Celebrate Back-to-School with Little Passports!

Little Passports has been one of my children's FAVORITE subscription packages. We used it a lot when my kids were younger to learn about geography and world cultures. And I'm looking forward to the day that my youngest is old enough for us to use this fun program again.

My older children have enjoyed the World Edition and the USA Edition (read my previous post describing them). I loved both because they really helped me supplement our geography lessons in a way that kept them excited and engaged. (In fact, I love this company so much, I signed up as an affiliate because I know that your kids will love it, too.)

We also had a ton of fun with their new Science Expeditions - read my post from last year to see examples of what they include and how my son enjoyed it.

Actually, I've written a lot about Little Passports and shared not only our experience, but also fun downloads or activities from them. They are always creating wonderful new resources for families. In fact, if you head over to their blog you can find a free printable: Global Lunchbox Notes!

So that's why I want to encourage those of you with children in upper elementary and middle school to seriously consider adding Little Passports to your homeschool lessons this year. And now is the perfect time to save because if you sign up between now and Monday, you can get 15% off ANY subscription by simply using the promo code: READY when you checkout.

Don't wait. This product is totally worth it!

Little Passports is Perfect for Summer Learning

Are you looking ahead to summer and planning activities that will keep your child busy learning while having fun at the same time? Maybe you've been hearing about the dreaded Summer Slide in which students forget key concepts over the course of the summer and you want to prevent it in your own child.

This post contains affiliate links. 

Why not take the time to help your child explore world cultures? Most schools don't even teach this as a subject, but in today's global society, it's critical that our kids learn about other countries, the people that inhabit them, and their respective cultures.

That's why I love Little Passport (aff). We've used three of their four programs and have loved every one. When my children were younger, they would get so excited every time a new package from Little Passports arrived. It was hard to decide, but my son says his favorite program was their World Edition, which comes with all the goodies you see in the image above. The first month's delivery is perfect for building excitement about the program because it comes with the little suitcase in which your child can store all the other goodies and future memorabilia from the various countries they visit. There are maps and stickers, a camera and a passport. and much, much more.

I have written about this program a lot over the years because I think it is absolutely fantastic. It was an important part of my journey to raise global citizens. You can scroll through my posts about Little Passports to read my reviews and the experiences we've had with its programs and decide which one might be a good fit for your little one!

And to sweeten the pot, they have a current deal giving new subscribers a 15% discount. To redeem it, just enter the code BLOOM at checkout. This offer is good through next Monday, May 14th.

Find out more when you visit their website!


Disclosure: I signed up as an affiliate for this program because I believe in it so much. So the links in this article are affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Little Passports Science Expeditions & a Sale!

A few months ago, I signed up for the new Little Passports Science Expeditions. It's a monthly subscription that brings various science projects to your doorstep for your kids to explore. We've had subscriptions to their World Edition and USA Edition in the past and my kids loved them. Now that they are older, we decided to try out Science Expeditions.

Our first packet arrived last month and we were NOT disappointed! The first kit was all about forensic science and one of the activities was to isolate the DNA from a strawberry. 

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Here's what this kit included:

• An introductory 16-page comic book with glossary and bonus activities
• An activity direction guide
• A lab notebook for recording your observations
• A fingerprint analysis card
• An achievement badge for forensic science
• All the equipment needed to conduct the experiment, except for the strawberry and a few household items;
• Access to bonus online videos and science content

My son started off reading the comic book to learn the various terminology associated with the



Then he prepared his notebook and started setting up for his experiment.

If you're wondering how difficult the experiments are, here's a video for the DNA activity:

Science Expeditions: Berry DNA Video

As you can see, the activities are just challenging enough to keep your kids' attention without frustrating them. :) They are LOADS of fun and lots of learning taking place!

Super fun, right? This next month, my little scientists will be learning about vision and optics. They’ll build a camera obscura, a thaumatrope, and a spinning top with an optical illusion. We're excited for the kit to arrive!!

FYI - the time to sign up is NOW because Little Passports is celebrating its eighth birthday with a super sale (aff link)! But you'll have to hurry because the sale ends THIS Friday!

Little Passports Free Summer Camp Explorer

**This post contains affiliate links.

There are so many wonderful online camps this summer that provide endless activities to keep our kids busy learning and having fun! I just love discovering about all these opportunities for you and your kids. Here's the latest one:

This summer, Little Passports is posting an exciting Camp Explorer activity series on their blog. They started off exploring my beloved home state of Texas! Your kids can learn how to make a great campfire recipe- their very own Pan de Campo. Did you know that Pan de Campo is the official state bread of Texas? It is also referred to as cowboy bread!

For Week 2, Little Passports offered a free printable nature scavenger hunt. Get your kids outside to find some awesome treasures!  

This week, you can watch your kids reach for the stars! Literally. Download their free constellation activity sheet and watch your child learn the names and shapes of six constellations!

While you are on the Little Passports blog, find out what it is like to raise a Global Citizen in Pakistan from Little Passports' latest guest blogger, Zareen Rahman. Zareen is a stay at home mom and shares a typical day with her daughter in their home town of Lahore, Pakistan.

Interested in more Little Passports blog posts? Search the Little Passports Blog.

Little Passports 12 Month Subscription Giveaway + Melissa and Doug Toys

This post contains affiliate links. Purchases made with these links help with the running of this site.

One of the monthly subscriptions that we rely heavily on as a homeschooling family is our subscription to Little Passports. Once a month, we receive a package in the mail for the World Edition kit. Included in each package is a letter from our LP hosts, Sam and Sofia, a country sticker for placing on our LP suitcase (you get it when you first subscribe), a country "stamp" (sticker) for your LP passport, a pushpin map marker (a sticker that you can place on the world map you also receive at the beginning), a double-sided activity page, a photograph from the country, a boarding pass with a code that you can enter on the Little Passports website for additional interactive activities, and finally, some sort of craft of souvenir from the country.

As you can see above, this month we received a packet from Argentina! I love that the activity pages cover other subjects like math and science, but keep the theme of the month. For example, this month's activity page included a passage about how Argentina is known for its delicious steak. Sam and Sofia go out to dinner with their Argentine friends, Lucia and Gaston. My son had to figure out how many steaks they ate between the four of them and then add up their tab including the cost of their drinks. Math and geography! What could be better?? (And a practical application, too, I have to say as this is something my kids would actually use someday when they go out to dinner.)

Anyway, to celebrate their 5th birthday, Little Passports has an incredible giveaway in the works!

You can win a 12-month subscription to one of the best learning tools for your children, Little Passports. Enter now and you could have your own subscription by the end of the month, as well as some of the hottest toys on the market from Melissa and Doug! This prize is valued at $250, but let's be serious...you cannot put a price on your child learning fun facts about the world we live in! Little Passports allows your child to develop knowledge on all kinds of different historical figures, eras, locations and traditions, turning them into a true citizen of the world. And YES...it is super fun!

The deadline to sign up to win this prize is TOMORROW, April 25th. If you miss out on this weeks opportunity, don't fret...There is one more week of giveaways to enter. Just use the link below:

http://platform.votigo.com/fbsweeps/sweeps/Birthday-Giveaway

¡Buena suerte!

Little Passports Celebrates 5 Years

**The links in this post are affiliate links. Any purchases made using these links contribute to the running of MommyMaestra.

I love birthdays. Especially when I see that they mark the success of clever entrepreneurs who are dedicated to educational products like Little Passports which is now 5 years old and growing fast.

We've been getting Little Passports for a year now in the mail and my son is thrilled with every packet that comes our way every month. (Which is the first cool part of the process for your little ones...what kid doesn't love getting mail!?) We're currently getting the World Edition and it is such a great way for exploring countries and cultures around the globe. Each month, Sam and Sofia - the Little Passports guides, take your child on a journey to a different country around the world and teaches them about the culture, geography and history of each location. Each packet typically includes some sort of craft, artifact, and stickers for your child's Little Passport. There are even online activities for your child to explore further. The exercises are fun and colorful, keeping your kids engaged while learning! 

They also have a USA Edition that explores the United States and is a great way to learn more about our country. Each month your child gets a packet for two states in the mail. The books are really well done with lots of detail and fun experiments. You'll find activities that cover math, history, science and more.

To celebrate their birthday, Little Passports is offering you 15% off a subscription. Click on the link or banner below to sign up for your subscription today and get 15% off by using the code: HAPPY5 from today through Tuesday, April 8th.

15% Off New Subscriptions at Little Passports from 3/26-4/8 with code: HAPPY5

Celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th!

Did you know that International Women's Day is today? There are so many fun ways to teach your kids about some of the most famous women in history, and I have a perfect option for you today, with this wonderful free worksheet to challenge your young learner. The best part about this worksheet is the secret message that is revealed when they get their answers right!

At the moment, this file is only available in English. I hope to release the Spanish version soon. 

This post uses affiliate links.

Download the Famous Women Worksheet Here 

Don't forget you can also explore the lives of famous Latinas like Frida Kahlo, Gabriela Mistral, and Celia Cruz, Pura Belpre, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Sonia Sotomayor, and many others!

You may also be interested in another freebie of mine: Women's History Month Writing Pages. Have your kids crack open their books or research online some of the amazing women who have often been overlooked or whose contributions have been downplayed.

The pages are available in English and Spanish. You choose which language best suits your needs.

And finally, here's a really fun resource - my Women in History Fandex features 18 historical figures. Directions for fandex assembly and use, plus two activities, as well as individual worksheets, cut-outs and answer keys are included.

Other Posts About Remarkable Women That You May Enjoy

• 3 Hispanic Women Who Rocked World History
• 15 Children's Biographies Celebrating Women
• St. Katharine Drexel
• Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz - Lesson Plans, Videos, and Books for Kids
• Las Adelitas for Kids & Young Adults
• Susan B. Anthony Glossary for Families
• Dolores Huerta Lesson Plans, Activities, Coloring Sheets and More

Stella Ma Celebrates Chinese New Year

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Happy Chinese New Year! Does your family enjoy learning about world cultures like mine does? To raise global citizens who don't judge others by their appearance, language or traditions, I love teaching my kids about families who live around the globe from different cultures. We celebrate the uniqueness and beauty in everyone, and I hope you do, too.

That's why I'm thrilled to have Stella Ma, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Little Passports here to share her family's annual Chinese New Year traditions...

----------------

Happy Chinese New Year and Year of the Horse! I grew up in a fairly traditional Cantonese-speaking family, and Chinese New Year has always been a very special holiday for me. As a young child, I knew Chinese New Year took place around the beginning of the year, but I didn’t fully grasp that the date was tied to the lunar calendar. I recall my mom pulling out a large Chinese calendar book and flipping through the pages to find the exact date.

Our excitement built as the day approached and preparations were made. We cleaned the house before the holiday because we didn’t want to risk “sweeping” out good luck after the New Year. By the same logic, we observed not washing our hair on New Year’s Day for fear that we might wash away good fortune. 

Lots of planning went into getting ready for the traditional New Year's Eve family reunion dinner. I particularly enjoyed the shopping trips my mom and I took to Chinatown to purchase the special ingredients. The food we served was auspicious and symbolic, with the names of many of the dishes sounding like the Chinese pronunciations for “good fortune," "happiness," or "longevity.” Dishes and ingredients included chicken, roast pork, Chinese “hair” fungus, lettuce, dried oysters and fish. My favorite dish, which involved a labor-intensive mincing of many ingredients, was the dried oyster lettuce cups (with the Chinese name of the dish sounding like “good business”). I would stand next to my mom and watch her take great care as she prepared all the ingredients. When we got a food processor, I thought it would finally bring my mom some relief, but she still insisted on hand-chopping everything. 



We always started New Year’s Day with a special vegetarian meal. Because my dad left early in the morning for work, I would go to bed excited, knowing that my mom would wake us all up around 5 am so we could share the meal as a family. In the morning, we would wish my parents a happy new year and good health for the coming year in Cantonese and then we would eat a piece of candy to ensure sweetness for the new year. My mom would give us lycee (red envelopes) filled with lucky money. After breakfast, we would dress in something red to symbolize good luck and head off to school.

The weeks following involved visits to my relatives where we would bring and exchange bags filled oranges, sweets and other treats. It was a multi-week rotating house party! When I moved out and got married, I appreciated the annual tradition of coming together as a family to celebrate even more. Every year, I call my parents on the morning of the new year to wish them a happy new year. It’s tradition that only married couples give out red envelopes, so I find myself always scrambling to get them prepared and feeling extra lucky if I managed to get brand new bills from the bank. (I no longer observe the “no washing hair” tradition, and my mom looks the other way.)



As a mom myself now to two young boys, I cherish sharing and passing along the traditions. On New Year’s morning, I give my sons each a piece of candy with their red envelopes. Being given candy for breakfast makes them feel like they have the best mom ever! They also love going to Chinatown and watching the lion dancing, and we’ve had many ad hoc lion dance performances at home using makeshift drums and lion costumes fashioned out of blankets. 

Gung Hay Fat Choy (as we would say in Cantonese, or in Mandarin, Xin Nian Kuai Le) to the Little Passports community! 

-Stella

Sam and Sofia are ready to learn more about these new traditions! Which one would you like to try? Bring Little Passports into your child's life in 2014 to teach them about all of the fascinating cultures around the world!

Disclosure: I am a Little Passports ambassador. All links in this post are affiliate links. When you click on them, it helps support the MommyMaestra site. 

BIG Discounts for Educational Product Subscriptions this Holiday Season

This post uses affiliate links, which help keep me in business!

Pssst! This is a biggie: If you are thinking about gifting a subscription-based product like a magazine, book club, or montly activity, NOW is the time to do it! I absolutely love to give subscriptions to the kids for Christmas and their birthdays because it is the ONE gift that truly lasts the entire year when they receive new, educational, and fun products in the mail every month.

And I'm REALLY excited that I have special discount codes for you from three awesome companies.

Fill Their Minds with Cricket Magazines

I've already written about how fantastic Cricket en español magazines are, and the giveaway I did on MommyMaestra was very popular. I'm thrilled that they've chosen to become a MommyMaestra sponsor. But the absolute best part is the fantastic discount that they are offering on all of their magazines to you! Get up to 60% off a subscription to any of their magazines - even the English ones. This is the lowest price they've offered all year.

Now through December 31st, you can get both a print and digital subscription for only $19.95 when you use the code: N5032

The hardest part is deciding which magazine to sign up for!

This Holiday, Give Your Child the World with Little Passports

Starting today, Little Passports is having a huge sale. 

Every month, follow Little Passports characters Sam and Sofia as they embark on a new country adventure. Your first month’s Explorer Kit arrives in a suitcase and contains everything your child needs to get started learning about our big world: a letter from Sam and Sofia, a map, a passport, stickers, access to online games, and more. Country-specific packages filled with fun souvenirs, letters, stickers, photos and activity sheets arrive every month thereafter. Get started with Little Passports today, subscriptions start as low as $10.95! (And that's without the discount!) 

Here are the details and discount codes you don't want to miss:

Details:

• From November 29th - December 2nd: 50% off first month of monthly subscription with code: BLACK50
• On December 3rd: 40% off first month of monthly subscription with code: BLACK40
• On December 4th: 30% off first month of monthly subscription with code: BLACK30

Restrictions: 

Discount is valid on first month only. All discounts are off of the retail price excluding the shipping and tax. Offer valid on new subscriptions only. Cannot be combined with other offers. Offer valid from 29th Nov - 2nd Dec.

Receive a New Book at Your Door Every Month

Zoobean is a curated catalog of children's books and apps. This amazing little company makes it easier for you to find remarkable books for your child. Each month, they deliver a handpicked book to your doorstep, with reading guides and app recommendations sent straight to your inbox! You can look through their online catalog for free to see some of the wonderful titles they offer.

Now through Monday, Zoobean is offering big discounts with 55% off of the first month of a monthly subscription and 10% off of any gift (up to a $20 value).

Details:

• Save 55% off first month of a monthly subscription with code: SMARTMOMMY
• Save 10% on Gifts, up to $20 Value, code: SMARTMAESTRA

Thanksgiving Native American Word Scramble {PRINTABLE}

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which help support the work of this site.

More Thanksgiving goodies for you! This one comes from Little Passports, for whom I am a Brand Ambassador. I'm very appreciative of sites and companies that encourage and help parents and teachers to raise global citizens in terms of introducing them to countries and cultures around the world. But I'm especially pleased when I see those that help us to see the diversity within our own country. 

If you haven't heard about Little Passports yet, take a look at this fun and adorable word scramble activity sheet that they are letting me share with you. It is just a sample of the wonderful activities that come in the Little Passports package every month, to educate your little ones about different states and countries all over the world! As an ambassador for Little Passports, I receive a year's subscription to their World Edition package. But because we like them so much, we voluntarily get the USA Edition too, thanks to my mom who has purchased the subscription for her nietos. I think your kids would love the USA Edition, too!

Print out this sheet for some fun with your kids and visit their blog for updated content. 

Hot Apple Cider Recipe

This post contains an affiliate link.

Happiest fall to you! The days have grown cooler and the nights un poco frío where we are in North Carolina. I'm not quite ready for winter, though I welcome the fall. And so today, as a Little Passports Ambassador, I want to share with you this yummy hot apple cider recipe (affiliate link) that they've created to help warm our days and nights.

How many of you enjoy sipping on a cup of hot apple cider? Or do you prefer one of the Latin American hot drinks listed below? (These are some great recipes!)

• Champurrado by The Other Side of the Tortilla
• Café de Olla Atole on latinamom.me
• Mayan Hot Chocolate by Latinaish
• Atol de elote by Latinaish

I haven't tried all of these yummy drinks, but I want to! Preparing recipes like these with your children are great ways to help them practice math skills (like measurement), following directions, and observing chemical reactions, while exploring different cultures - or their own!

Or does your family like something else entirely?

Lunches Around the World with Little Passports!

Today's post is brought to you by Little Passports (affiliate link). As a LP Ambassador, I'm always happy to share fun articles with a global theme that help your child explore other countries and cultures. Since we are still in the back-to-school phase, today's post is about the types of lunches that other kids around the world enjoy.

¡Buen provecho!

Lunches From Around the World

Kids around the world are headed back to school and that means homework, new friends, and … lunch? Yes, that’s right! Let’s visit four different countries to see what yummy food the school kids eat every day!

A French lunch

France

French children enjoy a three- or four-course meal that is mostly made from scratch with high-quality ingredients. The children all sit together in a cafeteria, or large lunch room. Did you know that there are no vending machines in schools? They’re banned due to the high sugar and fat content of the treats they carry. Typical school lunches here can have a variety of dishes and ingredients, such as grilled fish, salad, red beans, seasonal vegetables, garlic sausage, fruit salads and chocolate flan. Another perk is that the food is served on plates and eaten with real silverware!

A Japanese lunch

Japan

In Japan, the school lunch ingredients are locally sourced and almost never frozen. Schools employ nutrition experts that work with kids to teach them the importance of good eating habits. Like the children in France, Japanese kids also eat in a community-like setting with their peers, and even their teachers! The children also wear white hats and robes to serve their classmates, which teaches them teamwork and respect. You can expect to find lots of rice, vegetables, fish, soup, and meat on the plate.

South Africa’s Potjiekos

South Africa

South African school meals have natural ingredients such as corn, squash, sweet potatoes, and yams. There’s also rice, soft porridge, and meat that is sprinkled in with the vegetables. A special stew, called potjiekos (named after a potjie, a three-legged pot), originated from Dutch settlers and is now a South African favorite. The cook puts vegetables, meat, potatoes, and spices into the pot, which is heated by small amounts of wood and twigs.

A Columbian lunch

Colombia
Colombian school lunch ingredients usually vary from region to region, but can contain rice, potatoes, fruit, beans, meatballs, and vegetables such as corn and avocados. There’s a special vegetarian menu also available, and children from 2 to 5 years old have their food cut and portioned into smaller sizes.

We hope you enjoyed our lunch trip around the world, and perhaps found inspiration to try new foods at your own dinner table!

Summer Learning: Geography, Culture, & Reading

For the next few months, I'll be focusing on summer learning and all the great activities you can do to keep your kids from experiencing the dreaded "Summer Brain Drain" where students forget and lose the equivalent of one to three months of learning.

Enter Little Passports. I just subscribed to their USA edition, where we get activities and information on two different states each month, and I plan to continue it.

Signing up for the program is super easy: All you have to do is go to their website and select which edition you want (World Edition or USA Edition), then choose your subscription plan according to your budget. You have the option of a monthly, 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month plan.

On their site you can find a complete description of each package, including what materials your child will receive and which countries/states will be covered. You can even find samples of the monthly adventures you'll receive.

We received our first World Edition last week. It came with a suitcase filled with goodies, including a world map, passport, activity sheet, stickers, boarding pass (with directions for going online and accessing the Little Passports interactive pages with additional learning resources), a disposable camera, and an introductory letter from Sofia and Sam, your young tour guides on your adventure around the world.

My kids loved having a child-sized suitcase they can keep all of their materials in and a passport to travel the world. The activity sheet was super fun requiring my kids to decode some numbers to learn how to say hello in different languages. At the bottom of the sheet, they had to use the map to locate the capitals of different countries in order to find the answer to another question. On the back they get to practice their math skills by counting flags to answer a different question.

I really love how this program gives my kids a chance to practice their reading, geography, and even math skills with the very first package. And it's fun for them! They loved looking through all of the materials, especially their little passport.