Nurture a Global Mindset in Kids!
By Robin Barone
I became an Auntie in my college years and unconsciously appointed myself as a cultural attaché to connect these children with the world beyond our own. I embraced foreign cultures beyond my love of travel; I recognized that in our increasingly interconnected world it was imperative to understand, respect, and interact with people of different backgrounds.
With summer in full swing, the change in weather is a perfect opportunity to consider activities outside of one’s routine that nurture a global mindset. There are a multitude of activities that you can engage the children in your life to plant seeds of curiosity about the world beyond their own!
Here are my top five recommendations for experiences to share with your nieces, nephews, and all the children in your life to cultivate their curiosity!
1. Visit the local cultural festival or fair that celebrates their cultural values, traditions, or annual holidays! Sample the food, dance to their music, and learn about the community’s heritage.
2. Listen to music from a different country and learn the movements to dance to those melodies
3. Volunteer with a local community group that supports the integration of immigrants into your community
4. Learn to cook a foreign meal that involves ingredients and textures that are unfamiliar to your own background!
5. Watch a foreign film with subtitles that connects human stories to the historical context
Teach “curiosity” as a response when placed in unfamiliar environments
Today developing a global mindset does not necessarily require a passport or large budget! It simply requires an open heart and time to embrace the unfamiliar; and in the process, creates defining memories with you and the children your life!
Photo:
SerrNovik
Published: July 6, 2016
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Born and bred in Philadelphia, Robin Barone decided at an early age that she wanted to experience the world! Robin has had the opportunity to live in New York, Washington D.C., Buenos Aires, Paris, and Singapore in addition to visiting over 60 countries! As a result of all of her experiences, Robin has dedicated herself to teaching children about the world through adventure travel books and lives by the motto “dream.plan.go." Her first book, Where is Robin? is now available. learn more at: https://www.facebook.com/WhereIsRobin/