Author Archives: the cultured kid

About the cultured kid

I've traveled, lived, worked and studied all over the world. Europe, North Africa, Central & South America, the Middle East and Asia. The more different the culture, the better! I'm determined to introduce my two boys to our multi-cultural world. Living in Washington, D.C. there are international festivals, parades and cultures right in our own backyard. I'll share with you our adventures around town and those that take us on international journeys. I'll also share ideas for introducing your family to foreign food, culture and community at home.
Mar1

D.C Cultural Kids Weekend Activities

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Friday – March 2

Mongolian dance troupe, throat singers and contortionist at the Kennedy Center’s Millenium Stage 6:00 pm

Flamenco Festival 2012 at Lisner Auditorium 8 pm.

Saturday – March 3

Drumming through Cultures at 11 a.m. at the Atlas

Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe will be featured at the weekly “Saturday Morning at the National” series.  Showtimes are 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.

Sunday – March 4

Kids@Katzen: Free To Be Me from 1-3 pm kids ages 5-12 can tour the museum and talk with artists Anil Revri 202-885-1300

Marian Anderson story time at the National Portrait Gallery program for kids 1 – 4 pm

Nowruz! A Persian Celebration at the Freer Gallery of Art.  Food, games, stories and songs 11 -5 pm.

Nowruz!

Feb2

This Weekend in DC!

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Lots of interesting events are going on in DC this weekend — so stick to that resolution to introduce your kids to one new cultural event every month and check out something a little different for the weekend.

 

Tales from Mother Africa

“Tales from Mother Africa” at the S. Dillion Ripley Center’s Discovery Theater showcases Poetry by Kenyan Anna Mwalagho

Step Afrika! performs on Friday and Saturday at Sidney Harman Hall

Crepe Day at Hillwood is on Saturday — Breton dancing, hat making, French stories & crepes!

The National Gallery of Art hosts National Gallery Asteria concert — take the kids to see medieval songs and a demonstration of the instruments used during that era.

Have fun exploring!

Jan29

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year!

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It’s the year of the Dragon!  We celebrated Chinese Lunar New Year last week by hosting a party for my son’s class — Spring Happiness poems, oranges, and even a Dragon Parade.  The kids loved it and it  gave us the opportunity to talk about different countries, cultures and traditions.  In previous years Chinese New Year has fallen in February and I welcomed the opportunity to focus on a holiday other than Valentines Day.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Valentines Day.   But for some kids it’s a little more fun and interesting to talk about dragons, lions, sweeping out the old year and learning to eat with chopsticks.   Washington, D.C. is hosting its annual Chinese New Year parade today and it’s a cultural highlight for kids!  Lion dances, acrobats, costumes, fireworks…what’s not to love?  When we first started celebrating Chinese New Year there were very few children’s books about the holiday.  Today there’s a wider selection so check them out if you get the chance and start the conversation.  I want to make sure my kids grow up with Chinese New Year as one of our celebrated holidays…and if it edges out Valentines Day…well, I’d welcome that too.

Oct13

Kids Euro Festival!

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Hey D.C. — it’s that time of year again.   I love the Kids Euro Festival.  Twenty-seven European Union countries and their embassies open their doors to showcase the best European productions for kids.  With over 150 performances to see over the next month….you can’t go wrong in introducing a new culture to your kids.  There are puppeteers from Finland,  clowns from Estonia, cartoons from Poland, music from Sweden.  Last year I took the boys to see a few different events – mimes from France were by far their favorite and a comical play from Cyprus was a hit as well.   Not only are the performances/films fun but it also presents a great opportunity to check out places you’ve always wanted to see.  The Goethe Institute, French Embassy, House of Sweden, Shakespeare Theatre, Artisphere and others.  Venues also include the Kennedy Center, local libraries, embassies and schools.   For a complete schedule of events click here.  All events are free and many don’t even require reservations.

Sep27

Learn with the World, not just about it

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Today I learned of two innovative organizations whose work brings students, schools and teachers closer via the internet and social networking.  Today’s students are talking to each other instantly with Skype, working on projects jointly and giving new meaning to the words “international collaboration”.   I’m thrilled that young children around the world can connect instantaneously and that school curriculum can be enhanced exponentially.  With iEARN, over 2 million students are engaged collaboratively every day.

If you have a chance please check out iEARN and Connect All Schools and see if your school can participate.  As iEARN states..students are “Learning with the world, not just about it…”

Sep26

Explore China at the Kennedy Center

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It’s not too late to catch a few shows at the Kennedy Center showcasing China: The Art of a Nation.  Between now and the end of October you can still catch the Northern Kunqu Opera, the Beijing People’s Art Theatre and the Beijing Dance Theatre.  For younger kids there’s also the outdoor exhibition by leading Chinese contemporary artists.   I took the kids to the MaximIndia Festival back in March and was amazed at the exhibits showcasing culture and art.  If you get the chance, it’s definitely worth an evening visit and you can even grab a quick dinner in the Cafe!

Sep24

Public Lands & Day of Play

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Today is National Public Lands Day.  So if you’re not already playing in a park, hiking in the mountains or helping clean up our green spaces then think about participating.  Across the country kids, parents and neighbors are working to improve our parks, beaches and forests.  Even if you only have half an hour, or while you’re watching the kids play, pull a few weeds or pick up a bit of trash.  It all adds up and what a great lesson to teach your kids – to take part in taking care of the planet.  If you’re looking for a site to volunteer you can click on the link here.

It’s also the WorldWide Day of Play!   Head down to the Elipse on the National Mall and join Nickelodeon for a day of play.   You can try yoga or zumba,  throw a ball with the NFL, play tennis, dance and even hula hoop!  Tons of activities to encourage play in today’s culture.

Sep19

Jose-Luis Orozco at Discovery Theater!

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My kids and I love Discovery Theater (O.K., let’s be honest, I love Discovery Theater and they enjoy most of the shows)  If you’re in the D.C. area then please take advantage of their  rich cultural and educational shows.  We have never been disappointed by their events and always leave having learned something new and seen something unique.   And this Wednesday one of our favorite Spanish singers is performing.  Jose-Luis Orozco will sing songs for kids in both English and Spanish.  We’ve listened to his fun tunes for years.  The show is sponsored by the Smithsonian Latino Center.  If you have the chance, don’t miss it!

Sep16

Learn the National Anthems!

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In honor of the Rugby World Cup, New Zealand 2011 has created  a program called “Learn the Anthems”.   The site lists 20 countries competing in the games along with their flags, map, country information and a recording of their national anthem.   What a great idea to help kids learn about foreign countries and cultures.  Pick a team, learn their anthem and sing along with them.  You can even go a step further in making flags, banners and signs in the native language.  I’m sure after seeing the videos my boys will be most interested in painting their faces like the kids pictured here.  Thank you to Global Kids Oz for sharing another global idea with us.