Too many children don’t have an appreciation for culture outside of their own little bubble. The world is vast and beautiful, and your child might be missing out if they aren’t exposed to other cultures at a young age. Expand your child’s horizons with these ways to expose them to new culture.
1. Travel to another country
Want to teach your child about another culture? Visit another country! Get your child a passport and take them to as many different countries as you can. This is the absolute best way to learn about a culture.
2. Learn another language together
It’s easier to learn about another culture when you can speak with the people. For this reason, start teaching your child a second language as early as possible. If you don’t know the language yourself, you can learn it with them. Try learning the language before you visit the country to make the visit easier.
3. Visit an art museum
Art has told us more about many cultures than any records ever could. If you want to teach your child about a culture, show the child the art of the culture. Luckily, you don’t even have to get on a plane to do this. You can simply go to your local art museum. Look for specialized exhibits if you are focusing on a specific culture, but you can also learn a lot from any general art museum.
4. Get to know people from other culture
While different cultures may seem out of reach, they aren’t. Children need to know that they can learn about culture just by talking to the people in their neighborhood. Encourage your child to be tolerant of other cultures and speak to other children who might look a little different from them.
5. Eat new foods
Some people say that people are connected because of music, art, or history. Other people would argue that people truly come together at the dinner table. Teach your child about other cultures with delicious food from around the world. Try to find authentic food as opposed to food designed for the local palette.
6. Watch foreign movies
Some people don’t necessarily enjoy watching movies with subtitles. In many cases, this could be because they didn’t grow up with it. Once your child has learned to read, start watching foreign films. There are plenty of children’s options to consider. As they get older, the films can get more and more complex. Watching these movies will give your children an insight into the current entertainment in another country. They may even see that it’s not very different from our own.
7. Celebrate foreign holidays
Your child is probably familiar with Christmas and the 4th of July. However, they might not be as familiar with the Chinese New Year, Cinco de Mayo, or Hanukkah. Teach them about other cultures through their holidays. This is usually a fun way to do it, too.
8. Teach your child their own culture
In many situations, a child needs a reason to want to learn about a different culture. Well, if it’s their own culture, it can help motivate them. Teach them about where you and your spouse come from. You can do this by having your parents or grand parents tell them stories. You can also encourage it by speaking your native tongues with your child. When you are involved as well, your child will learn more and retain more.
Learning culture will help your child’s cognitive skills in a variety of different areas. It will also help them in social and business situations later in life. Give them a jump start by actively encouraging an appreciation for other parts of the world.