A long time ago I posted about Little Passports, a “club” that sends your child an adventure package from a new country every month. The package includes a letter from globe-trekking Sam and Sofia, an activity sheet, a real photo from the country, a stamp to put in their “passport”, a map marker, a suitcase sticker, a cool souvenir, and a collectible boarding pass to access additional online games and activities. I love the concept, but not the idea of cramming anything else into the busy school year. So every month I tossed the package into the activity bin and said, “Later.”
But now summer is here and the days are stretching out, just waiting to be filled. So I reached into the depths of the bin and out came…Italy. Splendido.
The package was full of the usual goodies, plus a packet of basil seeds to plant and watch grow and then use in the included recipe for marinara sauce. We planted the seeds and then came up with a list of other ideas for Italy Week. I’m sure we won’t get to everything, but the point is to have fun, try new things, and learn something along the way.
Italy
Plant basil seeds (done!)
Make homemade pasta or gnocchi
Visit Cossetta’s market
Eat gelato
Make risi e bisi (rice and peas)
Read a story set in Italy (Tomie de Paolo, Italo Calvino)
Talk about Italian art and music
Learn some Italian phrases
Find where Grandpa Tony is from on the map
Watch movies set in Italy (A Room With a View, Enchanted April, Roman Holiday, The Lizzy McGuire Movie, When in Rome)
Visit this blog
Is there anything else we should add to the list?
I love the Little Passports idea too, but when I looked into it, I passed mainly because things are just too busy during school w/ homework and basketball. I think summer would be perfect though! Smart lady!!
Thanks, Michelle! It really is a great thing to do in the summer. It gives us a good focus, and we can do as much or as little as we want. And for us it mostly seems to be about the food!