The world is full of different traditions and celebrations, foods and languages, homes and jobs. Sometimes, children have a difficult time understanding what exists beyond their own hometowns. Use the books on this list to introduce kids to our wonderful world and the people in it! They'll see how kids just like them live all across the globe. They'll explore maps, learn exciting facts, and read fairy tales. Let's jump right in!
In this book, kids get a glimpse into the lives of seven children living around the world. Each page dives into one area of their lives: what they eat, what they wear, how they play, and so on. The illustrations are based on actual photographs from these families, and they were created digitally with a modern, authentic feel. It's a great book to use when comparing and contrasting different cultures. Early elementary kids will love it!
This book is full of eye-catching photography! It explores each inhabited continent and the countries there. Detailed maps, amazing statistics, and cultural facts will keep kids engaged and learning. It's nearly 200 pages long, so kids will like to tackle this one country by country. Upper elementary kids will page through the book by themselves while younger kids will enjoy the photography and reading it with an adult.
This children's book from Lonely Planet, the world's leading travel publisher, does not disappoint! It provides thousands of facts about 200 countries across the globe. Kids will learn how people live, which sports they play, what they eat, and many more interesting snippets about world cultures. Photography and illustrations bring each page to life. It's an incredibly comprehensive and interesting book that's perfect for elementary kids.
This book highlights 36 different countries and 44 of the children who live there. Each page features photographs, maps, and facts that explain what it's like to live in these cultures. A glossary and index are included for easy reference. This book provides a convenient way to introduce diversity and world cultures to early elementary children.
Check out this kids' atlas, complete with 75 3D maps and six chapters of exciting facts. Kids will learn about geography, nature, arts, history, and so much more! The book touches on every continent and each ocean. It's an extremely detailed book that's great for upper elementary and middle school kids.
Most of us know the New Year as starting on January 1. Not every culture celebrates that date, though. Use this book to introduce your child to various cultures around the world and get a glimpse into how they celebrate the excitement of the New Year. Each country's celebration is told through poetry. The collage illustrations that accompany each page are stunning! Pick up this one to read with your elementary children.
This book gives elementary kids the chance to see what it'd be like to live in homes around the world. You'll see homes in Spain, South Africa, China, Germany, and more. Each home is depicted with an intricate bas-relief collage. Facts about the building materials, location of the house, and dates of construction are also provided.
Dive into popular animal-themed myths and legends from across the globe. It's an anthology that features 50 stories like The Three Little Pigs and Ananse and the Python. Each story is told with captivating language and rich illustrations. They're perfect bedtime read-alouds for elementary-aged children.
Celebrate the world's diversity by cooking the 44 recipes in this book. Cooking is an essential part of immersing your family in world cultures! Try your hand at making waffles from Belgium, shakshuka from Morocco, bannock bread from Canada, and more. Before tackling the recipes, kids can read up on cooking terms, techniques, and safety. Use this cookbook with 7 to 12-year-old kids.
This book will introduce your child to 12 children from around the world. It uses short, easy-to-read text to describe what these children eat, the language they speak, where they go to school, and other facts of daily life. Both commonalities and differences are brought to light. Playful mixed-media illustrations keep kids engaged and help them see connections to these different cultures. This book is simple enough for preschoolers.
Listen to Camille Saint-Saens' symphony “The Carnival of the Animals” as you read through this adventurous book. The book features nine of the movements of this piece, and each one helps kids imagine the animal the music is portraying. In the final pages, there's even information about the instruments and musical techniques used in the symphony. The beautiful illustrations bring this whimsical, animal-filled world to life. This is a really fun book for preschoolers and early elementary kids!
Ancient, magical creatures take center stage in this book. You'll meet elves, fairies, mermaids, and dragons from around the world. This book features lesser-known fairy tales that come from China, Iceland, Russia, and other countries. The stories are exciting and brief, perfect for reading to elementary children.
Take a visual approach to learning about some of the greatest cities in the world! This seek-and-find book gives kids a list of items to search for, but it also provides several snippets of details related to every city. You'll explore Dubai, Paris, Venice, and other cities. The seek-and-find pictures are great for kids ages 4-8, and independent readers can easily read the facts about each city.
This one is an interactive book with a dual purpose: encouraging self-reflection in kids and teaching kids about different cultures. Kids will write about and draw the activities they do in their daily lives. Then they'll learn how their lives compare to kids around the world. There's a sticker sheet, a pull-out map, and blank postcards. Work through this one alongside your elementary-aged children.
With more than 200 stickers, kids are sure to love working with this book! It's packed full of maps, pictures, and quick facts about places across the world. Sidebars offer information about wildlife, monuments, art, sports, and other unique features of each country. The text and activities are perfect for preschoolers and early elementary kids.
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