From the Lunar New Year to the Winter Olympics, February provides unique and fun ways to learn about cultures, traditions, competition and the motivating stories of the athletes going for gold.
WINTER OLYMPICS 2022 IN BEIJING
We’re all so excited to cheer on Team USA as they compete in Beijing at the Winter Olympics… even though we may be watching from our couches, that doesn’t mean we can’t get into all the action.
We absolutely love all the 2022 Winter Games Apparel from Macy’s. From the Polo Ralph Lauren Track Jackets for Adults and Kids to the Fleece Pullovers and Jackets. We turn heads in our red, white, and blue and you can too! From the Volcom USA Beanie to a Nike Olympic Ballcap, to the Corkcicle Sport Canteen Water Bottle and Homesick USA Candle — it smells like Apple Pie, you are guaranteed to find the perfect way to show your pride for America.
Plus you can make the Olympic Games educational and fun by getting into the action with sports that are part of the lineup like the Franklin NHL Mini Hockey Goal and get a crash course in geography. Learn about the United States with games, puzzles and maps… and don’t stop with America, explore the world as you see what countries are competing!
GO FOR GOLD! DREAMS DO COME TRUE
The stories of the athletes… how they got to where they are at, their families, and the sacrifices it takes to be competing are not only inspirational and motivating, but they are the heart of the games.
One of the aspects of the Olympics we just love is hearing all the athletes’ inspiring stories. Whether they are current or past Olympians it’s never too early to introduce your kids to these champions and also highlight the sacrifice, dedication and pursuit of excellence. We love the Little People Big Dreams book collection from Quarto. The stories share how many of the musicians, artists, athletes, scientists and leaders we know today, had something happen in their childhood that shaped them to who they would later become.
From Muhammad Ali winning gold in the 1960 Rome Games, to Jesse Owens becoming the first American track and field athlete to win four gold medals at a single Olympic Games (and understanding what Berlin was like in 1936) to Wilma Rudolph overcoming polio, competing in two Olympic Games and bringing home 4 medals… athletes like these provide inspiration and a motivating spirit within our kids. We love that the series also has some great free resources for many of the titles. The teacher’s guide includes questions, classroom discussion prompts, and classroom activities. These are great to do in a classroom setting or at home. There are even free costume kits with printables so that you can dress up like your favorite leader too. There are also activity sheets and coloring pages in the resource area
CHINESE NEW YEAR
Not only are the Olympic Games in Beijing, but Lunar New Year provides more opportunity to learn about the Chinese culture.
This year, my kids have been asking to learn more about Chinese New Year. While I am half-Chinese, I didn’t really know where to start since we didn’t grow up celebrating it on a consistent basis. I loved discovering the Days United Chinese Lunar New Year box. From sculpting gold coins to making your own tiger confetti cannon, the box comes with instructions and materials for six activities you can do together as a family or with friends. It also comes with a book that gives the background of the holiday. The kids loved all of the hands-on activities. I loved that everything was included in the box. I didn’t have to order craft supplies or come up with my own ideas. We could simply learn about Chinese New Year and do the activities together.
Days United also has boxes available for Chinese, Indian and Jewish cultures. Whether you want to learn more about a specific holiday or celebration or just looking for a way for your family to deepen their understanding of their own culture, the boxes are thoughtfully curated with some great activities for families or students to do together. You can subscribe to an entire series or just get one box.
