World Cultures Lesson Ideas By Country ~ Preschool, Kindergarten & First Grade
Updated August 2015
Please see World Cultures Lesson Ideas Part 1 for the goal, objectives, and activities you can do with your children for any country. You may also be interested my post We’re Going On A Trip! Free Travel Printables and my series of posts Around The World In 28 Weeks: Art, Literature, and Geography Lesson Plans For Children Ages 4 to 7.
Below are activities and crafts for specific countries and continents. There are gaps, I know – I’ll keep working on this list! If you have a suggestion, please comment below!
Disclosure: Most of the links below are to free resources. Some of the links are affiliate links to Amazon.com and Little Passports, and I will receive a small commission if they are used to make a purchase. However, I only recommend products and companies that I believe will benefit my readers.
The following books have been very helpful in my lesson planning:
- Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Jean Potter. Wonderful projects which can be adapted to the abilities of kids of all ages.
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy includes many stories from all over the world. They take approximately 5 – 10 minutes to read, so they are perfect for a classroom setting.
- Stories from Around the Worldretold by Heather Amery
Activities & Reading Arranged by Country or Continent
Africa
- Giraffe Handprint Painting
- Giraffe Activity Placemat (Printable)
- Elephant Vowel Worksheet (Printable)
- Dot to Dot Zebra (Printable)
- Lions Coloring Page (Printable)
- Camel Coloring Page (Printable)
- Printable Outline Maps of Africa
- Cool Time Song by Carole Lexa Schaefer
- Humpfree: The Humpless Camel by Julie Dweck
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
- Stories From Africa
- Stories From Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Australia
- Australia Mini-Book (Printable)
- All About Australia Paper Quilt Craft (Printable)
- Australia Day Activities
- Around the World: Australia Activities, Map and Flag (Printables)
- Over in Australia: Amazing Animals Down Under by Marianne Berkes
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
- Stories From Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Bolivia
- Around the World: Bolivia Activities, Map and Flag (Printables)
- The Umbrella by Jan Brett
Brazil
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
Cambodia
- Stories From Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Canada
- Canadian Animals Coloring Page (Printable)
- Canada Day Activities
- Igloo Tracing/Handwriting/Coloring Page (Printable)
- “Igloo” on Wikipedia
- Around the World: Canada Activities, Map and Flag (Printables)
- Very Last First Time by Jan Andrews
China
- Chinese Fan Craft
- Chinese New Year Activities and More
- Around the World: China Activities, Map and Flag Coloring Pages (Printables)
- The Story about Ping by Marjorie Flack
- Daisy Comes Home by Jan Brett
- The Paper Dragon by Marguerite W. Davol
- Stories from Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Czech Republic
Stories From Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Egypt
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
England
- British Palace Guard Craft (Printable)
- Poem: Buckingham Palace by A. A. Milne (Printable)
- Teapot Twins (Printable)
- Castle Tracing/Handwriting/Coloring Page (Printable)
- Castle Craft (Printable)
- Around the World: England Activities, Map and Flag Coloring Pages (Printables)
- Take Care, Good Knight by Shelley Moore Thomas
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
- Stories From Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Finland
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
France
- Madeline Crafts
- Castle Tracing/Handwriting/Coloring Page (Printable)
- Castle Craft (Printable)
- Around The World: France Activities, Flag and Map (Printable)
- Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
-
Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
- Stories from Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Germany
- Around the World: Germany Activities, Map and Flag Coloring Pages (Printables)
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
- Stories from Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Greece
- Around the World: Greece Activities, Map and Flag Coloring Pages (Printables)
- Aesop’s Fables
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
- Stories from Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Holland and the Netherlands
- Windmill Craft (Printable)
- Stories From Around the World retold by Heather Amery
India
- Elephant Vowel Worksheet (Printable)
- India National Animal Coloring Page – Tiger (Printable)
- Around the World: India Activities, Flag and Map Coloring Pages (Printables)
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
Indonesia
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy (Java)
Ireland
- St. Patrick’s Day Activities
- Around the World: Ireland Activities, Shamrocks, Map and Flag (Printables)
- The Story of Saint Patrick by James A. Janda
- The Story of Saint Patrick’s Day
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
Israel
- Hanukkah Activities
- Dreidel Coloring Page (Printable)
- Menorah Coloring Page (Printable)
- Around the World: Israel Activities, Map and Flag – Easter (Printables)
- Around the World: Israel Activities, Map and Flag – Christmas and Hanukkah (Printables)
Italy
- Around the World: Italy Activities, Map and Flag (Printables)
- The Clown of God by Tomie dePaola
- Stories from Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Japan
- Japanese Children Coloring Page (Printable)
- Around the World: Japan Activities, Map and Flag Coloring Pages (Printables)
- Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
- Stories From Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Mexico
- Cinco de Mayo Activities
- Stories from Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Morocco
- Stories from Around the World retold by Heather Amery
New Zealand
Stories from Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Norway
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
- Stories From Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Puerto Rico
- Around the World: Puerto Rico Activities, Map and Flag (Printables)
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
Russia
- Russian Matryoshka Paper Craft (Printable)
- Around the World: Russia Activities, Flag and Map Coloring Pages (Printables)
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
- Stories From Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Scotland
- Around the World: Scotland Activities, Map and Flag Coloring Pages (Printables)
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
Spain
- Around the World: Spain Activities, Map and Flag Coloring Pages (Printables)
- Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus by Peter Sís
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
- Stories from Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Switzerland
- Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Tanzania
Ukraine
- Around the World: Ukraine Activities, Map and Flag (Printables)
- Make a Paper Bag Book for The Mitten by Jan Brett (Printables)
- The Mitten by Jan Brett
United States
- Star Wreath Craft
- Statue of Liberty Coloring Page (Printable)
- Eagle Coloring Page – USA National Bird (Printable)
- Fourth of July Activities
- Farm Tracing/Handwriting/Coloring Page (Printable)
- Desert Animals Activity Placemat (Printable)
- Train Trip Craft and Game (Printable)
- Around the World: United States – Abraham Lincoln (Printables)
- Around the World: United States – Thanksgiving (Printables)
- Early American History Series: Timeline, Coloring Pages, Book Recommendations, More (Printables)
- How to Make a Cherry Pie and See the U.S.A. by Marjorie Priceman
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
- Stories From Around the World retold by Heather Amery
Wales
- The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy
Zambia
- Around the World: Activities, Map and Flag (Printables)
If you have older children (5 – 12 years old), you may be interested in a Little Passports subscription – each month your child(ren) will receive a package with activities related to a different country. For the first month, they receive a suitcase and a wall map! To read my review, please click here.
Disclosure: Most of the links above are to free resources. Some of the links are affiliate links to Amazon.com and Little Passports, and I will receive a small commission if they are used to make a purchase. However, I only recommend products and companies that I believe will benefit my readers.
Image from Flickr.com, used under the Creative Commons license. Credit: International Flags On Pier by Loren Sztajer.
Copyright 2013 Kathryn Depew
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