4 Ways to Bring Book Lessons Into Your Kids’ Everyday Activities
by Ashley Evanson
As parents, we may not all be geniuses ourselves, but we’ll do whatever it takes to turn our kids into that baby genius we saw on TV. I may have been guilty of this with my first child — buying all of the “genius” baby movies, “special” educational toys, etc. Second or third kids can be different. After the first child, we tend to care a little less about the pacifier falling on the ground (just brush it off a few times, right?) and, unfortunately, creating educational moments can easily be forgotten. But I think we can change that.
As a book hoarder, my kids’ bookshelf is packed with more books than I’d like to admit. I bought all of the popular beginner concept books, but I found they lacked a deeper education beyond the actual concept. I thought that instead of teaching shapes with everyday objects, why not go one step further and teach both shapes and a bit of culture at the same time? That’s where my idea for the Hello, World book series came from, and I’m so happy that my kids are now learning about shapes, colors, numbers, and opposites alongside art, architecture, and culture from around the world.
And the learning doesn’t have to stop at the end of the book! My kids get excited when they recognize a photo of the Eiffel Tower in a shop window, or see a drawing of a double-decker bus from London.
We’ve found that we can extend the learning experience beyond the book with a few fun activities:
1. Visit the museum. Once a month, my kids and I visit the local art museum and play a variety of games to make it fun. Sometimes we pick our favorite painting in each room and tell each other why we like it. Other times I ask them what kinds of shapes and colors they see in the art. We also like to talk about the emotions on the people’s faces and pretend to know what they’re thinking about. And it’s always fun when they see something from one of the Hello, World books in a painting. The museum doesn’t have to be boring for kids!
2. Visit places of worship, like churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples. The architecture, art, and religious culture of places of worship are great for expanding minds of all ages. We’re lucky here in San Francisco to have a church on nearly every block, and we love to make spontaneous stops to peek inside these other worlds. My kids love to walk the labyrinths, see the statues of different deities, and experience the unique space of other cultures. These aren’t long visits (5-10 minutes), but they’re enough to teach some great lessons.
3. Point things out. This takes a bit of effort from mom and dad, but once you start looking for art and culture, you’ll realize it’s everywhere. “Look at that beautiful building! It’s called the Capitol.” “Do you see the Golden Gate Bridge? What color is it?” “There’s a picture of Notre Dame Cathedral on this book, just like from your Paris book!” The simplest things can be both fun and educational.
4. Books, books, books! It’s not realistic for our kids to become mini jet setters, but taking them to different places through books is one of the best ways to show them the world. Here are some of my favorite children’s books that teach about other cultures:
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Trouble with Trolls
Also available from: Berlioz the Bear
Also available from:
