Military Families: Include International Holiday Studies in Your Homeschool

Episode #29- Some military families may find themselves spending the Christmas season in a community or country than their home of origin. This is an exciting opportunity for homeschoolers to explore how other cultures observe the holidays. But, even if you’re not living overseas, you can still learn how others worldwide celebrate the season as part of your homeschool studies!

As the holiday season quickly gets into full swing, many homeschooling families are considering how they will include holiday lessons into their curriculum. From holiday-themed worksheets to art projects, gratefully, there are so many FUN options! However, for some families, especially military families living abroad, the typical approach to teaching about the holidays can seem lackluster, or miss out on opportunities to understand more about the way the local culture celebrates the season.

One fantastic aspect of being a military family and PCSing to different areas, at home and overseas, is the opportunity to experience other cultures. And, while holiday-themed worksheets bring a sense of festivity, kids don’t always learn why they celebrate a specific holiday or how their celebrations may differ from those of others.

So, listen to this episode for tips on how to incorporate holiday teaching into your homeschool program that will help your children truly learn the meaning of the season while also learning about international celebrations held worldwide.

Sources:

First Thanksgiving (nationalgeographic.com)

8 Thanksgiving Celebrations Around the World – HISTORY

Facts about Christmas! – National Geographic Kids (natgeokids.com)

New Year’s Day – Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help

Christmas Traditions Around the World Lesson for Kids | Study.com

International Holiday Desserts around the World (delish.com)

5 Ways Americans Can Deliver a Piece of Home to Troops During the Holidays · United Service Organizations (uso.org)

101 Hanukkah activities for kids (care.com)

How to teach kids about the diverse winter holidays – Care.com Resources

Sponsor:

Upper Iowa University is committed to providing quality, affordable education to service members and their families. Service members, spouses and dependents qualify for tuition savings with their Military Family Grant on undergraduate and graduate degrees.

UIU programs are available online, on campus and at one of their learning centers across the country. Work one-on-one with an advisor to reach your educational goals. Learn more at UIU.EDU/MilitaryHomeSchool

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