Anyone from Egypt???

Since O(5) REALLY enjoyed studying Egypt at her Montessori preschool, and we'll be spending quite a while studying ancient Egypt in homeschool, I'd LOVE to have a cultural exchange partner from Egypt.  Is anyone interested?  If so, you could join a group of 4 participants to send 3 packages or you could just exchange with us.  Please email me at chasingcheerioscultureexchange@gmail.com if you are interested.  Thank you!!!

Chasing Cheerios Cultural Exchange Update!!!

Thanks to everyone who is participating in the ongoing Cultural Exchange!  I've formed 39 groups so far!  There's been a great response from so many countries...it's very exciting!  I still have LOTS of Americans who are waiting for international groups, so I'd love to have more international (non-American) participants.  Thanks!

If you're not sure what I'm talking about, read more about the Chasing Cheerios Cultural Exchange here.

Cultural Exchange!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's time!  I've been telling everyone for more than 6 months that the next cultural exchange would start around February, but we got derailed by Elliott's brain tumor.  So, now it's time!!!   Here's how it will go...


I will group people into groups of 4.  Each person (family) will send out 3 packages and will receive 3 packages to their group members from around the world.


Each package should include the following:

- a letter from a child describing his/her life in his/her country...favorite foods, sports, activities, religious activities, daily schedule, school, vacations...anything that you or your child think would be interesting to a child in another country.

- Pics of your child in his home, etc.  You don't have to send close-up face pics if you are not comfortable doing so.

- Postcards, stamps, coins,

- craft, coloring sheets, small toys or games, small books

- cds of your child's favorite music or books on cd (we received several of these and LOVE them)

- recipes, pics of food specific to your region

- anything else that you think would be fun for a child to receive


PLEASE do not sign up if you do not intend to send any packages!!!!   In the last exchange we sent 19 packages (WAY too many and it was very overwhelming), and only received 15.   We want everyone to receive the same number that they send, especially since the groups are smaller this time.


If you would like to participate please email me at chasingcheerioscultureexchange@gmail.com.  Please send your name and address and your child's name and age.

I'm hoping to organize the groups as I receive the emails rather than waiting to get all of the names and arranging the groups.  I think (hope) it will be more manageable this way.  Please make sure to email me at the cultural exchange address and not my typical email address.   Please ask questions in the comments section, but send your information via email only!

Click here to see our posts about our cultural exchange packages and cultural activities.


Thanks!

Edit to add:  45 minutes in and we have LOTS of Americans and only 1 international participant!  International readers we NEED you!!!!   PLEASE sign up for the exchange.  It's fun!  I promise!!!

Cultural Exchange...Ireland!!!!!!!!!!

The girls and I studied Ireland during March as a part of our cultural exchange. We received 2 fantastic packages from Ireland, and then Ida and Isabel sent us a 3rd package after they read about Elliott's brain tumor! The girls and I were thrilled with everything. They sent several posters that we hung on the sliding door of our organization system.
We received several postcards and pamplets. A recipe, stickers, and another postcard Play money Stamps (what a great idea to send used stamps!) pamplets Christmas ornaments, hot chocolate stirrers, crayons They also sent a flute which was a favorite with the girls along with cookies and other treats. THank you SO much to Ida and Isabel for all 3 wonderful packages! The package they sent after Elliott's brain tumor diagnosis was especially wonderful as it included a guardian angel and a book to help the children process the idea of having a parent who has to have surgery. We didn't have as much time to spend studying Ireland as I would have liked, so we'll continue studying Ireland (and we'll add in Scotland) through April and maybe May. Oh, I almost forgot...they sent 3 cds that we LOVE...music and stories. They also sent a book of Irish stories for children that we have read several times. I love the way that we are all learning about different people, cultures, and countries through our cultural exchange!

Learning about South Africa

The girls and I had fun learning about South Africa during February.  We didn't do as many activities as I planned, but we still had fun and learned a lot.

We started off our studies by coloring the South African flag...

and pictures of African children (both coloring sheets are from Activity Village). We found Africa on our large wall map and put the appropriate animals on the continent. We read lots of books about Africa. and we watched videos of children in Africa on Discovery Streaming.

Making Melkkos...South Africa

The girls and I made melkkos when we were studying South Africa. Melkkos is made from milk, flour, and cinnamon. It's easy to make and the girls thought it was yummy. Here is the recipe. The girls loved mashing the butter into the flour. We simmered it with a cinnamon stick. And it's done!

Continent Puzzle Map Work

The continent puzzle map was one of E(2)'s most frequently chosen activities in February...she LOVES it! We sing the continent song as we work, and we do the puzzle together. 

 We also listen to Geography Songs, and E and O both LOVE the British Isles song...it's very catchy and it sticks in your head after you listen to it a few times. We all randomly break out into singing "The British Isles! The British Isles! In the Atlantic across the channel from France..."

                                                                     

South African Flag Puzzle

Our cultural exchange country for the month of February was South Africa. Our South African studies were disrupted by Elliott's diagnosis, but we've still managed to do some fun South African projects. O(5) loved completing this South African flag puzzle. I printed the flag from Activity Village and laminated it before cutting it. Simple, cheap, fun, and educational!

Famous Landmarks Work

I recently bought this Safari Around the World Toob (from Michael's) and set up a matching activity for the girls.  Both girls (ages 2 and 5) LOVE playing with the landmark figures, and they also enjoy matching the figures to the pictures.

I was excited when I remembered that I had famous landmark cards (from the Target dollar section), so we had matching cards for all but 2 of the landmarks.  To do this work, E(2) and I laid out the cards and then took out the landmarks one by one to match them.





E(2) picked up the Statue of Liberty and said "I want to go see her one day!"  When we drove by our local courthouse, she said "there's the empire state building!"  One day when we were playing in our yard, she kept saying "Machu Picchu" over and over again.












Both girls (and their mama and daddy) want to go see the real Eiffel Tower one day!





This fun work is a great addition to our cultural studies!  Obviously, due to our family's current medical situation (Elliott's brain tumor), the organization of the next cultural exchange is on hold.  However, once he is well, I plan on getting it set up again.  For the next exchange, I plan to create groups of 4 (each person sends out 3 packages), so you may want to start collecting trinkets and fun things.  Please do not email asking to be a part of the exchange because I am not starting the organization now...just giving you a heads up!






Let me know if anyone else sets up this work for your kiddos!  It's so much fun to hear such little ones talking about famous landmarks (that I'd probably never heard of until high school!), and it really inspires them to learn more about each place.  What fun!

South American Pin Map and Flag Pins

I bought the South American map and flag pins from Montessori Print Shop, and I LOVE how it turned out!  Actually, everyone loves this map...even our cat!



It was very easy to put together.  I laminated the map before tacking it to the cork board.  I decided not to laminate the flags, and they've held up fine.




Both of our girls love flags and maps, so this is a great activity for them.  I love to hear E(2) trying to pronounce the names of the different countries.




I've just bought the maps and flag pins for the rest of the continents, so we can use them as we travel around the world with our cultural exchange packages.  Hopefully, I'll find the time to print them and put them together soon!