Virtual Field Trip Ideas: Around the World on a Flying Carpet

"Mom, I wish we could go to Australia," nine-year-old Elizabeth said after studying the continent. "I want to see dingoes, kangaroos, and koalas."

"They have kangaroos at the zoo," I offered.

"Yeah, I know, but I want to see the real thing!"

Those animals are real, I thought to myself. But knowing that would be little consolation for her wanderlust, I said instead, "So do I dear. So do I."

I've always wanted to go to Australia. When I was Elizabeth's age I read a book set in the Outback. Now I wish we could all go. Together we could snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, visit the Sydney Opera house, or take a walkabout in the Outback and see "real kangaroos." But the fact is, we don't have enough money to fly across the country much less across the Ocean. But after the Australia unit, I've been inspired. This summer we are going to visit the land down under without even leaving U.S. soil. We are going by flying carpet. You can too, with these fun family activities.

Laying the Groundwork

Okay, so there is no such thing as an actual flying carpet. At least I've never seen one. But the concept of taking a trip on something so fanciful is very intriguing to children. You can use it to pull them into the process. After all, you want your children to have fun and enjoy themselves.

• Pick which country you want to visit. Australia may not be the place that is calling you. Maybe there is another destination that you have been dreaming about for a long time. Or perhaps, your children, too, are fascinated about a place they have studied in school. What lands will they be studying later in the school year, or next year? You might want to tie your travels to those countries and extend learning beyond the classroom. What countries did your family emigrate from? Together discuss where you might like to go. Everyone should be in agreement before your "carpet is ready for boarding."
• Decide when you will travel. Your flying carpet is gassed up and ready to go, but you might like to schedule your travels when your children have extra time on their hands- say spring break or summer vacation. Since you set the schedule and pace of this excursion, you can pack everything in to a short time-slot or extend your travels over a period of months. It's all up to you.
• Gather travel materials. Now that you know where, and when, the work begins. Let your children accumulate information about the place you will go. They can visit the travel agency and collect brochures, or write for tourist information.
• Visit the local library. What is available about the land you want to visit? Are there non-fiction books that describe the people, landscape, and native animals? What about fiction, set in the country, at your children's reading levels? Videos? Look for cookbooks that include recipes for cultural dishes. Don't overlook information about the language, native costumes, games and folklore. Check out any materials that make your destination come alive.
• Keep your eyes open for television specials on your country. Serendipity often plays a role in a successful vacation. Find ties to current events and your target destination.
• Share your plans with your child's teacher. Educators are collectors of information. Often they don't have enough time to use everything in the classroom. The teacher might be able to augment your materials with information, maps and other resources.

Get Ready to Fly

Now that you have gathered all the information, it is time to consider what your trip might look like. How immersed you become in the culture will depend upon how much time you decided to devote to your "vacation."

Here are some ideas to include in your celebrations:

• Make passports. You can't visit a foreign land without one. Have your children create their own. Use construction paper for the cover and copier paper for the interior pages. Help your children write the personal information about themselves in the first few pages: where they were born, when, their current address, and so on. Include an extra school photo if you have one available. Use rubber stamps, stickers, or anything else you have on hand to "stamp" the passport for entry into the country you are traveling to.
• Learn some of the language. You don't have to take a six-week course in the language of the land, rather help your children learn a few key phrases: hello, goodbye, my name is..., and where is the bathroom. If the country you are visiting is English-speaking, explore some of the different idioms or phrases that are popular there.
• Plan a film night. Watch the videos and programs you have collected. Learn about the history, culture, people, and wildlife of the region. Discuss the area with your children. Is the landscape like that at home, or is it more hilly, rocky, verdant? How do the people live? Do they live in houses like yours, or are they more transient, living in movable huts or tents. How do native animals differ from those you are used to? Is the area more developed or less developed?
• Invite others to share their travels. Do you have friends or family members who have actually visited your destination? Ask them to come and talk about their adventure. They might even be willing to share photos or slides with you.
• Eat your way across the globe. If there is a restaurant featuring the foods of the country your have chosen, plan an evening there with your family. Even the Outback Steakhouse offers a taste, albeit a niblet, of Australian cuisine. Most cities are brimming with cultural foods just let little fingers do the walking through the yellow pages.
• Plan a special meal at home. Choose some recipes that all will enjoy- no blood pudding or fried dog this go round- and organize a dinner where everyone is involved. If you know someone who is native to the country you are visiting, invite them to join in the festivities. You might ask them for menu suggestions. Try to incorporate as many of the cultural norms as possible. Dress in costume and play ethnic games.
• Visit local sites with cultural influences. Does your local museum feature an exhibit on your destination? Are there traveling art shows that will take you there? Does the local community college or university offer cultural or international events?
• Explore native wildlife at the zoo, animal park or other facility near your home. Some natural history museums and zoos have sections devoted to the animals in different parts of the world. True, the kangaroos aren't in their natural habitat, but if you get to see one hop, or a joey poke his head out of his mommy's pouch, your trip will have been worthwhile.
• Take a virtual tour. It's amazing where you can go on the Internet these days. You can visit museums, and click through their collections, all across the globe. You can find "live" views of different spots around the world. Just use your favorite browser and search for sites in your country of choice. You might want to preview these sites before you visit with your children.
• Fashion toys or crafts that the children in your destination might play with. You could decorate a coffee can to make an African drum, fill a cardboard tube with rice to simulate an Australian rain stick, or create Brazilian castanets with juice can lids. Turn to the materials you have collected for ideas.
• Read aloud. Set aside a time each evening to let your minds travel "on location." Share a novel set in the country, or share folk tales that originated in that land.

Keep That Passport Handy!

Of course, you don't have to end your globe trotting with just one overseas visit. Once you've gotten the hang of it, start all over again with another destination. So keep that flying carpet vacuumed and ready to go. You never know what adventure awaits you next.