Adventures In Learning: Travel Around The World With These Fun Stay At Home Activities

We expanded our adventures in learning outside of the normal routine by coming up with great ways to experience multiple cultures and see the world without leaving the comfort of our home. Get ready to travel around the world with these fun activities for everyone.

Each country offers unique foods, traditions, and music that we enjoy incorporating into each country we “visit.”  While there are still many countries left on our list of places to explore during our staycation at home, here are a few of our favorites thus far.

Preparing For Your Travel Around The World Adventures In Learning

As with any adventure in learning, it is best to be prepared. To ensure a successful visit to any country, it is best to be prepared and plan.  Ensure you have all the ingredients needed to make any special dishes or desserts. Print out any templates and gather materials for crafts. Download any programs and find the perfect music station to represent the country that you are planning on visiting.

Go in with the expectation of only visiting two or three countries a week is ideal because it is easy to dedicate a whole week or more to each country.

We dedicated an entire article to Experiencing Disney World At Home.

Here are a few of my resources:

• Pinterest is an excellent source to discover even more recipes, crafts, and fun things to do dedicated to specific countries.
• A few of my personal favorites travel shows are Rick Steves Europe,  Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, and Planet Earth.
• Those will littles will love the cultural lesson plans at Build Your Masterpiece and these great free printable learning books representing different countries.
• This list of virtual museum tours from around the world
• Try your hand at learning a few words in different languages with Duolingo!
• Another great way to experience a country without visiting is by planning a trip. Browse travel blogs to discover hidden gems, a look inside cities, and foods to experience. Even if you never actually go on the trip, it is fun to see what other members of the family would choose to see, experience, and eat.

Travel Around The World To These Great Countries With These Adventures In Learning

Germany

Venture to the beautiful country of Germany by setting up a day full of German delights and fun.  Start your day off by making classic German Pancakes. These are bound to become a new staple in your breakfast routine.

While you digest those tasty cakes, become an armchair traveler by switching on PBS to watch one of our favorite travel shows is Rick Steves Europe. There are a few episodes where he is exploring parts of Germany.  Learn a little history, see the sights, and experience the culture without leaving your couch.

Here are a few other great ways to experience Germany at home.

• Get active by learning how to do the Chicken Dance.
• Build Your Own Cuckoo Clock out of cardboard boxes.
• Make delicious Germany Pretzels.  We loved this recipe from King Arthur Flour.
• Have A Mustard Tasting it is excellent with those German Pretzel you just made. Gather three or four different mustards and see which ones you like best.
• Have a Germany beer or two.
• Make a traditional German meal of Sauerbraten or Sausages.
• Indulge in Black Forest Cake – whether locally made or making it yourself.

Italy

Italy is one country that is easy to spend days or a week exploring from home. With endless online learning opportunities, a quick google search will have you in the heart of Rome to the beaches of the Alfami Coast in seconds.

We kicked off our adventure to Italy with a round of Italian cappuccinos with biscotti. We dove into the history surrounding Pompeii, and afterward, we decided to make our own erupting Pompeii volcano. If you didn’t win the blue ribbon at the science fair now, is your time for redemption.  Create your volcanic masterpiece then prepare your family for the epic eruption.

Here are a few other great ways to experience Italy at home.

• Make your own pizza or calzones.
• Have an Italian wine tasting.
• Tour the famous Italian museums online.  City tours are also popular!
•  Watch an Opera online.
• Try your hand at making cannolis.
• Don’t forget to try the Lemoncello.
• Get modeling clay and have a sculpting contest on who can make the best David or another masterpiece.
• Make your own pasta.

Spain

Flamenco, tapas, and Spanish guitar are just of few of the many extraordinary things Spain is known for. One of our favorite road trips has been through Portugal and Spain.  Spain has so many different great cities and cultural experiences that we may visit here again while we travel around the world.

Be sure to incorporate beautiful Spanish guitar music into your day also, with a little Flamenco.  We went all out for our Spanish meal by making a paella. Paella is a labor of love but completely worth every second you put in. Pair it with a nice Spanish wine and cap off your evening with flan.

Here are a few other great ways to experience Spain at home.

• Read about the countries bull-fighting history, tour a bull-fighting colosseum online, then if you have a pet, try your own hand at “bull-fighting.” Our daughter loved turning our dog into the “bull” and trying to get her to pass through the red cloth.
• Learn how to dance Flamenco.
• Enjoy a lovely tapas dinner.
• Make your own Spanish fan.
• Blow up red water balloons to create your own La Tomatina Festival, aka the big tomato fight.
• Take a virtual tour of the magnificent structures designed by Antoni Gaudi.

Great Britain: Our Favorite Adventures In Learning

We crossed the pond to visit a country that has been on the top of our travel bucketlist.  While many immediately think of the royal family, Great Britain is home to tons of history, iconic landmarks, and some amazing pastries.

We created our own stunning afternoon tea complete with homemade scones, Earl Gray Tea, and tasty finger sandwiches. We finally found a reason to use our good china and made it a memorable afternoon.

Here are a few other great ways to experience Great Britain at home.

• Make Fish N Chips! Don’t forget the malt vinegar.
• Design your own crowns. Because we all know who the real queen in the house is!
• Binge watch the Great British Baking Show. Tip: Be sure to have a baked good nearby.
• After that binge-watch Downtown Abbey.
• Create this awesome version of Toad-In-The-Hole.
• Make your own version of a cardboard Big Ben, Buckingham Palaces, and use popsicle sticks to make the Queen’s Guard.
• Take a virtual tour of the historical landmarks and museums.
• Make Stonehedge out of play-doh.
• Travel around the world in style by busting out the Queen’s Jewels, aka any old costume jewelry you have lying around!

India

Dive into the heart of India, a country rich in flavors and landscapes. From the snow-capped Himalayas to the iconic Taj Mahal, there are countless things to explore and discover about this fascinating country.

We supported our favorite local Indian restaurant and ordered a feast of delicious curries and naans. Then we worked it off by having a Bollywood dance party.

Here are a few other great ways to experience India at home.

• Create a Lotus Flower using sand art.
• Read inspiring quotes from Gandhi.  Take time to read a little about his life as well.
• Learn about Hindusim.
• Get a henna tattoo or give each other henna tattoos.
• Utilize these great free India craft templates for fun crafts with the kids.
• Make delicious Gulab Jamon.
• Take a virtual tour of the Taj Mahal.
• Have a Yeti day in honor of the mysterious creature that claims to be roaming the Himalayas.

A Great Adventure In Learning Is To Go On Safari In Africa

Here are a few other great ways to experience a Safari at home.

There are quite a few countries in Africa that offer once-in-a-lifetime Safaris. Since we couldn’t just pick one country to highlight for their Safari we lumped safari into one big day. We will circle back to each individual country to highlight their distinct culture, recipes, and more.

For our general safari day, we watched a great deal of Planet Earth and actual safaris on Youtube. Then we set up our own Safari with animals and then sent our daughter to the yard to find them. We pulled her around in a wagon, gave her binoculars, and a safari hat.

• Set up an indoor or outdoor safari
• Watch A few episodes of Planet Earth
• Make trail mix to take on Safari.
• Research an animal commonly found on Safari.
• Have a contest to see who can find the most bizarre animal facts.
• Watch the Lion King
• Make a pair of binoculars out of toilet paper rolls
• Use a paper plate and leftover tissue paper to make a lions mane.
• Make West African Chicken Stew

Greece

Ancient Greece intrigues the imagination as legends of gods and mythical creatures take center stage.  In a country known for delicious foods, captivating history, and dreamy escapes this one country you don’t want to miss while you travel around the world for your adventures in learning.

We threw our own Greek Olympics that was a ton of fun! Even if there are only two people in the house a little friendly competition is a blast. We ordered carry-out from a local Mediterranean restaurant and capped our evening with baklava from a local bakery.

Here are a few other great ways to experience Greece at home.

• Have a Toga Party
• Make Your Own Torch for your Greek Olympics. While you are at it don’t forget the medals.
• Host your own Greek Olympics; this can include relay races, kicking soccer balls into a goal, a ring toss, and more.
• Make Spanakopita
• Grill out chicken kebobs for delicious stuffed pitas.
• Make a laurel wreath.
• Paint pottery ancient Greek style.
• Learn about Greek Mythology.
• Read the Odyssey.
• There are tons of movies revolving around Greek Mythology, such as Hercules, Clash of the Titans, and Troy.

China

Discover a country with a rich history, fabulous festivals, and fascinating traditions. China is easily another country you could spend weeks exploring from home.  Dive into the documentaries about Chinese culture and food to discover while feasting on traditional Chinese carry-out.

The Mid-autumn festival was the perfect starting point in our China homecation. Even though the festival is not for many months, we had fun learning all about the symbolism, traditions, and festivities that take place.  We joined in the fun by making paper lanterns,  tried our hand at homemade fried rice, and moon cakes.

Here are a few other great ways to experience China during your adventures in learning.

• Make Chinese Hand Fans by cutting a paper plate in half and glue on popsicle sticks. Then Decorate.
• Moon Cakes out of play-doh.
• Order Chinese food from your favorite local restaurant.
• Create A Chinese Drum.
• Learn a few Chinese Characters.
• Take a virtual hike along the Great Wall of China 
• Learn about the panda bear online and through documentaries.
• Make a panda mask out of a paper plate.
• Practice Origami and see who can create the best swan.

Australia

Next, we head to the land down under for exotic animals, The Great Barrier Reef and my daughter’s favorite instrument, the didgeridoo. The outback is full of adventures that you can have right in your own home.

Creating our very own paper towel roll didgeridoo was a priority in our household. My daughter promptly went around playing it for hours. We had fun sampling vegemite, making hand pies, and learning all about the kangaroo. It is fun to see how creativity flows during these adventures in learning.

Here are a few other great ways to experience Australia at home.

• Create a cardboard Boomerang or practice throwing a boomerang if you already own one.
•  Make the ever-popular children’s favorite, Fairy Toast, aka toast with lots of sprinkles!
• Bake homemade Hand pies.
• Vegemite Tasting.
• Create an Aboriginal Dot painting masterpiece
• Hop on the Koala Kam For Live Steaming of Koalas!
• Take a Virtual Tour of the Melbourne Museum and the Sydney Opera House.
• Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough In This Virtual Journey.
• Watch a few past episodes of Crocodile Hunter in honor of Steve Irwin.

Chile

This country is home to a wide variety of breath-taking landscapes, rich in flavors, and is home to Easter Island.  A few things Chile is known for is an amazing wine, culinary delights, and hiking along the Andes Mountains.

Learning all about the Moai on Easter Island was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. National Geographic has an excellent documentary on them. Then we cracked open our bottle of red wine from Chile and made a fun Chilean inspired dinner.

Here are a few other great ways to experience Chile at home.

• Make Empanadas
• Have a painting party and paint the Andes Mountain Range. Pairs well with Chilian wine.
• Create a Chilian Wine Trail in your home to sample a variety of wines.
• Paint rocks to resemble Moai
• Try your hand at one of the many Alpaca crafts on Pinterest
• Learn the national dance of Chile: La Cueca

For A Few Chilly Adventures In Learning, Explore Antarctica

Did you even travel around the world if you didn’t make time to visit Antarctica?! It’s time to dip down to the bottom of our planet to explore the wonders of Antarctica.  With penguins as the motivator, we discovered so much more about this fascinating, icy part of the world.

The highlight of our staycation to Antarctica was making homemade ice cream in a bag followed by creating snow-doh to play in. Penguins ended up taking a backseat as we discovered that there is so much more to learn here than that meets the eye.

Here are a few other great ways to experience Antarctica at home.

• Make Snow-Doh- Combine two boxes of baking soda with white hair conditioner until the snowy texture about 8oz
• Disney Plus has a great series on Antarctica and the film Penguins.
• Make Penguins out of toilet paper tubes.
• Have an ice-cream tasting party
• Make homemade ice cream. We created our own by placing a cup of half-n-half, a tbsp of sugar and tsp of vanilla in a small Ziploc baggie. Make sure to seal it up tight with little to no air inside. Then place the small baggie inside a bigger Ziploc bag filled with ice and about 1/4 cup of salt. Shake for six minutes.  Give the smaller baggie a quick wipedown to get off any extra salt, then enjoy!
• Play a few games of Don’t Break the Ice

I hope that we have inspired you to attempt some adventures in learning at home by “traveling” around the world. If you are looking for more great activities to have in your home, be sure to check out these great adventures to have in your own home.

Adventures In Learning: Travel Around The World At Home