Every time St. Patrick’s Day arrives, I cringe thinking of all the children who fret getting pinched for not wearing green.

It’s not the pinching part I’m concerned about at all. It’s the fact that for many children, this is the one single fact they associate with St. Patrick’s Day.

Getting pinched?

Really??

I want to gather all these sadly mislead children together and take them to a field of green.

I would have them close their eyes and lay back in a comfy spot.

Then, I’d share with them the incredible magic of St. Patrick’s Day.

I would begin with the fascinating facts about leprechauns…

I would tell them that a true Leprechaun wears a red hat, not green…

That leprechauns are classified as “solitary fairies” rather than “trooping fairies” meaning they prefer to be left alone and even avoid contact with other leprechauns…

I would tell them that leprechauns pour all their time and passion into their one profession which is shoe-making. In fact, a leprechaun will always be found with a shoe in one hand and a hammer in the other. The dance-all-night fairies pay for those shoes in gold coins…

And that leprechauns can hide behind trees faster than the human eye can follow, which might explain why we are left to witness the destruction they leave behind, but never the sight of a Leprechaun himself.

There is so much uncovered knowledge to be shared about St. Patrick’s Day!

Now do you understand why I cringe about the pinching?

As parents and educators, let’s make a pact to provide more depth and meaning around these world holidays so as to fill our children and students up with the many wonders of the world.

I can’t imagine how much more excitement and celebration there might be around St. Patrick’s Day, and how much more depth and meaning this festive holiday might bring if we took the time out to educate our children just a wee bit more.

Our kids just might begin to develop a lovely connection to Irish culture and perhaps it would inspire them to learn more, read Irish folktales, do Irish art projects, or visit Ireland one day!

As parents and educators, we can do this.

It is my mission with Our Crafty World to teach as many people as possible how to bring world culture into the lives of children, so I invite you to jump on board and follow my lead.

Educating children about the world does not have to mean ornate, Pinterest-worthy art projects available for your children the minute they become bored.

But could you find one project for your children or students that works for your schedule and your budget once a month?

Educating children about the world does not have to mean perfectly prepared recipes from around the world every week.

But could you try one new recipe once a month?

Educating your children about the world does not have to mean buying or checking out hordes of books that may equal late library fees or guilt over some books having gone unread.

But could you seek out at least two books to read to your children or students once a month?

You can do this! We all can.

Remember, children who learn about the world are more likely to make a change in the world.

Let’s do our part to make that a reality for as many children as possible in our world today.

To get started, download our FREE Ireland World Culture Planner for March by clicking here. 

Let me just start this post by saying this:

These 3 absolutely amazing books to pack for your family on your next vacation come straight from my heart.

Really. I love these books that much.

My penchant for these books comes directly from my own meaningful experiences with them over the last several years…yes, years!

I have taken them camping, rafting, traveling, on road trips, overnight field trips, and doctors visits. I have even given them out as presents.

I have read these books at the dinner table and as bedtime stories.

I have read them to children other than my own and many of their parents call me to ask how to get their hands on these books.

On a week-long field trip with my daughter’s 6th-grade class, we read these in our cabin before bed and the girls begged me to keep reading well after lights-out.

The next night, when I was pooped from the days’ activities and could not keep my eyes open to read to them, they quickly snatched the book and took turns reading to each other out loud.

On a 10-day rafting trip in Idaho, we kept friends entertained on the river and at night by the campfire reciting these stories, many of which we now know by heart. Our rafting guides loved them so much that as a gift for all their hard work, we sent them these books and feel so happy knowing that these stories will continue on through them.

These 3 absolutely amazing books to pack for your family on your next vacation inspire creative thinking, require problem-solving skills, generate the BEST conversation among family and friends, and quite simply, never get old.

In short, they really are absolutely amazing!

ABOUT THESE BOOKS

There are three books in the series:

“Stories to Solve” – “More Stories to Solve” – “Still More Stories to Solve” 

In the Introduction of “Stories to Solve”, the first book in the series by George Shannon, it reads: “Stories and mysteries have existed as long as there have been people to tell them and question why. The following folktales each involve a mystery or problem to be solved by the story’s character. And then, in turn, a mystery for the listener and reader to figure out how they did it. Each story is different, but each can be solved with careful listening and reading, and visualizing the story’s events and images.” These folktales are from around the world and have been told for centuries but George Shannon had the brilliant idea of bringing them all together for us to enjoy and continue to pass along to others in this 3-book series. Each book contains about 14 mysteries from the world of folklore. The stories are no longer than 2 or 3 short pages which are perfect for keeping all ages engaged (even adults!). The black and white illustrations are simply beautiful.

IS YOUR FAMILY A GOOD FIT FOR THESE 3 ABSOLUTELY AMAZING BOOKS?

To find out, see if you or anyone in your family can answer the following:

How did a single firefly win a fight against one hundred apes?

What were the magic words the old Shaman told the boy to say?

How did the bride convince her mother-in-law that she wasn’t the one stealing chickpeas?

If you answered “I have no clue!” to any of these questions, then you need to buy these 3 absolutely amazing books!

WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE THESE BOOKS ON YOUR NEXT FAMILY VACATION

They are a great alternative to screen time.
Hold off on screen time until a few of these deeply engaging stories have been read.

They help kill time while waiting at the airport, in flight or during a layover.
Time will fly, your family will be interacting with each other, and so much fun will be had.

They are a fun way to start the day, so bring them to the breakfast table!
You will find yourself thinking about these stories throughout the day, especially those you can’t solve right away.

They can be packed in your daypack to read at times when everyone is losing steam.
These books are a fantastic distraction when hard times on the road leave the whole family feeling desperate.

They can be used to converse and connect with locals or newfound friends.
There is no better way to connect with others than by sharing a good story.

Once you experience the wonders of these books on your next family vacation, you will never leave for another trip without them!

To close this post, I am going to leave you with a photo of one short story that has always been my favorite and stumped me for SO long! Can you solve it?

If not, then you must get these 3 absolutely amazing books to pack for your family on your next family vacation! ; )

What are your favorite family books to take on vacation? Please leave a comment below!

Welcome to the first post in my five-part series:

5 Easy Steps to Bring World Culture Into Your Home Permanently

In this series of posts, I will give you five simple action items that will begin a journey of world exploration for your family right from your very own home.

As you go through each step, challenge yourself to carry out each call to action knowing that the end result will be a wonderful gift you are giving your family.

Each step is simple, very attainable, and so much fun!

When you complete all 5 easy steps to bring world culture to your home permanently, you and your family will have gained a much broader view of the world – I promise – with little effort and a whole lot of learning!

I hear so many parents saying, “I wish my kids knew more about the world,” or “If only we had time to travel, my kids could learn about the world.”

Well, here is a simple solution to welcome the world in!

These 5 easy steps to bring world culture to your home permanently are unlike anything your kids will learn in school, guaranteed. Everything is hands-on, engaging, and like I said above, FUN!

There is no better time than now to get started!

STEP 1 – BUY A WORLD MAP!

You have a refrigerator. You have a TV. You have beds, couches, utensils, and tools. These are all necessary items needed to get by, yes, but do these items INSPIRE your family?

Do they make you dream of faraway places?

Do they tell a story of your family or ancestors?

Do they prompt questions you can research or discuss as a family?

Do they showcase adventures?

No? Let’s change all that!

It takes one simple step: GET A WORLD MAP!

GET A WORLD MAP.

GET A WORLD MAP.

GET A WORLD MAP!

Folks, you’re crazy if you haven’t provided your family a world map!

1.     Buying a World Map

If you need a simple go-to for ordering a map, here is the one I bought for both of my kids’ rooms. I like it because it is colorful and inviting, not to mention easy to read for kids of all ages.

I ordered a bulletin board frame to mount our maps on. I used a spray adhesive from Michaels to do this. I think it makes the map look a bit more complete and decorative, and having a bulletin board backer enables easier push-pinning, which is important – and FUN.

2.     Hanging Your World Map

Hang your world map prominently at a level where all family members can see and touch it. Let all countries be within reach!

Put it in a room where you frequently gather as a family.

The picture above shows our most coveted map. This beautiful relic we inherited from my husband’s grandmother (my kid’s *great* grandmother), Mama June, who passed away at the age of 96.

Every single one of those pins represents places she traveled with her family back in the day before the internet and other modern trip-planning tools.

It is the first thing we see when we walk into our house. It is our inspirational masterpiece! 

In addition to our kids’ rooms and our entryway, we also have maps in our kitchen and my office (we are slightly map-obsessed).

And by the way, that is a painting of our dog, Fritz. It might be the only thing in our kitchen we love more than our world map. : )

3. What to Do With Your World Map

Get out those push pins and begin pinning –  EVERYTHING!

If you don’t have push pins, then put that index finger to work and locate EVERYTHING!

HERE ARE A FEW FUN WAYS TO GET STARTED:

Starting with one color, pin the places you have traveled to as a family and then spend some time talking about these places, Re-living a few memories as you go.

We like to play a game we call “Trip Trivia” where we ask each other questions about our trips to see who remembers the smallest of details. It is such a fun way to keep family travel memories alive.

Locate all the countries you flew over to reach your destination. It’s easy to lose a sense of how far you’ve traveled when flying in a plane. Compare time you spent in the air to the distance you see on the map.

Locate the capitals of the countries you have been to and the places you visited within each country.

Next, have each family member choose a different color and pin the country they want to travel to or learn about next.

Have them pin their top three choices – this is what we did. It is so fun to see what everyone comes up with. In fact, the Sri Lanka pin above is my “wish list” pin and guess what? We are headed there for Christmas this year! Thank goodness for frequent flier miles!

By creating a wish list like this, it plants a seed of inspiration and maybe one day you will get to change the color of your pin from “Where we want to go next” to that of “Where we have been”.

Print our FREE World Map Pinning Game (click here)!

This game was made with the entire family in mind. From the categories of New 7 Wonders, Famous Structures, Natural Wonders, Inventions, Famous Events and Just for Fun, players take turns locating and pinning countries on the map. For some, this is a challenge and for others, it’s not, but working together as a family, you are sure to finish the game and learn a lot in the meantime!

As for other ideas, the sky is the limit!

For example, if you go out for Indian food, locate India on your map. Better yet, ask someone at the restaurant where they are from within India and then locate that on your map.

Maybe you have friends with a different ethnicity. Locate their family’s origin on your map. This would probably mean the world to them and may prompt you to ask your friends further questions about their culture. 

You’re in Starbucks and you notice your coffee is from Ethiopia, Guatemala or Columbia. Go home and have your kids locate these countries on a map!

You hear it’s the Chinese New Year. Locate China on a map! Day of the Dead? Locate Mexico on your map!

There are SO MANY opportunities to learn about our world EVERYWHERE so complete STEP 1 now and BUY YOUR FAMILY A WORLD MAP!

Tell me a story about your world map in the comments box below, and be sure to check out Step 2 – How to Cook One Foreign Recipe Per Month, the next blog post in our five-part series: 5 Easy Steps to Bring World Culture Into Your Home Permanently!

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive a small affiliate commission. Regardless, we give our promise that we only recommend products or services we would use personally and believe will add values to our readers.

Welcome to Step 2 of our series, 5 Easy Steps to Bring World Culture into Your Home Permanently!

If you missed Step 1, you can access it here. In Step 1, you will learn why having a world map in your home is the single most important step in beginning a journey of world exploration for your family. It lists several fun activities to do with your world map and even includes a FREE World Map Pinning Game that you can print out and enjoy with your family.

In this second post of the series, Step 2 – How to Cook One Foreign Recipe Per Month, I hope to inspire you to do just that (cook one foreign recipe per month – with your kids!).

I will share with you how cooking and serving foreign foods to my students and family has impacted all of us in numerous amazing ways.

Let’s get on with it!

When I taught world culture classes, I would begin each class with FOOD. Foreign food from the country we were studying.

If you ask any past student of mine what their favorite part of my classes was, they will hands-down say “THE FOOD!”

Here are some of my favorite recipes I cooked for my students:

FLAN (MEXICO CLASS)

BRIGADEIROS (BRAZIL CLASS)

IRISH TEA CAKE (IRELAND CLASS)

After many classes and many trials and errors, I found the secret technique to really engaging my students in cooking: 

I laid out all the ingredients ahead of time – pre-measured and ready to go.

This worked particularly well for young students or students with little patience for measuring and waiting.

It made for a much smoother experience in taking turns to add the ingredients. We would simply go around the circle.

If any of the ingredients were foreign, we would talk about them, smelling or tasting them first, then add them to the recipe.

I would always put uncommon ingredients out for display so that when they tasted the recipe, they had something to identify with.

Guatemala class provided ample opportunities to sample foreign spices and flavors! When they sipped this Mayan Hot Chocolate, they understood immediately why their mouths quickly began to burn! : )

My students LOVED cooking and eating foreign recipes simply because I exposed them to it.

NOW THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A WORLD CULTURE TEACHER TO PROVIDE THIS SAME EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR FAMILY AT HOME!

All you have to do is cook one foreign recipe per month (sign up for our newsletter to receive monthly recipes and more!) and you are on the road to reaping all of the benefits I have mentioned above.

Cooking one foreign recipe per month is attainable for every family!

Cooking one foreign recipe per WEEK (for most) is not!

Plan ahead. Schedule your one foreign recipe per month on the calendar and COMMIT! Add the ingredients to your weekly shopping list so that when it comes time to cook, you and your kids have everything you need.

Follow the steps I provide to make the whole experience run smoothly and naturally.

This is not difficult – you and your kids can do it!

So, let’s get started with a foreign recipe that you and your kids can enjoy making together:

TANDOORI CHICKEN

Tandoori Chicken is a popular dish from India that is served all around the world. It is marinated in yogurt and Indian spices and traditionally cooked in a tandoor, a clay oven that is cylindrical in shape, so be sure to dust off your tandoor (ha!). In this recipe, we are going to bake our Tandoori Chicken instead.

Normally, Tandoori Chicken is bright red in color which comes from red chili powder mixed with turmeric or even food dye. I am not a fan of food dye so I have omitted it from the recipe. 

The basic ingredients are as seen here: lemon juice, ginger, salt, chili powder, garam masala, cilantro, onions, and garlic. Luckily, that cute little elephant does not go in the recipe. : )

SIDE NOTE ABOUT GARAM MASALA…

Garam masala is a blend of ground spices found in many common foods in India. If you ever plan on cooking Indian food again, you will most likely need Garam Masala.

You can find Garam Masala in just about any grocery store.

OCW TIP: Do not add Garam Masala to your recipe without having everyone in your family smell it first! That rich aroma you smell…that is India!

Okay, let’s get to the recipe which you can print for your reference here. Many people like a visual guide as well, so I have provided that below.

* Please keep in mind that I am a SUPER-GEEK when it comes to setting up and taking photos of my recipes! I find it so entertaining but it is by NO means the way my cooking looks at home! : )

TANDOORI CHICKEN:

– Cut 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1-2 inch pieces. Put chicken in a shallow dish and season with one teaspoon of both salt and pepper, add the juice of one lemon. Set aside.

– In a bowl combine 1 1/4 cups of plain yogurt (not Greek), 1/2 onion that is finely chopped, 1 minced garlic clove (or more if you like garlic), 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger, 2 teaspoons of garam masala, and 1 teaspoon (or more/less) cayenne pepper. Mix well. This is a good step for kids because most kids love mixing ingredients! Be sure to announce each ingredient before adding it to the bowl. 

– Combine yogurt mixture with chicken pieces. Another great step for kids! Cover with tin foil and refrigerate at least one hour. I let mine marinate overnight.

– Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Set oven rack to middle position.

– Line a baking sheet with foil and then evenly spread the chicken pieces across the pan. Top with any remaining yogurt sauce.

– Cook for 20-25 minutes or until chicken becomes slightly charred or light brown around the edges. Always remember to check your recipe often to avoid burning!

– Serve over white rice with cilantro and a lemon wedge for garnish.

If you have any colorful or Indian looking plates, placemats or napkins, be sure to bring them out. Make your presentation festive!

To add a little more Indian flare, serve with Naan (from Trader Joes, pictured below) and a dollop of delicious mango chutney!

Tandoori Chicken is a great go-to for so many occasions:

Summer BBQ, Father’s/Mother’s Day, Indian Night with family/friends, an Indian meal to compliment your India homeschool studies, or any night when you are at a loss for what to cook!

Print the recipe here and save it forever!

Also, be sure to sign up for our newsletter to receive more monthly recipes from Our Crafty World!

And as always, feel free to leave a comment below!

Namaste!