country on a plastic tablecloth or directly on the table to liven up mealtimes.
• Use the flags of different countries to play peekaboo or to hide different objects to find.

Ages 3 to 5:

Preschool-age children will love discovering the symbols that are key to their cognitive development at this age.

• Teach them a simple nursery rhyme in the country's language that you can recite very slowly so children can listen to the words of another language.
• Learn one or two words from the languages of different countries.
• Make simple puzzles using the flags of different countries for them to put back together.
• Find objects from elsewhere and group them to play “Which object did I hide?” (have everyone look at all the objects, then hide one and the children have to figure out which one is missing). You can use the country's flag to cover the objects.
• Make a memory game with cards showing objects or foods that are symbolic of another country.

Ages 6 and up:

School-age children will enjoy leading projects and getting actively involved in their discoveries.

• Let them choose a food or recipe from elsewhere that they can introduce to family members or prepare with their parents' help.
• Play “Guess the taste” with different exotic foods (everyone tastes all the new foods, then someone tastes one food again while blindfolded and has to guess which one it is).
• Put on a music show using instruments from elsewhere.
• Learn a story or a song in a foreign language and perform it for family members.

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