Tag Archives: Kids

Find Out About Water Supplies

How Do People Get Water?

In most well-developed countries, clean drinking water is all around. You might only have to walk into a kitchen or bathroom and turn on a faucet to get some. You may not have stopped to think about where your water comes from, but you should. Water is precious. People can only drink about one percent of Earth’s water. The rest is not fit to drink. Everyone needs water, but not everyone in the world can get it easily. Here is how your water gets to your faucet and how some other cultures around the world get their water.

How People Get Water in North America

In the United States and Canada, some people get their water from private wells on their properties. Others use public water supplies. Public water is gathered from different waterways, like reservoirs. It is usually held in water towers in each town until it is needed. Then it moves through pipes to get into homes and businesses where people need it.

How People Get Water in Africa

There is a lot of water in Africa, but not all of it is easy to get or safe to use. For example, in the African country of Ethiopia, most of it is used to grow crops. Drinking water is hard to find in Ethiopia. Some people must walk for hours to get some. Then they must bring it back to their houses. Usually, they use jugs or whatever other containers they have with them to do that. Since they can only carry a little water at a time, they are very careful about how they use it.

How People Get Water in South America

In some parts of South America, fresh water is nearly impossible to find. Mexico is one place where there is not enough water for everyone. In fact, about half the people in Mexico struggle to get enough water to drink, wash clothes, or take showers. During dry seasons, it is especially hard for Mexican people to find water in some areas. In Mexico City, Mexico City workers often deliver water rations in trucks. People have barrels at their homes that store those water rations.

In other parts of South America, freshwater lakes and rivers provide water supplies for residents. People living near the rainforest often have easy access to nearby water. They just must safely get that water to their homes. Often, that means watching out for snakes or crocodiles by the water’s edge. They sometimes use buckets attached to poles to carry the water back to their villages across their shoulders.

How People Get Water on Islands

You might think people can easily get water on islands. That is true on many large islands like Mindoro Island in the South China Sea. Larger islands often have their own freshwater lakes or streams. Residents can get their water from those water sources. 

People on other islands rely on the weather to give them fresh water. Many island residents do that by collecting rainfall. In Hawaii, on the island of Oahu, about two billion gallons of rain can fall in just one day. It refills the island’s aquifer system, which people use to get their bathing and drinking water. In many other parts of the world, rainwater is collected in big barrels.

Helping People Around the World Get Water

There are lots of charities around the world that deliver clean water to people or help them build their own clean water systems. You can help, too. The more water you save, the more there is for the rest of the world. Try some easy tricks to save water, like turning the faucet off while you brush your teeth. 

Forge A friendship

Ideas for Making New Friends This Summer 

Summer can be wonderful, but it can also be lonely at times, so making new friends is your best bet at having a good time. It’s really not that difficult! Try these tips and see what happens.

Where: summer camps—including ones during the day as well as sleepaways—are fantastic places to make new friends. Ones that are hosted by churches and community organizations are always a good idea because, this way, kids can meet others who live nearby, and the friendship will have a better chance of lasting. If for some reason, you make a friend who lives far away, you can become pen pals. These camps (especially 4-H and anything sponsored by a church) are usually free or low-cost. Team sports are also popular for meeting new people who enjoy the same things and have a common goal. Summer school is, for some, a good way of making new friends too, so if you think that summer isn’t going to be fun because you’re stuck studying, use this as an opportunity to forge a bond with your classmate/s.

 

“Friendship is born at the moment when one man says to another ‘What! You too? I thought that no one but myself…’” –C.S. Lewis

How: Bible schools and 4-H camps are centered around learning new skills and helping others. This usually involves volunteering and is a great way to participate in teamwork and a shared positive outcome. Engaging in summer camp activities like rowing, fishing, swimming, archery, etc., makes forming friendships easier because everyone ends up with shared experiences that are exciting and joyful. Playing games, such as Capture the Flag, also help to secure friendships. If you’re not into outdoorsy things, try arts and crafts.

Tips for Parents: Enroll your kids in a program/club/camp dedicated to things they enjoy. They’ll meet other likeminded children who enjoy the same activities and have similar sensibilities.  Shared hobbies and interests are ideal for forming lifelong friendships. Depending on their hobbies, they can join a club in their neighborhood/town/school that offers special events. For instance, if they enjoy reading you may want to consider enrolling them in a book club. Mingling isn’t so difficult. Summer camp is actually pretty effective for even the most introverted kids because there are counselors in charge of games and activities whose job is to make sure everyone gets along. This means that no one gets left out. Children are usually paired up or on teams for summer-related sports and fun, encouraging them to be social. If they attend summer camp, they’ll probably become friends with other kids in their cabin (especially their bunkmates). 

 

What does every summer camp have in common? On the first day, everyone sits in a circle and is encouraged to introduce him or herself. Make sure to add something to the conversation about what makes you interesting, special, and uniquely you!

Forge a Friendship

 

“Don’t walk in front of me…I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me…I may not lead. Walk beside me…just be my friend.” –Albert Camus

First of all, be kind to everyone. As you get older, you’ll realize how few and far between true friendships are and will value them more than ever. If you meet someone with shared interests who is kind and makes you feel good, cultivate that friendship! Avoid cliques and encourage everyone to join your group. If you’re at summer camp and see someone eating alone in the dining hall, invite them to sit with you. You’ll be surprised at just how far being amiable will take you in life.

Friendships don’t just happen; you have to nurture them. This means putting other people first, being a good listener, and, sometimes, making a braided friendship bracelet. There’s nothing better than someone who truly cares about you, is attentive, and fun to be around. 

Travel, Read, Repeat

Jules Verne: Explorer Writer Extraordinaire

(Voyages Extraordinaire is the ultimate collection of Jules Verne’s novels—fifty-four in total!)

“Ah! Young people, travel if you can, and if you cannot—travel all the same!” 

– Jules Verne (1828-1905)

Are you ready to go on a wild ride all around the world and even to the moon or beneath the sea? What about to the center of the earth? Explore the definitive science fiction novels of Jules Verne (1828-1905) to learn all about these incredible adventures!

  • Around the World in Eighty Days (1872) tells the story of two adventurers who, on a wager, attempt to circumnavigate the globe. Complete with traveling circuses, tramp steamers, attacks by American Sioux Indians in the United States, adventures in Hong Kong, Calcutta, Yokohama, Liverpool, and Paris and a dilapidated bridge, Verne’s protagonists complete their journey in the nick of time.

  • Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea: Jules Verne is considered one of the most forward thinking authors of the 19th century and has predicted numerous things in his most famous book, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea, which was published in 1870. Verne not only predicted electric submarines 90 years before they were invented, he also imagined them just as they turned out — long and cylindrical.” Verne’s story explored the deep sea in all its mystery, a submarine called the Nautilus, Captain Nemo, and a giant squid!

“We are of opinion that instead of letting books grow moldy behind an iron grating, far from the vulgar gaze, it is better to let them wear out by being read.”


  • Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864) tells the fantasy story of a geology professor, his nephew, and their guide as they travel to the Icelandic volcano Snæfellsjökull. They summit Snaefell on the Isle of Man and tunnel to the center of the earth, where they discover a forest of enormous mushrooms, mastodon bones, extinct reptiles, and an enormous underground lake.

“The moon, by her comparative proximity, and the constantly varying appearances produced by her several phases, has always occupied a considerable share of the attention of the inhabitants of the earth.”

  • From the Earth to the Moon: A Direct Route in 97 Hours, 20 Minutes, 1865 is the quintessential space race novel. Hugely prophetic, this classic novel (filled with satire) explored the notion of astronauts and rockets to the moon!
  • The Mysterious Island, 1875, tells the story of a hot air balloon blown off course and its group of castaways who end up on an unknown island, complete with pirates. 

Think Adventure! Consider visiting the Jules Verne restaurant located on the second floor in the Eiffel Tower in Paris! Follow Spartan and the Green Egg on an adventure (by way of their fun, colorful and educational explorer pins). Learn more about the wonderful country of France and just a tad of what it has to offer.

  • Paris, France, often called the City of Light. Paris is the capital city of France and is home to many great cultural and historical achievements, including the Eiffel Tower. The river Seine winds through this beautiful city, and its city streets are lined with wonderful cafes and shops, and visitors come from all over the globe to see some of the world’s greatest art at a museum called The Louvre. Many great artists, writers, dancers, and musicians have called Paris home, and still do to this day.”

 

  • The Eden Théâtre in La Ciotat, France, was built in the 1880s. It was renamed Théâtre Lyrique in 1890 and Grand Théâtre in 1892. Many grand ballets were held in the colossal theater over the years. Closed twice for lack of funding, it was finally demolished in 1895. “The city of Ciotat acquired the building in 1992. In another life-saving advancement, the Eden-Théâtre was classified as a historical monument in 1996, causing it to benefit from the protection of French cultural heritage laws.”

(Le Voyage Dans La Lune, 1902: one of the earliest films ever made, based on Jules Verne’s book)

“In 2013, the cinema was renovated following 16 months of construction work (directed by Nicolas Masson and André Stern) completed on a budget of 7 million Euros. The projection booth was modernized, but the screening room retained its original 1889 looks.”

Maupassant and More 

Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893), Victor Hugo (1808-1885), and Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880): all masters of 19th century French literature.

  • Guy de Maupassant—arguably the greatest French short story writer—is today probably most remembered for his highly anthologized story, The Necklace.  
  • Victor Hugo, author of Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is a titan of French literature and will forever be remembered for his brilliant creation of Quasimodo, the bell ringer. 
  • Gustave Flaubert is most remembered for his masterworks Madame Bovary and Sentimental Education. To read more about Flaubert, check out Full Cycle Publications’ blog post on the author, his literary surroundings, and legendary writing. 

To learn more about Jules Verne and the sights mentioned in this blog, consult the links below and visit Spartan and the Green Egg at the website:

https://www.boxofficepro.com/the-eden-theatre-in-ciotat-france-celebrates-130-years/

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/predictive-text-frankenstein-1984-and-other-books-that-foretold-the-future/twenty-thousand-leagues-under-the-sea-by-jules-verne/slideshow/74452630.cms

https://www.britannica.com/topic/A-Journey-to-the-Centre-of-the-Earth

https://www.fullcyclepublications.com/discover-gustave-flaubert-and-his-inspirational-surroundings/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/paris-france/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/the-eden-theatre-la-ciotat/

Nostalgia For Play

“Everything is ceremony in the wild garden of childhood.” –Pablo Neruda

There’s nothing that evokes immediate nostalgia like vintage children’s toys. The primary colors of Chinese Checkers, a game of Twister, and Monkeys in a Barrel. Metal Jacks with a ball, Dominoes to line up perfectly (and then be knocked down), army men scattered across the floor, a skipping rope, tiny toy cars, and colorful blocks: all these things conjure images of an idyllic childhood, before screens. Playing with dolls is wonderful for children to learn how to communicate and to imagine interactive scenarios, while puzzles and crossword games encourage literacy and promote intellectual curiosity. 

“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct.” –Carl Jung

The Importance of Play

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

The importance of play cannot be overestimated. When a child plays pretend and make-believe, they are able to imagine anything, and the possibilities are limitless. This type of freedom for the childhood mind is so precious as children are not pressured by restrictions set by society yet. They can leap from stone to stone imagining the ground is covered in lava or blow bubbles into the air without a care in the world. As Fred Rogers said, “When children pretend, they’re using their imaginations to move beyond the bounds of reality. A stick can be a magic wand. A sock can be a puppet. A small child can be a superhero.”

Here are some of our favorite toys for children: 

  • A Slinky: this spring-like favorite will inch its way down the stairs and, as a child, is endlessly fascinating. 
  • Dolls/Barbies/Paper Dolls/GI Joes/Plush Toys are wonderful for children to play with while creating social scenarios. Most children have a favorite doll, stuffed animal, or even a treasured blanket.
  • Building Blocks are the foundations for making just about anything. Of course, these are some of the most rudimentary toys in any nursery and never go out of fashion. The same sentiment goes for a spinning top, a cup with a ball on the end of a string, skipping rope, a tea set, etc. 
  • Colorful chalk and finger paints are essential for children to create whatever picture they wish. The grass can be purple, and this sort of creativity should be encouraged, not dismissed as wrong. Chalk should always be used for creating a schoolyard game of hopscotch!
  • Baseball cards are always fun to collect and, today, may have great monetary value.
  • A Jack in the Box that one twists as “Pop Goes the Weasel” plays—before the toy pops up—is completely classic. 

Board Games/Word Games/Puzzles 

Board Games (especially ones such as Scrabble, Boggle, and Crossword puzzles) are absolutely essential for children to learn language skills. The following are some we highly recommend and that never go out of style:

  • Monopoly
  • Scrabble
  • Crossword Puzzles
  • Picture Puzzles
  • Tic Tac Toe

Games from SGE 

Think Adventure!

Spartan and the Green Egg offers an array of beautiful and educational toys and prizes, including 3D puzzles, matching games, and playing cards. For the little geography lovers in your life, try the spherical 240-piece puzzle, Our Planet. If you know little adventure-seekers, they’re bound to love Spartan and the Green Egg’s Explorer playing cards, binoculars, and World of Amazonia Tin! For more on a 3D Grow a Garden flowerpot puzzle, a 3D egg-shaped puzzle, countless stickers, patches, explorer pins, and medallions, check out the many exciting gifts that Spartan and the Green Egg has to offer at the website

America’s Greatest Idea: The National Parks System

“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”― John Muir

The United States would be a lot less beautiful without the National Parks and all they have to offer. “On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the “Organic Act” creating the National Park Service”; this meant that the inspirational beauty of Crater Lake’s deep blue waters, the snow-capped Rocky Mountains, and pillars of Bryce Canyon could not be destroyed. Giant sequoias—some of the oldest, most magnificent trees in the world—are protected because of the NPS. These unique, educational, and, frankly, breathtaking places have been preserved and are one of the greatest things about this country.

The National Parks Service (NPS) came about to preserve the untouched, natural beauty of this country. This means that these wonders cannot be built over and turned into infrastructure. Some things, such as nature, are sacred. The National Park Service is a government institution that ensures dams cannot be built, hundreds-year-old trees cannot be logged, and endangered species of animals cannot be hunted. 

The National Park idea came about when, in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt became President and created the United States Forest Service. Did you know that Roosevelt protected “approximately 230 million acres of public land” while he served as President of the United States? It is because of this that he is known as the “conservationist president.”

“The mountains are calling and I must go.”

― John Muir

  • John Muir was also a famous figure who played a key role in securing that certain areas of bucolic tranquility, intense wilderness, remote desert, immense beauty, and wonder were protected and not destroyed. Known as “Father of the National Parks,” John Muir (1838-1914) was a mountaineer who is known for his early advocacy for the conservation and preservation of the American wilderness. 
  • Stephen Mather (1867-1930) was another important person who helped to establish the National Parks Service. An American Industrialist who was drawn to the parks, he became the first director of the NPS.

“A visit inspires love of country; begets contentment; engenders pride of possession; contains the antidote for national restlessness…. He is a better citizen with a keener appreciation of the privilege of living here who has toured the national parks.” –Stephen Mather

Travel with Spartan and the Green Egg

  • Bryce Canyon National Park is a “Southern Utah Reserve hosting the largest collection of erosion-formed, odd-shaped pillars in the world. These giant pillars are known as ‘hoodoos’ and the Bryce Canyon hosts a series of crimson-colored hoodoos that are common spots for cross-country skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing. Bryce Amphitheater is a collection of giant hoodoos that provide ideal spots for sunrise and sunset viewing. Rims at Bryce are between 8000 feet (2400 m) and 9000 feet (2700 m) high.”
  • Crater Lake National Park: Located in Southern Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, “Crater Lake” was formed in a dormant volcano. It is the deepest lake in the United States (over 1,900 feet) and is known for its clear, sky-blue water. “The lake is fed entirely by rain and snow. Scientists consider Crater Lake to be the cleanest and clearest large body of water in the world.” “Volcanic formations still stand around the lake, and the park is pampered with an additional small island, numerous trails, hills, and forests for visitors to explore.”
  • Acadia National Park is “a recreational area along the Atlantic coast located specifically at Mount Desert Island of Maine. It covers a vast area of 47,000 acres, and its landscape is characterized by rocky beaches, woodland, and granite peaks. The park is a host to wildlife, including seabirds, bears, moose, and whales (among others). It is also characterized by harbors, shops, and restaurants where each year nature lovers vacation.”
  • Zion National Park “is located within Springdale, Utah, in the southwestern part of America. Zion National Park is filled with many mountains and rivers, but the most well-known is Zion Canyon. The Zion National Park is also filled with many different species of plants and animals. It is very easy to identify the Zion National Park because of the tan and red colors in the sandstone.”
  • Grand Prismatic Hot Springs, Yellow Stone: “The Grand Prismatic Spring, found in Yellowstone National Park, is the largest hot spring in the U.S. and the third-largest on the planet. It is called ‘prismatic’ because the vivid colors surrounding the springs correlate with the rainbow dispersion of white light through an optical prism. The coloration comes from microbial mats located along the edge of the hot springs.”
  • The Great Smoky Mountains are “part of a national park that runs through different parts of Tennessee and North Carolina. The national park actually has parts that run through the Appalachian Mountains. Many hikers that are going through the Appalachian Trail end up visiting the Great Smoky Mountains. The highest part of the mountains is known as ‘Clingmans Dome.’ Many hikers like to explore in that area and reach the top, which is known as the ‘Chimney Top.’”

To learn more about Spartan and the Green Egg and the hundreds of explorer destinations detailed on the website, follow this link.

For more information on the specific sights/National Parks mentioned in this blog, check out the links below (and don’t forget to collect your explorer pins):

To discover more about the National Parks Service (NPS), how it came about, the important people involved, and how you, too, can visit, explore, and educate yourself on conservation, visit the links below (referenced in the blog):

5 Mythical Creatures That Young People Will Love To Explore

In Search of These 5 Mythical Creatures  

As a young explorer, you are eager to examine and understand everything under the sun. For many of you, this not only means learning about the natural world but the supernatural world as well.

 Although science has yet to confirm the existence of the five mythical creatures listed below, legends about them have been circulating for centuries. Maybe someday, you can try to find them in the wild! Until then, we can discover more about them as fantastic creations of folklore, fables, and fairy tales.

  1. Bigfoot – Thought to live deep in the forests of North America, Bigfoot (also known as “Sasquatch”) is a large, hair-covered, ape-like creature who stands and walks upright. By different accounts, this mythical beast may measure as much as 10 to 15 feet tall. Some people think that Bigfoot is a relative of the ancient ape Gigantopithecus, which was roughly three times bigger than a gorilla. Similar creatures, called Yeti, are said to live in the frigid mountains of Tibet.
  2. Werewolf – Although the werewolf myth can be traced back to Ancient Greece, the word “werewolf” dates to early Middle Ages. The Old English word for man is “were.” Although a person might be turned into werewolves through a magical curse or a bite from another werewolf, their human-to-wolf transformation always has the same source: a full moon. This creature has been a well-known monster around the world for quite some time. If a werewolf ever gives you trouble, remember that it doesn’t like sliver…and is particularly susceptible to silver bullets! 
  3. Chupacabra – A Spanish term that mixes “chupar” (“to suck”) and “cabra” (“goat”), the Chupacabra is literally a “goat-sucker.” Much like a vampire, it reportedly feeds on goats and other forms of livestock by attacking them and drinking their blood. Supposed eyewitnesses have given quite different physical descriptions of the Chupacabra, which range from a relatively small dog-like creature to a bear-sized creature with a row of spikes down its spine. The Chupacabra is native to Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Southwestern United States.
  4. Fairy – A close cousin to the pixie, the small, winged fairy is a bit bigger and slightly more human-like in appearance. Both are common characters in European folklore. In early oral tales, fairies and pixies also behaved quite similarly. In other words, they caused trouble, made mischief, and even committed downright evil crimes such as stealing human babies. Over time, however, fairies have gotten an image makeover, appearing in literature and popular culture as kind, wise, and inherently good creatures.
  5. Loch Ness Monster – One of the deepest lakes in Scotland, Loch Ness is said to harbor a hidden resident. Primarily sticking to the dark bottom of the lake, this enormous dinosaur-like creature only occasionally ventures to the surface. Over the past 200 years, countless people have claimed to spot the Loch Ness Monster, and several have even snapped pictures. However, many of these photographs have been revealed as fakes and no one has provided scientific proof of the creature’s existence. 

These five mythical creatures barely scratch the surface when it comes to legendary beasts and magical beings of the world. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start exploring! Who knows what you might find?

SOME OF THE SNOWIEST, COLDEST PLACES ON EARTH

It’s fun and interesting to think about extreme places, especially destinations around the world with extreme weather! This winter, let’s learn about some of the globe’s coldest, snowiest places as we keep warm indoors. Spartan and the Green Egg has exciting explorer pins devoted to some of the world’s most fascinating and remote places; let’s travel vicariously with SGE to some of these snowy spots. 

  • Bouvet Island: “A dependency of Norway, this uninhabitable sub-Antarctic island is in the South Atlantic Ocean around 1,100 miles north of Antarctica. The island is only 19 square miles and has an inactive volcano in the center. A glacier covers 93% of the land. While it has limited vegetation, the island is home to several species of breeding penguins and seals.” This is the most remote place on earth! Can you imagine such an empty, freezing-cold place?! 
  • The South Pole is “one of just two points on the Earth where the axis of rotation interacts with the surface of the planet. It is the southern-most point of the entire planet, and is directly opposite of the North Pole. The South Pole is located on a plateau of ice in Antarctica that is over nine thousand feet thick.” Located in Antarctica, the South Pole experiences “up to 24 hours of sunlight in the summer and 24 hours of darkness in the winter.” No one lives here indefinitely—only about fifty people work at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station during the winter.
  • Antarctica’s Mt. Erebus “is located on Ross Island, which is a part of Antarctica. Mount Erebus has the honor of being the second highest volcano in Antarctica. The volcano has been active since 1972. It is home to many unique sites, such as a lake made out of lava. The volcano itself is very tall, standing over twelve thousand feet high.” Mount Erebus is thought to be the southernmost active volcano in the world and is constantly emitting gas and steam. 
  • The Southern Ocean goes by many names. It is more commonly called the Antarctic Ocean. Other names for it include the Austral Ocean and South Polar Ocean. It is home to the Emperor Penguin species, which is the largest species of penguin on Earth. The Southern Ocean also surrounds the continent of Antarctica, which contains 90 percent of the ice on the planet. At its deepest point, located in the South Sandwich Trench, the Southern Ocean reaches a depth of 23,737 feet.” Talk about an extreme place! The Southern Ocean is also known for its albatrosses, fur seals and blue whales.
  • “The North Pole earned its name by being the northernmost point on the planet where the axis meets the surface. Because of this, anyone at the North Pole will always face south in all directions. The North Pole is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. However, the location is always moving because of the shifting ice in the water. The North Pole wasn’t discovered until 1945.” Did you know that, because the ice is always shifting and moving at the North Pole, there is no possible way for a community to be built.
  • Alert, Nunavut: “Alert is part of the region of Nanavut, which is located within the northern section of Canada. Because of close proximity to the North Pole, the weather is always very cold. The freezing temperatures actually make it so almost nobody can live in the area. Scientists and the military have been conducting research in the area since as far back as the 1800’s.” Some people do, however, work and live at the military base on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut. 

To learn more about the destinations discussed in the blog (along with other exciting places for travel and exploration), check out the links below and visit the website. And don’t forget to collect your explorer pins! 

For more information on the sites mentioned in the blog, check out the links below:

Fun Facts About Christmas Trees

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
How lovely are thy branches!

The Most Impressive Christmas Trees

  • The tree in Rockefeller Center, NYC, is a sight to behold. It wouldn’t be Christmas without this festive tradition! Ice skaters in pairs making figure eights as the lights of the tree glint off the rink makes for a classic tableau unique to the city. The first annual tree lighting took place in 1933, two years after workers put up their own balsam fir and decorated it with handmade garlands. Today there are over 50,000 lights on the tree at Rockefeller Center, and it stands magnificently (this year) at nearly 80 feet tall!
  • The stunningly beautiful Christmas tree at the Galeries Lafayette in Paris, beneath a skylight dome, covered in Swarovski crystals, is quite the festive sight.
  • The tree at La lagune Rodrigo de Freitas in Rio de Janeiro actually floats in the lagoon! Covered with 900,000 light bulbs and at 230 feet tall, this festive tradition (complete with fireworks) is a sight to behold.

Origins of Christmas Trees

  • Christmas trees have been around since the 16th Century in Germany. It was actually believed to be bad luck to put up a tree before Christmas Eve! This was a Christian tradition, but lots of people, regardless of religion, have a Christmas tree in their homes.
  • Although Thomas Edison is accredited with this, “It was actually his colleague and friend, Edward Johnson, who first thought of putting electric lights on a Christmas tree instead of the traditional candles, according to the Library of Congress.” Before this, of course, people used real flames to illuminate their trees. Today, this is antiquated and also pretty dangerous! 
  • While the early Romans were the first to celebrate with fir trees, most people today decorate with evergreens. While most people today use artificial trees, there’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh cedar, pine, and balsam fir.
  • Did you know that illustrations of Christmas trees featuring Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their children helped to popularize this tradition? People saw these images in the 19th century (Prince Albert died in 1861) and immediately fell in love with the festive décor and practice.

What’s Your Favorite? 

“… There’s a tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well

The sturdy kind that doesn’t mind the snow.” 

–It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas 

What’s your favorite part of the Christmas tree? Is it the tradition of wrapping up in your warmest coat and scarf, going outside into the cold, and finding that perfect tree to chop down? Or is it placing it indoors afterward and decorating it? Maybe you love the tinsel, bright shiny baubles, and glass bulbs the best…or the angel on top! Stars, candy canes, and lights galore are a treat for everyone! Does your family put up a tree? Do you make your own ornaments, such as stringing cranberries or popcorn? Whatever your individual tradition, the most important thing during the holidays is being together and giving, rather than receiving. Love is the most important gift under the tree this Christmas. 

For more information on topics mentioned in this blog, check out the links below:

The World’s Most Unusual Bridges

6 Most Unusual Bridges in the World  

For as long as humans have been around, we’ve been using creative ideas and innovative building techniques to explore our surroundings. Often, that means creating ways to get across rivers, valleys, and canyons.

Bridges come in all shapes and sizes. Some have stood for centuries, like Greece’s Arkadiko bridge, crafted from stone in 1300 B.C. and still used today. Some of today’s bridges use amazing engineering techniques, while others look like beautiful works of art.

Here are 6 of the world’s most unusual bridges.

1. Helix Bridge

Singapore’s Helix Bridge looks like a massive double helix rolling across the water’s surface. That’s because the bridge’s creators had the shape of human DNA in mind when they designed it.

With a span of 920 feet, this gorgeous bridge allows people to walk easily from one side of the river to the other. Viewing platforms are perfectly positioned along the walkway. It’s an ideal place to stop and take a few photos of the surrounding city.

At night, strips of LED lights turn the Helix Bridge into a giant, glittering jewel. The bridge is so beautiful that it’s become a popular destination for tourists and Singapore residents alike.

2. Royal Gorge Bridge

Would you be brave enough to walk across 1,260 feet of wooden planks hanging 950 feet above a river below? That’s exactly what visitors to the Royal Gorge Bridge ask themselves!

Built-in 1929, this suspension bridge is the highest in the Western hemisphere. The bridge has two steel towers, more than 2,100 strands of wire cables, and spans a deep canyon 956 feet below. It’s been standing since 1929.

The walkway itself is made of more than 1,250 wooden planks. Each year, 26 million people visit the Royal Gorge Bridge… but we’re not sure how many of them are brave enough to walk across it.

3. Millau Viaduct

Spanning 8,071 feet across France’s Tarn River valley, the Millau Viaduct is a marvel of modern engineering. It’s the highest cable-stayed road bridge (a bridge held up by cables that cars can drive across) on the planet.

Its towers soar more than 1,100 feet into the air, making this bridge taller than the Eiffel Tower and almost as high as the Empire State Building! The bridge is so tall that, on a foggy day, it’s impossible to see the valley below. Drivers on the bridge say it feels as though they’re cruising above the clouds.

It only took three years to build this incredible bridge. The designers of the Millau Viaduct had to come up with an entirely new technique to make it work. Unlike other cable-stay bridges, the towers were constructed first, before the roadway was laid in place.

4. Chenyang Wind and Rain Bridge

For centuries, the Dong people of China’s Guangxi Province have constructed strong, sturdy bridges… without using any nails! These gorgeous covered bridges are topped by towers, porches, kiosks, and pavilions that are meant to offer shelter from the weather. That’s why they’re known as “wind and rain” bridges.

Among the most famous is the Chenyang Wind and Rain Bridge. Just over 213 feet long, the bridge spans the Linxi River. It’s made completely from wood and stone, without any nails or rivets.

The soaring pavilions — up to four stories high — sit on sturdy stone towers in the river. The Dong craftsmen were so good at making the wooden pieces fit together perfectly, that the bridge has been standing for more than 100 years.

5. The Twist

Is it a bridge? A building? A sculpture? The Twist is all three and more. Spanning the Randselva River in Jevnaker, Norway, this unique bridge is truly a work of art; part of the Twist’s interior space even houses an art gallery. 

The bridge is located in the middle of a forest, and designers had to overcome several challenges, including different heights at each end of the bridge. Architects came up with a clever solution: Twist the entire bridge by 90 degrees.

That means when you walk through the bridge, the ceiling and floor switch places. At the twist, the ceiling flows down the wall to become the floor, while the floor stretches up the other wall to form the ceiling.

6. Golden Bridge

Just north of Da Nang, Vietnam lies one of the world’s most unique-looking bridges. The Golden Bridge stretches for 500 (golden) feet across a beautiful forest. But the most amazing part about this bridge is that it’s held up by two giant hands.

Walking across this shimmering bridge is like entering your favorite fantasy novel. Though it’s just a few years old, the hands are crafted to look like ancient stone, carefully holding up a glittering golden thread. Adding to the fun, visitors take a cable car ride to climb slowly up the mountain to reach this magical bridge.

Tropical Birds Around The World

When we think of colorful, exotic birds a parrot (usually perched on a pirate’s shoulder) inevitably comes to mind. There are nearly 400 species of parrot. While they come in all sizes they usually have a long tail, are very intelligent, and some learn to speak (or at least mimic sounds they hear). Parrots are usually very loud, raucous creatures and make for good companions, although one should really not own a parrot as a pet. For one thing, they often outlive their owners! Parrots can live up to 80 years. 

“Tame birds sing of freedom. Wild birds fly.”

– John Lennon

Magnificent Macaws

  • Macaws are extraordinary and extreme in their amazing attributes. They can fly very fast (up to forty miles an hour) and have an impressive wingspan (more than four feet in width). They also have extraordinarily powerful curved beaks used for cracking hard nuts and seeds. 
  • There are the traditional macaws with mainly red plumage surrounding their head, neck, and back that flows into a rainbow of colors across their wings; these are known as the “Scarlet Macaws” while the “Red-front Macaw” is mostly green in color with a splash of red on its head. The “Hyacinth Macaw” is almost entirely blue and is longer than any other species of parrot. Then there’s the “Red and Gold Macaw,” which is extremely distinctive. Their unique shape—including long tail—is for flying quickly through the jungle. Of course, parrots are incredibly noisy birds; this is so they can screech and squaw throughout the tropics and other birds will hear their call.

Other Fine Feathered Friends

Some other popular exotic birds include cockatoos and toucans.

  • Cockatoos belong to the parrot species, Cacatuidae. These birds are distinctive due to the flamboyant plumage atop their heads (the most recognizable because of this attribute being the sulfur-crested cockatoo, with its black beak, entirely white body—except for cheeks that appear to be glamourized with yellow rouge—and bright matching crown of spiky plumes).
  • Toucans are tropical birds known for their impressively large rainbow bills and are a member of the Ramphastidae family. They can be found mostly in Central and South America.

Polly Wants a Cracker: Where to Find Tropical Birds

  • Amazon River Cruises: “What does 55 gallons of water per second look like? The Amazon River, that’s what! The Amazon is THE largest body of freshwater rivers in the world. The
    Amazon snakes through many countries, but the largest portion is in Peru, which is in South America. When exploring the Amazon River you’re likely to see brightly colored birds, such as parrots and macaws, as well as towering trees, exotic flowers, and some of the most unusual wildlife to be found on the planet.”
  • Lake Retba in Senegal: “is among the splendid lakes of the world that have water that is pink!” Located near the country’s capital, Dakar, the lake is known for its abundance of salt. With a gray head and yellow and green body, the Senegal parrot is known for being smaller than most, a little less vocal (although they can be taught to mimic) as well as incredibly affectionate and playful.
  • Scoresby Sound, Greenland, is the world’s largest fjord and is surrounded by incredible craggy cliffs. Some of the wildlife that can be found there includes the Atlantic Puffin. Although it looks similar to a penguin, they are completely different. Puffins are seabirds that can fly over 50 miles per hour and are characterized by their black and white bodies juxtaposed with a colorful beak. Because of this, they have been called “sea parrots.”

For more information on the exotic birds mentioned in this blog, check out the websites below:

For more information on the sites mentioned in the blog and to collect corresponding explorer pins, check out the following Spartan and the Green Egg links:

Our Favourite Fictitious Haunted Houses

What makes horror movies so scary? Tales of vampires, the creature from the black lagoon, ghosts, mad scientists, and wolfmen awaken something within our psyche that speaks to us on a deeper level, and the most frightening Halloween story trope is the haunted house. 

With supernatural happenings and shadows dancing on a wall in the flicker of candlelight, drafts of wind blowing down a corridor, unexplained voices, creaking old staircases, dark, damp cellars filled with lurking monsters and closets filled with skeletons (literally), haunted houses make for amazing (and incredibly frightening) storytelling. The idea that a home we live in, where we’re meant to feel secure, is haunted by something paranormal, is always terrifying. These tales of spooky old mansions sure make for a spine-tingling good time! 

Some of the most famous haunted houses in literature (and in films) that we love include (but are not limited to) Hill House (from The Haunting of Hill House, 1959 by Shirley Jackson), The Overlook Hotel (from Stephen King’s The Shining, 1977), The House of Usher from Edgar Allan Poe’s short story The Fall of the House of Usher (1839), The Bly House from Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw, and even Hogwarts Castle from the Harry Potter book series. 

  • Many of these places aren’t even houses, but they are rivetingly scary nonetheless. Poe’sHouse of Usher is a gothic mansion inhabited by twin siblings Roderick and Madeline. After Madeline’s death, her body is entombed in the house. Then a powerful storm comes, a glowing paranormal lake that surrounds the house is described, and Madeline (who was actually buried alive) arises from her entombment. In the end, the house crumbles and is split down the middle as it sinks into the lake. 
  • Hill House from Shirley Jackson’s novel was made unforgettable when the story was adapted into a classic black and white 1963 film (not to be confused with The House on Haunted Hill starring Vincent Price). 
  •  The House on Haunted Hill is unforgettable; with the castle’s eccentric owner and a slew of guests (who are all promised $10,000 if they can stay overnight), a vat of acid, ghosts of former residents who were killed, and a swinging noose to suggest suicide, this is a frightening and over-the-top ride. 

When it comes to real life, there are actual houses that are supposedly “haunted”—whatever that means—and they’re open to tourists! 

Spartan and the Green Egg have even traveled to at least one! 

  • The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California: Filled with “Secret passageways, stairs that lead to nowhere, miles of twisting corridors all delight thousands of visitors to the Winchester Mystery House. Built by Sarah Winchester around 1882, the house has 160 rooms and was built without a blueprint. Each evening Mrs. Winchester would have a séance, and each morning she would tell the builders what the spirits said needed to be built. As a result, Sarah believed she was building a place where she could never be haunted.”
  • So, if you’re a lover of the macabre and get a kick out of spooky sights, don’t forget to collect your Explorer Pin depicting this mysterious house! 

For more information on all sorts of fascinating places around the world, visit Spartan and the Green Egg at the website and read more on the blog.

All Cool For School

“Fall is here, hear the yell/ Back to school, ring the bell/ Brand new shoes, walking blues/ Climb the fence, books and pens/ I can tell that we are gonna be friends.” –Jack White

 

Back to School Fun

There’s nothing more exciting than the promise of knowledge and new adventures. A whole new world opens up for children in the fall. Crisp red apples, sharpened pencils, reams of parchment paper, and blackboards with fresh chalk all make for a lovely, quaint schoolhouse tableau. Even in times of uncertainty, it’s ideal to make the best of any situation, and a safe, joyous learning environment is truly magical. Making new friends, discovering new interests, and reading lots of cool books are all stepping-stones for children; these are the things that make school years (especially grade school) enjoyable and eye-opening. A new pair of shoes and a colorful knapsack makes school in the fall all the more fun.

Express Yourself  

“I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework.” –Lily Tomlin

There’s nothing more fun than laying out clothes and effects the night before school! Explorer pins, stickers, embroidered patches, lanyards, and medallions are all wonderful accessories for school children to embellish their belongings. Whether it’s a backpack, lunch pail, thermos, three-ring binder, or even a mandated mask, all children enjoy decorating their personal effects. This way, you can go learn in style! Spartan and the Green Egg offers all sorts of original educational embellishments that fit the bill. 

  • Outer Space Patches: “Blast off with Spartan and the gang as they, and Egg, escape Earth’s gravity to explore the Solar System. Learn about the solar system and Earth’s place in it as you reach for the stars! The Explorer Outer Space Patch Collection is the perfect addition to the full line of Spartan and the Green Egg Explorer Collection pins and patches.  This collection includes fourteen patches: International Space Station, Rings of Saturn, Asteroid Belt, Mars, Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune, Venus, Mercury, Earth, Sun, Pluto, Solar System, and the Moon.”
  • Oceans Pin Collection: “Dive right into Earth’s greatest oceans with this exclusive Ocean Pin Collection. Each collectible pin is epoxy coated and polished to be shiny and soft to the touch. Explore the oceans of the world today!”
  • SGE Explorer Stickers Set #1: “Plan future adventures all around the globe with the Explorer Stickers Starter Kit. These 120 vibrant world stickers are nestled in a colorful explorer tin. They are fun and educational. Perfect for all young explorers. Collect the Explorer Stickers starter Kit to see how many destinations you have yet to discover!”
  • SGE Explorer Lanyards:Proudly collect and display all of the Spartan and the Green Egg Explorer pins on this lanyard that is available in several different colors.”
  • SGE Medallions: Deck out yourself and your personal effects with a flying carpet, rocket ship, submarine, and butterfly medallion! 

 

 

For more information on all the educational gifts that Spartan and the Green Egg has to offer, visit the website (along with the links below):

  • https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/spartan-and-the-green-egg-explorer-embroidered-outer-space-patches-collection-set-of-14-patches-sew-on-or-iron-on/
  • https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/oceans-pin-collection/
  • https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/sge-explorer-stickers-set-1/
  • https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/sge-explorer-lanyards/
  • https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product-category/sge-medallions/

Places And Cathedrals Of Russia

 

 


Russia is known for its vast size, extreme cold, great novelists, and amazing architecture that will truly knock your socks off. 

  • The Peter and Paul Fortress is the original citadel (a core fortified area of a city) of St. Petersburg. Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, it is known for its unique design by Swiss architect Domenico Trezzini in the Petrine Baroque style. It is also known as the birthplace of St. Petersburg and shares a picturesque view of the Neva River. Once used as a prison, it is now part of the St. Petersburg Museum of History, where visitors can enjoy festivals and concerts. 

“At the center of all that is Russia – of its culture, its psychology, and, perhaps, its destiny – stands the Kremlin, a walled fortress a thousand years old and four hundred miles from the sea. Physically speaking, its walls are no longer high enough to fend off attack, and yet, they still cast a shadow across the entire country.”

― Amor Towles, A Gentleman in Moscow

 

  • The Moscow Kremlin is a fortified complex and the heart of Moscow. Built between the 14th and 17th centuries, it is one of the most impressive examples of architecture anywhere in the whole world. Complete with twenty towers (nineteen of which have spires). It is a symbol of Russian power and pride. The word “Kremlin” (meaning “fortress inside a city”) is forever linked to the most pivotal political moments in Russia since the 13th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

 

 

  • St. Basil’s Cathedral “is officially called Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat. It is located in Moscow’s famous Red Square. The cathedral has a unique shape, almost like a bonfire rising into the sky. That makes it one of Russia’s most unique buildings. Part of the building is now a museum, but special services are still held there occasionally.”

 

(Russiau.com)

  • St. Isaac’s Cathedral, built in honor of Saint Isaac of Dalmatia, is located in St. Petersburg and is known for filling the skyline with its magnificent golden dome. The cathedral is so vast that it can accommodate up to 14,000 people! Although it is now only rarely used as a place of worship, it is mainly a museum and boasts a fantastic monument to Nicholas I.

 

For more information on the sites discussed in this blog, visit the links below. To collect your explorer pins, and to read about adventure and exploration, visit Spartan and the Green Egg at the website.

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog #littleexplorers #travel #adventure #russia #kremlin #stpetersburg #moscow #explorerpins

Learn About Astronauts

Interesting Facts About Astronauts

For about sixty years there have been astronauts. They have traveled in ships, stayed on space stations, and even walked on the moon. When you think about them, you might think of their special spacesuits or picture them floating around in their spaceships, but that is not all there is to it. There is a lot more to being an astronaut than just putting on a suit and flying in space.

The truth is astronauts go through a lot of tests and training. They also have to deal with unusual things happening all the time. Whether you want to be an astronaut one day or are just curious about space, there are a lot of fun things about astronauts and astronaut training to explore. Here are some interesting and educational facts you may not have heard before about specific astronauts and astronauts in general.

What is an Astronaut Really?

An astronaut is sometimes thought of as anyone in a space program. However, in some countries, to really be an astronaut a person has to actually fly in space. In fact, the rule in the United States is a person has to go at least 50 miles up from sea level to be an astronaut. Even though that is the official rule, people training to fly in space are also usually called astronauts.

Astronauts Versus Cosmonauts

If you have ever heard of a cosmonaut, you might wonder what the difference is between cosmonauts and astronauts. It might surprise you to find out there really isn’t much of a difference at all except for where they train. The word “cosmonaut” is just what an astronaut in the Russian space program is called. Here are some famous cosmonaut facts:

  • Yuri Gagarin was the first person on Earth to launch into space when he took off in 1961.
  • The first woman anywhere in the world to go into space was cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova in 1962.
  • The first untrained guest space traveler in the world was Vladimir Remek, who went to space as part of the Russian cosmonaut program in 1978.

Famous Female Astronauts

It might surprise you to know there have been a lot of famous female astronauts besides Valentina Tereshkova. Although, she famously went into space long before any other female. Here are some other famous females who took flight since:

  • Sally Ride became the first U.S. woman in space in 1983, 20 years after Valentina.
  • Christa McAuliffe is a now-famous civilian teacher who got the opportunity to go into space in 1986, but she died during the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger.
  • Dr. Mae Jemison became the first African American woman in space in 1992.
  • Ellen Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman in space in 1993.

Astronauts of All Ages (Almost)

There is no age rule for being an astronaut in the United States. However, some programs do have age limits. An astronaut in the European Space Agency’s program has to be 50 or younger. Even though there is no age limit in the United States, astronauts still have to pass a lot of tests to make sure they are healthy enough to fly. So far, the ages of accepted astronauts in the United States have ranged from 25 to 77.

Keep Finding Fun Astronaut Facts

There is a never-ending list of fun facts about astronauts. Some are so weird it is hard to believe them, but they are true. Most of those facts are about how astronauts survive in space and the habits they have. For instance, there are no showers or bathtubs on spaceships. Astronauts use shampoo they leave in their hair and pouches or squirt guns with water to clean up. Other facts have to do with how space changes their bodies, like the fact that astronauts get a couple of inches taller in space. If you love astronauts, you can never run out of things to learn about them, so keep studying.

Explore Space Science

 

 

Amazing Outer Space Science Experiments

People have always loved space, but it is full of mysteries. That is why places like The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are so busy. Since it was founded in 1958, many space experiments have been performed by NASA. One of the most famous things NASA astronauts did was land on the moon in 1969. But the experiments performed in space do not just happen on the moon.

Space is a very big place. Astronauts and scientists perform experiments all the time on space stations and in spaceships to learn about outer space. Some of those science experiments have to do with how space works. Others are about what happens to people and animals when they go into space. Here are some of the best outer space experiments done so far.

The International Space Station (ISS) Itself

The International Space Station is like one giant space experiment. There are things happening there all the time. It has been home to astronauts from different countries since November 2, 2000. In that time, around 3,000 science experiments have been done there. Many of those had to do with how our bodies change in microgravity. Microgravity makes people, animals, and objects float in space or spaceships because Earth’s gravity is not the same in space. Scientists care about microgravity because someday people might want to go live on other planets. We need to know how our bodies, pets, and belongings might react to that. So far, microgravity experiments on the ISS have shown a lot of changes, like:

  • Muscles and bones do not have to work as hard in space, but that means they can get weak.
  • Plants grow differently without Earth’s gravity.
  • Fire has a different shape when it burns in space.

The Space Rose Experiment

You might not think of flowers and space going together, but for one fun experiment, they did. In the 1990s, a company called International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) wanted to know if a flower smelled different in space than on Earth. They sent a rose up on the space shuttle Discovery to find out. The answer was yes. The company made a new perfume from the oils gathered from the space rose.

The Space Sloshing Experiment

Have you ever sloshed your drink against the sides of your cup? Imagine getting paid to do that in space. Some scientists do. In fact, scientists from two colleges and NASA came together once to test how liquids move in space. They used robots to study liquids in space for a very important reason. Liquids do not move the same way in space as on Earth. They wanted to learn as much as they could about how to make it safer for astronauts flying in ships with liquid fuel.

The Hammer and the Feather

If you have heard the phrase “light as a feather” before, you might like this experiment. In 1971, an astronaut on the moon dropped a hammer and a feather at the same time. They both hit the surface of the moon at once. That proved the pull of gravity had nothing to do with the weight of an object.

The Blob

One of the most fun experiments that took place in outer space in the last 10 years was the green blob made by astronaut Scott Kelly in 2015. He put food coloring in water. Then he added a fizzy tablet to it. In the microgravity of space, the water floated in a perfect ball shape. The tablet started releasing gas bubbles into the water, and a video camera recorded the results. On top of being fun to watch, it also taught the astronauts a lot about how water interacts with other materials in space.

The Experiments Continue

Some outer space experiments last for minutes. Others last for hours or days. There are even many that started years ago and are still happening today. In fact, some of the most important take years because they show how a long time spent in space can change people, animals, plants, and even bacteria. So, the next time you look up in the sky, think about the experiments that might be going on somewhere up there.

Beneath The Sea: Ancient Ruins

 

 

When we think of underwater worlds, we think of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, sunken ships filled with pirate booty, lost civilizations (maybe even Atlantis), of awesome sea creatures that have never before been discovered, treasure chests overflowing with gold coins and Poseidon (the Greek god of the sea) with his trident.

(UNESCO: Underwater Cultural Heritage)

UNESCO’s Underwater Cultural Heritage Convention began 20 years ago, and its aim was (and is) to protect ancient historical sites that are submerged beneath the oceans. One of the main goals of this mission is to keep these amazing locations safe, to protect them from “treasure-hunting and pillaging.” Without the preservation of certain underwater monuments, we wouldn’t know about wars that have been fought, civilizations that have been conquered and lost, and important architecture that’s been washed away beneath the waves.

Spartan and the Green Egg’s Underwater Sites

Discover some of the world’s most fascinating underwater (and underground) places with Spartan and the Green Egg! Learn more about the world around you, get inspired to travel, and collect your explorer pins to prepare for adventure!

  • Underwater Museum in Cancun, Mexico: “The Underwater Museum is devoted to showing the importance of conservation. Tourists have to visit numerous diving points in order to see all the sculptures that have been placed under water. The museum was made to help control where visitors go diving. This is very important because the natural reefs in the area were getting damaged by a surge of tourists and explorers.”

  • Dragon’s Triangle: “The Dragon’s Triangle has many nicknames, including the Devil’s Sea as well as the Pacific Bermuda Triangle. It is located in a part of the Pacific Ocean, right near the Miyake Island in Tokyo. Dragon’s Triangle has very mysterious origins. There have been many instances of ships going missing. Between 1952 and 1954, Japan lost five different military vessels and over seven hundred crewmen. In response, they sent a research vessel to find out what happened, but that too went missing.”

  • Skocjan Caves: “The Škocjan Caves are a network of underground caves and canyons that can be found in Slovenia. The Reka River runs through many of the underground caves, creating the largest underground wetlands in all of Europe. What makes the Škocjan Caves so impressive is that it was naturally created. Many in Europe consider it to be the European equivalent of the Grand Canyon in America.”

  • Jacob’s Well, West Bank: “Jacob’s Well, also called Jacob’s Fountain and the Well of Sychar, has been associated with religious practices for around two millennia. Hewn from stone, the well is 135 feet deep and located in the city of Nablus in Israel. To access it, one must descend the stairs under the church at the Bir Ya’qub Monastery. Presently under Israeli occupation, the site is a source of contention between Jews and Christians.”

  • Klein, Curacao: “Klein (or Little) Curacao is home to Curacao’s longest beach, which is popular for its beautiful white sand and clear water. It is also a diving hot spot famous for its underwater caves and coral reef systems. The island itself is uninhabited but does have a few structures, including an old lighthouse.” Located in the Dutch Caribbean, this beautiful (and untouched) island is also home to several wrecked ships, including the rusted remains of an old oil tanker. Little Curacao is also known as a breeding ground for green sea turtles that come back every year and lay their eggs.

  • Deep-Sea Vents, Atlantic Ocean: “The Deep-Sea Vents are often referred to as hydrothermal vents. They are giant underwater structures shaped like chimneys. The vents release clouds of scalding water, which turn a black color because of all the minerals mixed in with it. The water can reach temperatures of 700 degrees. Despite the hot temperatures, there are still many underwater species that make their homes around the vents.”

To learn more about what UNESCO is doing to preserve our underwater cultural heritage, visit the link below for more information:

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/underwater-cultural-heritage/protection/unescos-work/

To learn more about the sites mentioned in this blog, visit Spartan and the Green Egg’s website along with the links below:

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/skocjan-caves-slovenia/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/dragons-triangle/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/underwater-museum/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/jacobs-well-west-bank/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/klein-curacao/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/deep-sea-vents/

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

Traditional Houses Around The World


Where do you hang your hat and rest your head at night? There are all sorts of fascinating houses and architectural structures that vary around the globe, depending on climate, culture, etc. Where would you like to live…in a sturdy tent, perhaps? Or maybe even in a house perched on stilts above a rain forest?


A Yurt (also known as a “Ger”) is a popular Mongolian dwelling made up of latticework, poles, and felt-covered walls: it’s basically a sturdy tent. The nomadic peoples of Mongolia—an Asian country bordered by China and Russia—have lived in this traditional type of housing for centuries. “The capital city is the uniquely named Ulaanbaatar. It is named after the founder Genghis Khan, a famous Mongol conqueror from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Mongolia has a fascinating history since it has been inhabited by different civilizations for over forty thousand years.”

A Zulu hut or “Nguni homestead” is a common dome-shaped dwelling of the Indlu, or Nguni-speaking South African peoples. This exotic home resembles a sort of beehive and is common in countries such as Angola, Botswana, Zambia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Join Spartan and his friends to learn more about other sights in South Africa (including the capital city of Cape Town and one of its most prominent attractions, Table Mountain) with Spartan and the Green Egg! Collect your Explorer Pin (complete with charming touches inspired by vintage travel labels) depicting the mountain “famous for having a completely flat plateau at the top. The plateau is roughly two miles long from side to side. The cliffs to the east are called Devil’s Peak, while the ones to the west are Lion’s Head.”

Longhouses are known for being homes to Native Americans as well as for tribal peoples in Indonesia and Malaysia, including Borneo. “The longhouses in Borneo are where the native Iban people reside and were some of the first structures that the Iban people built. The Ibans originated from the Dayak people, who were once a Malaysian tribe. While the traditional longhouses might not look impressive, they have a great deal of historical significance to anyone living in Borneo.” Longhouses are (hence their name) long, narrow homes and are particularly important because their architecture is so old; these were some of the earliest forms of structure ever built in cultures around the world. The Traditional Tribal Longhouse in the state of Sarawak houses up to one hundred families (each in separate rooms)! Because of the area’s beaches and rainforest, the house is built on stilts, high above the jungle.

Minka means “House of the people” in Japanese and is a type of lodging constructed in a traditional Japanese style. “Machiya” refers to townhouses while “Nōka” means “farmhouse”: these are the two types of buildings that constitute this form of architecture known as “Minka” and are very common in Kyoto (the former capital of Japan). “The city has a rich history and is filled with many ancient temples and shrines, as well as beautiful parks and gardens. There is over one thousand years worth of Japanese culture and history in the city of Kyoto.”

For more information about the countries and dwellings mentioned in this blog, consult Spartan and the Green Egg (along with the links below).

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/mongolia/
https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/table-mountain/
https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/tribal-long-house/
https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/japan-kyoto/

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Origins Of Winter Holidays

Winter Holidays around the Globe

Tết(Tết Nguyen Dan) is a celebration of rebirth and is Vietnam’s version of the Lunar New Year.It marks the first day of the New Year according to the moon and will begin January 25, 2020. The most important aspect of Tết is being with family and focusing on blessings, good luck, and honoring ancestors.

Hanukkah (or “Chanukah”) is an eight-day Jewish celebration also known as The Festival of Lights. It is, according to the religious text,  the Talmud , a miraculous event. During the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C., the menorah’s candles burned for eight days instead of one.

Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It wasn’t until the 9th century that the holiday was celebrated with specific religious customs and ceremonies. Ceremonies include attending mass, and the commemoration of the Nativity (which means “to be born” in Latin). Christians believe that the Star of Bethlehem lit up the entire night sky on Christmas Eve.

Kwanzaa is an African holiday that, in Swahili, means “first fruits.” The holiday is based on seven principles called the “Nguzo Saba” and is celebrated by lighting one of seven candles each night for seven nights. Just as the Jewish candle holder or “menorah” is used during Hanukkah, the “kinara” is used for holding candles during Kwanzaa. There is a feast that is held on December 31st called a “Karamu.”

 

How to Celebrate

The most important way to celebrate these holidays is by giving to others and surrounding yourself with loved ones. The celebrations of the winter solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Têt all have religious roots that focus on the miraculous and are ideal for reflecting on the past year and the new year to come. All of the holidays are celebrated with a feast, presents and certain decorations. For Kwanzaa, a table is set with fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts in wooden bowls along with a traditional woven mat called a “Mkeka.” The colors green, black, and red are traditionally used for decoration.

For Christmas, most people display a Christmas tree in their homes, attend church on Christmas Eve, and give out presents.

For Hanukkah, the menorah is lit (one candle each night for eight nights – and there is a ninth candle used to light the others; this is called a “shammash”) while presents are given, matzah is hidden for children to find and dreidel games are played.

For Têt, family and renewal is very important so most people celebrate with elaborate festivals, dance and, of course, feasting.

For more information on these holidays and the topics mentioned in this blog, consult these websites:
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/hanukkah
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/kwanzaa-history
http://www.asian-nation.org/tet.shtml#sthash.m8hENZ4w.dpbs
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christmas
https://bestlifeonline.com/hanukkah-traditions/

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Let’s Explore the Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean in the world, and it is still growing and always changing. It is home to many different species of fish, animals, and plants, as well as strange underwater structures like coral reefs and entire underwater mountains. Let’s explore the Atlantic Ocean and all of the things that make it special.

The Size and Temperature of the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is made up of about 41,100,000 square miles of salt water. It is so big that it is often split into two categories, which are the North Atlantic and the South Atlantic. The South Atlantic is the warmer part of the Atlantic Ocean, and the North Atlantic is the colder part. The water in the South Atlantic near the Equator can reach temperatures of 82 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, which is great for swimming. But you wouldn’t want to swim in the North Atlantic unless you were a penguin or a polar bear. The water up there can drop to below freezing temperatures, which is far too cold for people to swim in.

Countries and Cities of the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean flows past the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Iceland, France, and Cuba also border the Atlantic Ocean, along with more than a dozen other countries. In fact, many countries have been trading goods for centuries using the Atlantic Ocean for boat travel. Christopher Columbus first discovered what is now North America by traveling across the Atlantic Ocean.

Some of the world’s most well-known cities are also located right on the Atlantic Ocean. Havana, Cuba, Seville, Spain, and New York City in the United States are a few of them. Without the Atlantic Ocean for boat travel, many of those cities might never have been founded.

Landmarks of the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is made up of two basins, which you can think of as two giant pools. The two pools are split by an underwater mountain range called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. But water and sea life can still pass between the two basins through gaps in the mountains. Another landmark which can be found in the Atlantic Ocean is the Bermuda Triangle, which is a famous area where many ships and planes have mysteriously vanished. The Atlantic Ocean is also home to the second largest coral reef in the world, which is located off the coast of Cancun, Mexico.

Creatures of the Atlantic Ocean
The manatee is one of the most unique creatures living in the Atlantic Ocean. Manatees are also sometimes called “sea cows.” They are often seen in the warm waters of the Atlantic, especially off the coast of Florida. Other Atlantic Ocean creatures that prefer the warmer southern part of the Atlantic include tropical fish, seahorses, anemones, and many types of dolphins.


The colder parts of the Atlantic Ocean are home to many species of seals and sea lions. The North Atlantic right whale, which is an endangered species, also makes its home in the North Atlantic. Lots of fish live in the colder Atlantic waters too, along with lobsters, crabs, and other creatures, many of which humans eat.

We need to be careful because fishing for too many of those creatures can cause them to become harder and harder to find. Some species have already become extinct or close to it because of overfishing. The Atlantic Ocean will only stay healthy if we find ways to protect it and its creatures.

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Learn About Horseback Riding

Horses are wonderful creatures! You may have seen horses featured in a variety of different books, television shows, and films. Did you know that long before cars, trains, and busses people used horses as a common way to travel? People often rode on horseback or as passengers in a horse-pulled carriage.

History of Horseback Riding

People have tamed and trained horses for many purposes. Throughout the history of the world, people have trained horses to use them as a way to take people from one place to another.

As early as 4,000 years ago, people who lived in central Asia began seeing the benefits of using horses to travel everywhere. However, something was different about their horses. The horses they raised were more pony than a horse and not well suited to carry people because of their small size.

By 2500 B.C., people began breeding horses to grow larger and stronger in size. Larger and stronger horses let people use them for different kinds of early travel. People in Western parts of Asia were said to have connected horses to wagons. Horses soon came to Greece and later came to Troy, where they fast became a part of their culture and daily life.

The Egyptians also used horses with chariots to invade the Amorite territory. Hundreds of years later, horse travel became better when riders came up with the bit, a part that goes into a horse’s mouth. The bit makes controlling a horse much easier.

As society around the world grew, horseback travel became a common way to go places. In cities, horses were used to pull stagecoaches for wealthy passengers. By the 1800s, horseback travel began to overlap with the use of early motor vehicles. As the price of motor vehicles began to decline, horses soon became less popular in the early 1900s and after the World Wars in the early 20th century.

Horseback Riding Today

Although horseback riding isn’t as popular these days, it’s still useful in many places around the world. Horses are still used to help people travel and move cargo from place to place for many reasons.

Police forces in large cities sometimes use trained horses for travel in special situations. You may see police riding a horse for special events or situations where they need to control a growing crowd. Some police use horses in search and rescue missions. Although not usually travel, horseback riders often race their horses in many contests. You may see horses complete in regular racing competitions, barrel racing, and roping events.

Horses are commonly used on farms and ranches for labor. It’s not uncommon to see a farmer or ranch worker using a horse to move heavy cargo across a large area.  Some places rent horses to people who want to learn to ride a horse. There are even dude ranches that let people pay to become a cowboy for a day!

Sources:

http://www.scienceforkidsclub.com/horse-and-pony.html

https://www.britannica.com/topic/horsemanship

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Learning About Other Cultures

Learning About Other Cultures While Traveling

Do you have a trip or family vacation coming up? If you’ll be traveling to another country, you’ll have the perfect chance to learn all about the local culture. While it might be easy to find fast food places or other familiar restaurants in other countries, eating at these places won’t really teach you anything about the people who live in that area. Besides, you already know what to expect from these restaurants. Take the opportunity to try something new, and enjoy restaurants that serve local foods instead.

 

Check Out New Foods

One of the best things about eating at local restaurants in other countries is you get to try foods you’ve never had before. You might even see foods you’ve never heard of. This gives you a chance to explore different kinds of foods, ranging from vegetables to spices, and experience new flavors while you’re at it. You might also get to eat more familiar foods that are prepared in ways that are much different from what you’re used to. Eating local dishes also means you might get a chance to check out food combinations you would never have thought of, like pairing certain vegetables with noodles or sauce.

 

Enjoy Local Traditions

Dining in local restaurants when you’re traveling is about more than just sitting and eating. You also get to experience local customs and traditions that revolve around food. When you’re at one of these restaurants, look around at how the place is decorated and set up. Do people eat in smaller groups at different tables, or is everyone seated around one larger table? Does everyone have their own meal, or do they share one big dish?

The restaurant’s menu can also tell you a lot about the local culture. Before ordering your food, look through all of the menu options to get a better idea of the types of foods people in the area eats. How are these foods prepared? What kinds of foods are usually served together? What do people usually drink with their meal? Keep in mind that you can always ask your server or the restaurant owner more about local foods and customs.

As you travel, keep a notebook or journal handy, so you can keep track of the foods you’ve tried and the customs you’ve experienced in each area. When you get home, you can look up recipes for these foods and make them at home.

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Learn MORE About the Rock of Gibraltar

The Rock of Gibraltar has been an important piece of land for centuries. It’s first claim to fame was that it was where two huge, skyscraper-sized rocks stood, almost like giant pillars. These were called by the ancient people, the Pillars of Hercules. One of the pillars has long since washed away, but the other remained. It is after this pillar and the body of water around it (called Gibraltar) that the area is named. This area has been held by many different countries including, Arabia, Spain, France, and England.

Fun Facts about the Rock of Gibraltar

If you are lost and wandering in the Mediterranean Sea, you can see the Rock of Gibraltar even if you are several miles away from it. Why? It is because the Rock of Gibraltar is as high as 426 meters. It protrudes out of the Mediterranean Sea the way candles stand upon a birthday cake. The Rock of Gibraltar is made of limestone which is the material that companies use to make cement, so it is very strong.

The Rock of Gibraltar Preserves Past History

Bones and the remains of animals that lived more than 100 million years ago have been found preserved right there on the Rock of Gibraltar. Even though fossils were preserved in the Rock of Gibraltar, they are not in good shape because they have decayed so much that only scientists can study them and know what they really were millions of years ago. Also found in the area are some of the oldest manmade artwork the world has ever known. They are still discovering new artifacts each year.

 

The Caves of Gibraltar

Did you know that there are more than 100 caves that can be found under the Gibraltar rock alone? There is also a network of tunnels and underground passages that were dug by warlords during times of war in Gibraltar. These passages are known as galleries and are currently being used as archives for tourists who visit the rock. In fact, if you are in these passages or halls you might see the Spanish coast which is not too far off in the distance. It is in some of these caves where some of the most ancient discoveries have been made. Artwork, pottery, even bones have been found, which are very old and tell scientists what life was like for the people who used to live there.

Monkeys and the Rock of Gibraltar

There are many ideas as to how the monkeys first found their way to Gibraltar, but the most widely accepted idea is that the monkeys used one of the tunnels under the rock that leads 15 miles to Africa. Regardless of how the monkeys first arrived there, it is said that as long as the monkeys live on the Rock, it will always be under British rule. The monkeys have no tails and are a type of Barbary Ape. The park maintains their populations and makes sure that they are given their immunizations and are kept healthy.

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Caring About Climate Change

Caring About Climate Change

 

 

 

 

If the weather in your area seems unusual or extreme at times, you can blame it on climate change. While our planet’s climate goes through natural changes over long periods of time, people are making things worse by burning fossil fuels. These changes are making the Earth warmer overall, which is causing quite a few problems. Climate change is an issue that affects everyone on the planet, so doing your part to help stop it is important.

How Are People Causing Climate Change?

People burn oil, gas and other fossil fuels for many reasons, such as producing electricity, driving cars around and heating homes. When we do this, the fossil fuels we use give off gases that trap heat in our atmosphere. This makes Earth’s temperatures warmer, which leads to climate change.

What Kinds of Changes Happen?

Higher temperatures overall doesn’t mean that every place on the planet becomes hotter. Instead, we experience a wide range of changes, including:

  • Colder winters in some areas
  • More droughts
  • More tornadoes
  • Stronger hurricanes and other storms

The rising temperatures are also causing glaciers to melt and sea ice to shrink, making it hard for animals who live in the Arctic region to find food and shelter. The oceans’ temperatures are becoming warmer, too, which affects many marine creatures. Sea levels are rising as well, leading to higher risks of flooding in areas that are close to shorelines.

How Can We Stop Climate Change?

There are many steps you can take to help stop climate change, including:

  • Using less energy: Shut lights off, replace regular lights with CFL bulbs and turn electronics off when they’re not in use.
  • Using less water: Keep your showers short, and don’t let the water run when you brush your teeth or do the dishes.
  • Recycling: Recycle as much as possible to reduce the amount of waste that ends up going to landfills.
  • Planting trees: Trees are our environmental allies. They absorb carbon dioxide, one of the gases given off by fossil fuels, which helps slow climate change.
  • Eating locally grown food: Food that’s grown in or near your area doesn’t have to go far to get to your home, which lowers a number of gases given off by the trucks that transport it.

While these steps might seem small or easy, they add up to big changes when more and more people start doing them. Talk to your family and friends about how they can join you in stopping climate change and making the planet healthier for all of us.

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Keeping Our Oceans Safe

Saving Our Oceans

 

 

 

 

 

You might have heard that a large amount of our planet is covered in water. In fact, 71 percent of it is! Most of that water is found in the earth’s oceans. The bad news is that our oceans are in trouble for a few reasons. The good news is that you can do something about it.

What’s Hurting Our Oceans?

Litter from land sometimes ends up in the water, and some people toss garbage right into the water. Litter can hurt the animals that live in the ocean. Some animals eat these items and become sick, while others become trapped in rope or rings from plastic bottles.

Coral reefs are also in danger. These colorful reefs play an important role in the ocean’s environment. When they become damaged, many other marine creatures are affected as well. The main threats to coral reefs come from harmful substances that are washed into the ocean, such as pesticides, fertilizers, chemicals and sewage pollution.

Some areas of our oceans have very little oxygen or none at all. These are called dead zones, and no marine plants or animals can live in them. These areas are growing larger, which means that more and more marine creatures are being forced to find other places to live. Dead zones develop when fertilizer applied to crops makes its way into rivers, then oceans.

What Can We Do to Help?

There are several ways that you can help protect our oceans and all of the wonderful creatures that live in them. These include:

  • Eating seafood that is sustainably caught. That means eating fish that comes from areas where there are plenty of them around and where safe fishing methods that don’t hurt other marine animals are used.
  • Choose paper instead of plastic. By using less plastic, you’ll be helping to reduce the amount of litter that ends up in the ocean. If you do use plastic, recycle it.
  • Buy organic foods. Farmers don’t use harmful chemicals or fertilizers on organic foods, so you’ll be doing your part to protect coral reefs and stop dead zones from spreading.
  • Switch to organic sunscreen. Chemicals from regular sunscreen products wash into the water and hurt coral reefs.
  • Support marine sanctuaries and protected areas. These provide safe places for marine animals and plants to live. Learn more about these areas, and look for ways that you can help support them.

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Learn about the Acropolis of Athens, Greece

Standing on a very high outcrop in the city of Athens, Greece, is the Acropolis of Athens. An acropolis is a “high city on the edge”. The Acropolis is a city so high that visitors always feel as if they are living with the stars. What makes the Acropolis of Athens even more breath-taking are the sequence of temples and monumental buildings constructed by a statesman of the 5th Century called Pericles. So what really makes the Acropolis of Athens worth exploring? Let’s find out!

Fun Facts about the Acropolis of Athens Greece

The hill of the Acropolis is 490 ft (150m) above the sea basin and covers a surface area of 7.4 acres. It is so rare to find someone who climbs to the top of the Acropolis without stopping to catch a breath. This “city on the edge” harbors a number of ancient monumental buildings constructed around 5 BC. The buildings on the Acropolis are the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechtheion, and the temple of Athena Nike. It is amazing how the buildings have survived that long and still stand strong. Another name for Acropolis is Cecropia. Cecrops was the first Athenian King mythically believed to be part serpent and part man.

All Were Welcome

Buildings at the Acropolis were used for spiritual roles by more than one religion. The Parthenon was constructed to honor the goddess known as Athena, whom the city was also named after. It is believed that the site where the Parthenon was constructed had been a temple before it was brought down to pave the way for the Parthenon. The Acropolis has been attacked several times and served as sacred grounds for religions. For example, in 1456 it served as a mosque for the Ottomans.

A Perfect Location to Hunt for Treasure

Persians destroyed the Parthenon in 480 BCE and buried a big chunk of the monuments under the rubble. During special ceremonies, precious items were buried under the surrounding caves to complete certain rituals. Sacred objects lie beneath the mound ready to be discovered, although archeologists have done a good job of uncovering the treasures and sending many of them to museums for display. One thing that stands out about the Acropolis is that all of the treasures at the site were carried out by the best artisans, sculptors, and architects of the ancient times.

A Safe Zone: Acropolis

Originally, the acropolis acted as a fortress to protect Athens from invasion by its enemies. Defending territories from higher ground was a strategy used by various governments including the Greeks and Romans. Ancient people of Athens saw the monumental beauty of the Acropolis and decided to use it as a beautiful symbol of Athens instead of its intended purpose. Millions of tourists still come to the site today. Standing at the Acropolis is a magnificent sight to behold because it provides a beautiful view of the city of Athens, and the sea far away.

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What You Didn’t Know About The Eiffel Tower

Located in the heart of Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower is one of the most famous monuments in history. But why was it built? Do you know how high it is? What does it weigh? Learn the answers to these questions, and more below. Begin your adventure with the Eiffel Tower NOW!

Fun Facts About the Eiffel Tower

Did you know that almost 7 million people visit the Eiffel Tower each year? That’s a lot of people. So, what makes the Eiffel Tower such an amazing place to visit? The tower was first built because there was a World’s Fair that was coming to Paris. It took more than two years to build. At first, most people who saw it didn’t like it because it was so different from all other buildings in the country. In fact, after the fair they almost tore it down! Today, people think differently and it is one of the world’s most amazing structures ever to be built. It takes over 500 people to keep it working and running properly.

The Eiffel Tower is 324 meters tall (that’s 1063 feet), and it weighs 10 tons. That’s as much as 5 cars stacked up, or two elephants. There are elevators in the tower to take you to the top for an amazing view of the city of Paris, but if you are adventurous, you can climb the 1,665 steps to the top. You WILL be out of breath.

The Amazing Shrinking Eiffel Tower

Did you know that the Eiffel Tower doesn’t stay the same size the year ‘round? When the weather gets cold in Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower, made of nearly 7000 tons of iron, can shrink almost six inches! The tower is a beautiful sight to see in the daytime, but at night nearly 20,000 light bulbs make the structure light up the night sky so much that it can be seen from space.

Painting the Eiffel Tower

With so much surface, guess how much paint is needed to paint the Eiffel Tower every seven years. 60 tons of paint are needed to keep the structure from rusting. That’s enough paint to fill almost two swimming pools that are four feet deep. Most don’t know this, but the Eiffel Tower is actually painted in three different shades of paint. The paint is lighter at the top, medium color in the middle, and the darkest at its base. This is to make it easier to see against the sky in Paris.

The Eiffel Tower Talks

If the Eiffel Tower could talk, the ‘Iron Lady’ would tell you about all of the history that she’s seen. It wasn’t all fun and games, either. In World War I she operated as a radiograph tower overhearing enemy radio messages. After serving an important role in many wars, the Eiffel Tower had a hand in the discovery of cosmic rays as scientist, Theodor Wulf experimented from the top of the tower. Later, the Eiffel Tower became a movie star when she was featured in the film, Slumbering Paris in 1923. Today, the Eiffel Tower has been featured in millions of movies, television shows, paintings, photographs, and sketches. Last, but not least, thousands have proposed marriage to someone at the top of this famous landmark in the city of lights.

Learn more about the Eiffel Tower and other important monuments around the world with the Spartan And The Green Egg Explorer Sticker Starter Kit!

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What In The World Is The Taj Mahal?

shutterstock_180918317

Ever wonder what the Taj Mahal is, or why it’s so important to India? Well, there’s a deeper, more powerful story behind it than you may realize, especially if you’re around Spartan’s age! So let’s look at how we can travel there together through this amazing story of love…

So let’s look at how we can travel there together through this amazing story of love…

The Taj Mahal is located in Agra, in India, and is considered worldwide to be one of the seven wonders of the world. Made of white marble, this large castle-like structure on the Yamuna river. For all its beauty, however, it was built out of sorrow and grief by the Shaah Jahan after the death of his wife. Find out why this grand building is called the ‘crown of palaces’.

Fun Facts about the Taj Mahal
The all white structure took more than 20 years to finish and is said to change colors throughout the day, depending on how the light strikes it. More than 20,000 people helped to build it in 1632 and included over 1,000 elephants. The center dome is very high, nearly 240 feet (73 m), and has four smaller domes that surround it. The building is called a mausoleum, which is a building that is dedicated to the dead and often houses the remains of those who have died.

Walls Worth A Million
So beloved was the Shah’s wife that he took precious gemstones and had them built into the walls around the building. The builders of the Taj Mahal thought about the future of the structure and built the smaller domes that surround the larger one so that in the event of an earthquake that they would fall away from the main dome, thus protecting it from damage.

The Taj Mahal’s Reflecting Pool and Secret Garden
The Taj Mahal is more than just a building. There are vast acres of gardens and pools surrounding it. One of these pools is called the reflecting pool, which is very shallow and reflects the image of the Taj Mahal. The Shah’s wife, Mumtaz Maha, is not actually buried in the structure at all, but was buried in the lush gardens, which he was sure she would have loved. This building was built so that all of those who would visit over the centuries would be reminded of his love for his wife.

The Building that Love Built
Shah Jahan first met Mumtaz when they were only 14 and 15 years old. Because they were so young they were made to wait five years before they were allowed to be married. Once they were married they had many children. Mumtaz Mahal died giving birth to their 14th child and Shah Jahan was so sad that he ordered his court to be sad with him for two more years. Twelve years after the building was completed, Shah Jahan died, too. He was buried next to his wife. Now, everyone who visits can see the beauty of the buildings, walk through the lovely gardens and see the building that was built with love.

Want to learn more about other places in the world with powerful stories? Check out the Spartan And The Gren Egg Explorer Pin Set to find more places you can travel to!

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Caring About Climate Change

shutterstock_91758044

If the weather in your area seems unusual or extreme at times, you can blame it on climate change. While our planet’s climate goes through natural changes over long periods of time, people are making things worse by burning fossil fuels. These changes are making the Earth warmer overall, which is causing quite a few problems. Climate change is an issue that affects everyone on the planet, so doing your part to help stop it is important.
How Are People Causing Climate Change?

People burn oil, gas and other fossil fuels for many reasons, such as producing electricity, driving cars around and heating homes. When we do this, the fossil fuels we use to give off gases that trap heat in our atmosphere. This makes Earth’s temperatures warmer, which leads to climate change.
What Kinds of Changes Happen?

The higher temperatures overall don’t mean that every place on the planet becomes hotter. Instead, we experience a wide range of changes, including:
• Colder winters in some areas
• More droughts
• More tornadoes
• Stronger hurricanes and other storms

The rising temperatures are also causing glaciers to melt and sea ice to shrink, making it hard for animals who live in the Arctic region to find food and shelter. The oceans’ temperatures are becoming warmer, too, which affects many marine creatures. Sea levels are rising as well, leading to higher risks of flooding in areas that are close to shorelines.

How Can We Stop Climate Change?

There are many steps you can take to help stop climate change, including:
• Using less energy: Shut lights off, replace regular lights with CFL bulbs and turn electronics off when they’re not in use.
• Using less water: Keep your showers short, and don’t let the water run when you brush your teeth or do the dishes.
• Recycling: Recycle as much as possible to reduce the amount of waste that ends up going to landfills.
• Planting trees: Trees are our environmental allies. They absorb carbon dioxide, one of the gases given off by fossil fuels, which helps slow climate change.
• Eating locally grown food: Food that’s grown in or near your area doesn’t have to go far to get to your home, which lowers a number of gases given off by the trucks that transport it.

While these steps might seem small or perhaps too easy, they add up to big changes when more and more people start doing them. Talk to your family and friends about how they can join you in stopping climate change and making the planet healthier for all of us.

Want to learn more about how to contribute now? Visit our gift page and see how you can invest in educational gifts about the environment while giving back!

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Book 2 Has Arrived: The Reefs Of Mindoro Island (and a special offer for you!)

Extra! Extra! It has arrived, and the gang is going on a new adventure that will really knock your socks off!

Spartan And The Green Egg: The Reefs Of Mindoro Island is here, taking Spartan and his friends on an entirely new adventure of education, discovery and a world deep below the sea.

Share with us your desire to read the book and why in our comment section below. The first 10 people to share with us will receive a free book!

Just in time for Easter, this book is sure to keep your kids reading and in deep discovery through another great adventure to a far-off place in the world.

Again, leave a comment with why you want to read the book and receive one as a gift from us, now!

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3 Adventurous Exercises For Children That Challenge While Nurturing

107_Qinghai-Tibet-Plateau-2
In this age when our children are intensely devoted to checking their Facebook page or tweeting just about anything that happens in every minute of their lives, exercise comes in drizzles. As moms, it is important that we make them realize that it is not only their thumbs and other fingers that should get exercise. We also have to show our kids that the world outside is so much better than what they see in their smart devices.

What better way to accomplish these two than to give them challenges that will get them exploring the natural environment and at the same time feed their sense of adventure? Use weekends, if not after school time, to go to the park or to your community clubhouse and create a scavenger hunt-type of activity for your kids. Let them look for a treasure by running, swimming, or hopping from one spot to another. Not only will you let them get those muscles developed, you will also be able to tickle that inner adventurer and explorer in your kids.

You can also give them a pretty vague task or goal to accomplish. In this way, you will be stimulating your kid’s creativity and innovativeness. You might be surprised what they can do.

The possibilities of adventures are limitless. These little adventures we will give our kids will test not only their physical strength but they can also build a positive character and attitude towards life.

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MOMS: The Perfect Easter Egg (For Your Adventurous Child!)

Easter egg 3d puzzle

MOMS: Order now, for a year-round Easter egg, with benefits! Our unique Egg Puzzle from the Spartan And The Green Egg book series offers your child a unique perspective on the world while giving them a chance to exercise their minds and imaginations.  Let them have candy in their baskets, and keep their Spartan And The Green Egg Puzzle for their own fun!

Easter egg usb flash drive

 

And while you’re ordering for your child, you can gift yourself with our unique Egg USB Flash Drive with Book 1 on the series on it.  Perfect for when you’re on the go and you need an educational and entertaining outlet for your child to indulge in.  Carry it in your purse, and use on any computer.

What are your thoughts on puzzles for your adventurous child?  Let us know in the comments section below!

 

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

Book 2 Has Arrived: The Reefs Of Mindoro Island (and a special offer for you!)

Extra! Extra! It has arrived, and the gang is going on a new adventure that will really knock your socks off!

Spartan And The Green Egg: The Reefs Of Mindoro Island is here, taking Spartan and his friends on an entirely new adventure of education, discovery and a world deep below the sea.

Share with us your desire to read the book and why in our comment section below. The first 10 people to share with us will receive a special offer of a free book!

Just in time for Easter, this book is sure to keep your kids reading and in deep discovery through another great adventure to a far-off place in the world.

Again, leave a comment with why you want to read the book and receive one as a gift from us, now!

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

MOMS: A New Way Of Embracing The Moment (And One Essential Action You Will Love To Hear!)

mom embracing the moment

Moms, now that  you have been practicing the art of breathing, meditation, and taking loving action without disrupting your daily routine, it’s now time for the final step in your new approach to your life and your child’s: Embracing The Moment.

As you move forward into the rest of the year, you have the chance to continue this practice in all you do. But when you get caught up in life’s unexpected challenges or feel you haven’t been able to practice enough, this week’s lesson will help nip those negative feelings in the bud. It goes like this:

The moment you begin to feel like you may not make it past this moment, stop right there, and embrace the moment with all you have.  The idea that there is something outside of this moment, right now, is an illusion, and one that tends to overcome us when we are rushed into having the handle too many things at one time. Stop in this moment, do exactly what you need to do, and then take your first deep breath and carry on again with your practice.

Your child will respond to this as well, and we think you will be surprised at how many loving hands step in to help you that you could have never imagined.

Wondering if it’s true?  Let us know by practicing for this week and telling us what you see in the comments section below this post!

 

 

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

MOMS: Finding Time For A Break (And How This Will Help Your Child Respect You More!)

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In Week 6 of our 7-Week New Year’s Challenge, we are looking at ways in which you can take all the work you have done to stop, pause, breathe, listen and take loving action to let it manifest in your daily routines until it becomes a habit.  The best way to do this is to now find time within your day to take a deliberate break from everything, and make absolutely no apologies for doing so.

When you take action in ways that is truly good for you and serves your highest self, regardless of what that may be, everyone around you will be unable to do anything else than respect you for it, even and most especially your children.  Children sense power, regardless of where it is coming from.  When they see that power coming from a place of strength and authenticity within you, they will grow in respect and honor for you and your decisions.

When Spartan makes the choice to go with Egg to a far away land he has never visited before, he makes his decision based on his instincts, and his friends choose to follow because they know he is making a choice based on genuine faith and trust.  His story offers such an important lesson for children to model, and when they are able to see that kind of choice coming from you as well they will automatically gain a deeper self-trust for listening to their instincts.

So for this week, we ask  you to practice the following:

Choose a time in your day when you know you will most likely want and need a break, but don’t normally take one.  Figure out a way to take one, pencil that time slot into your calendar along with what exactly you will do during that time (sit quietly, visit your favorite store, buy yourself a wonderful drink from your favorite coffee shop).  When the time arises, let your child know that you are now taking a break, and if they are with you that you’d like them to help you honor that time by practicing this time out with you.  Perhaps give them a Spartan book and let them take their time reading through the story once again.

Watch what happens, and let us know in the comments section below! We are confident you will find great insights, great release and a renewed sense of self!

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

MOMS: How To Persuade Your Child To Love Taking Action

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We know that you are really in a flow now if you have been following the first 4 weeks of our 7 week New Year challenge.  But in case you are just joining us now, and for those who are already on board, here is a brief refresher of what we’ve covered these last 4 weeks:

Week 1: Breathing (the simple, rewarding way)

Week 2: Meditation (the seriously enjoyable way!)

Week 3: Listening (while conserving energy!)

Week 4: Contemplating (let your child show you how!)

And now in week 5 we have the climactic step of the program that will not only help you feel at ease with yourself and your power as a parent, but will put your child at ease as well.  How, you ask?  One simple, yet incredibly powerful way: leading by example.

There is no doubt that when you are breathing, calm, in the flow of your own life and the world around you and, most of all, present in the moment, that your child has started to model this behavior, even if on a very subtle level.  If you don’t believe this to be true, because perhaps you haven’t actually seen evidence of this yet, now is the time to test the waters by putting them to the test and watching what happens.

Egg has an excellent way of putting the kids at ease in the Spartan series by showing them that he is calm because he is confident he knows what he is doing in a foreign land, with foreign situations.  The same is true for you, moms, with your child, whether you realize it or not. Your child is subconsciously relying on you every step of the way to guide him or her through new situations on a daily basis.  When resistance comes up it is because they are challenging something small to you that feels way outside of the norm for them. Now is your time to understand that on a deeper level and use it to your, and their, advantage.

Try this and let us know what happens:

The next time you want your child to do something you think they may have a resistance to, such as cleaning up their toys, try this:

1. Take three deep breaths

2. Put yourself in the meditative state you have been practicing daily (described in this post)

3. Switch your energy entirely onto your child, so you are in deep listening mode

4. Begin a conversation with him or her from your state of complete contemplation, genuinely curious about what they have to say

5. Tell them in the midst of that conversation that you would like them to continue telling you more about their feelings about this topic, but that you will be better able to listen once they clean up their toys (or whatever activity you want them to do)

6. Lead them to the activity and while they do it, stay with them consciously, even if you are in the other room

7. When they are done, thank them from the bottom of your heart, making sure they know how much this means to you, and ask them if you can continue your conversation, still actively listening from before.

Does this approach make a difference for you?  Please tell us your story. Let us know by leaving a comment below this post!

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

MOMS: A New Action Step For You To Chew On (And Let Your Child Teach You How!)

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So now that you have your daily meditations down and have been practicing them within your daily routines, along with taking those deep breaths and letting yourself listen to the pauses when your child talks, we want to give you one more incredible tool that will give your mind a new way to chew on all that information it is taking in and wanting to process.

We know you don’t ever want to go back to the old way of feeling like you’re in a state of overwhelm, so we want you to take this next step as seriously as the others.  This will likely come as a welcome surprise so we are excited to share it with you:

We want you to practice contemplating your thoughts (and let your child teach you how!!).

Have you ever watched your child stop to contemplate something?  They are learning at such a rapid speed on a daily basis and sometimes they have to stop for a moment and go into deep thought to take in and process something.  This may be something they’ve just realized from a moment ago or two weeks ago that they are just now understanding.

Our very own Max has this practice down better than any of the others, and if your child can relate to him then you have the perfect teacher to observe and learn from.

The beauty of contemplation is that it is a tool for how we all learn, we just tend to forget that as adults and expect way too much of ourselves without giving ourselves a chance to process new information.  But once we start to practice that kind of interruption within our daily routines, we can break that pattern in a heartbeat, just like your child does.

So for the next week, we want you to listen to your instincts and each time you get the urge to chew on something you hear that is new, take a moment to contemplate that to yourself, regardless of where you are or who you’re around.  Take this private moment seriously, and if you’re with your child you can let them know that you need a moment to take in what they’ve just said to you.  We promise this kind of mental time-out will not only give you moment to rejuvenate your mind but will allow your nervous system to relax and energize you to carry on with whatever activity you’re in the middle of.

Wondering if it’s true?  Let us know by practicing for this week and telling us what you see in the comments section below this post!

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

MOMS: A New Way To Communicate With Your Active Child (And Make Them Take A Pause!)

Communicate With Your Active Child

Moms, we know that you have been practicing your daily meditations, working on how to slow down a bit and take a moment or two for yourself during the day.  But what about your beloved child, who is action-oriented and ready for adventure at every moment of the day?  We have the PERFECT recipe to communicate with your active child in a new way that will have them feeling loved, empowered, and make them take that pause you have been hoping they would take!

Your child has something to do, say and show every moment of the day because he or she is active, smart and learning at the speed of light.  Now is the perfect opportunity to take the mediation skills you’ve been practicing daily with your own activities and put them to use with your child.

Here is what we want  you to do: take the same meditation practice you’re using when washing the dishes or driving in your car and apply them to your child in the form of listening.  Try to NOT respond when your child is talking and practice listening only to the spaces between each word he or she is saying.  Focus on this, and watch what happens.  We guarantee you will hear every word they say while remaining in a much more calm and meditative state, and that your child will notice you tuning in to him or her in a completely new way. He or she will feel heard, loved and even take a pause in response to your holding such a sacred space for him or her to express his or her thoughts.

Wondering if it’s true?  Let us know by practicing for this week and telling us what you see in the comments section below this post!

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

MOMS: A New Way To Communicate With Your Active Child (And Make Them Take A Pause!)

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Moms, we know that you have been practicing your daily meditations, working on how to slow down a bit and take a moment or two for yourself during the day.  But what about your beloved child, who is action-oriented and ready for adventure at every moment of the day?  We have the PERFECT recipe for communicating with your child in a new way that will have them feeling loved, empowered, and make them take that pause you have been hoping they would take!

Your child has something to do, say and show every moment of the day because he or she is active, smart and learning at the speed of light.  Now is the perfect opportunity to take the mediation skills you’ve been practicing daily with your own activities and put them to use with your child.

Here is what we want  you to do: take the same meditation practice you’re using when washing the dishes or driving in your car and apply them to your child in the form of listening.  Try to NOT respond when your child is talking and practice listening only to the spaces between each word he or she is saying.  Focus on this, and watch what happens.  We guarantee you will hear every word they say while remaining in a much more calm and meditative state, and that your child will notice you tuning in to him or her in a completely new way. He or she will feel heard, loved and even take a pause in response to your holding such a sacred space for him or her to express his or her thoughts.

Wondering if it’s true?  Let us know by practicing for this week and telling us what you see in the comments section below this post!

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

MOMS: The Perfect Valentine’s Day Present For Your Adventurous Child! (And A FREE Gift To Go Along With It)

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Moms, we know that Valentine’s Day at school can be exciting and filled with love notes, chocolate and those special Valentine’s Day boxes your child spends time crafting to reflect his or her unique and special personality.  We also know that as a day that symbolizes love, there is no better way to express your love through the act of gifting, especially when that gift shows you put extra thought into it for your child’s one-of-a-kind persona.

So to help you with that, we have our VERY SPECIAL Spartan And The Green Egg egg-shaped puzzle with beautiful and fun illustrations from the series.  We know this is the kind of token your adventurous child will take to heart, and be able to share with you for years to come. That’s why we have it on sale for you to order now, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

For the first 14 people who order before February 14 we will include our E-book Collector’s Egg USB Flash Drive free of charge, so you and your child can enjoy the first book of the series wherever you go!

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So order now, so your shipment will arrive right on time to surprise your child with a gift straight from the heart of the Spartan Explorer Series!

When your gift arrives, let us know how your child likes it by leaving a comment and/or a picture in the comments section below!

 

 

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

MOMS: A Secret Recipe For Meditation (And The Trick To Fitting It Into Your Daily Routine!)

katie

We know as a parent your days are adventures in and of themselves!  There are days when you wonder how you will ever find the time to breathe, let alone take time out to meditate or allow yourself the space you need to come back to a state of balance.

For this week, we are taking a moment to look at the simplest and most powerful tool of meditation that will not only let you breathe but empower you right back into a place of blissful control.

When you implement this simple tool into your daily routine, you will most likely be blown away at how expert you already are at it.  In fact, the secret is that we meditate all the time naturally throughout our days. The trick is to learn how to bring your self into those moments fully to experience the incredible benefits waiting to appear.

We get a great taste of this when Spartan and his friends go with Egg on their first journey.  The level of trust they give over includes the secret tool for which you can change your life for the better.  Katie in particular demonstrates her ability to come back to the present moment, which is part of this uncanny action step that many people don’t realize they are already doing.

Meditation Recipe For Busy Moms:

Did you know that taking action around something we are familiar with puts us into an automatic state of meditation?  Many people don’t realize this. Whenever you are in the middle of a routine task in your day- ironing, washing dishes, driving your car, picking up your child from school, shopping- you are meditating.  The only difference is that you are not aware of it so you find yourself zoning out.  This actually creates extra space for your brain to go into overdrive, and takes away your precious energy.  The trick is to simple bring yourself to the moment and allow your thoughts to pass in and out, hence become fully present in your meditation.

The next time you find yourself in this kind of routine, say these two words to yourself:

“I’m back!”

And see what happens.  We predict unexpected bursts of energy, joyful self-discoveries and deeper self-awareness will begin to surface into your conscious life.  But you will have to let us know for yourself!  Try this for the next day and let us know what you discover in the comments section below!

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

Imaginative, Kid-Friendly Holiday DIY Projects

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Spartan and his friends are great at using their imagination in different ways. Katie is especially good at art. She is able to use her imagination to create the images that she thinks of. We see this when she draws the rocket for the team to envision in order to contact Egg. Arts and crafts projects are great ways to allow your kids to use their imagination in creative and productive ways. The holiday season seems to lend itself to fun and creative projects that you and your children can do together. With the New Year on its way in, here are some fun, simple ways to spend quality and engaging time with your children.

Holiday Cards:

Holiday cards are always fun for children to make. Whether you celebrate a specific holiday or celebrate the season as a whole, greeting cards a great way to get your kids to use their imagination and be creative. All you need are a few pieces of construction paper (pick up a full pad of colored construction paper and let you child select their favorite colors to use), and crayons/markers/colored pencils/water colors etc. If you want you can add to the creative process by supplying your child with other elements like stencils, stickers, glitter, and glue. Let them decorate the card however they like and encourage them to put a seasonal greeting on the inside. You can choose to send this out to select relatives or friends or use the cards as decorations around your home.

Sugar Cookies:

No matter what holiday you celebrate, sugar cookies are a great treat that you can make with your children. You can always go with the prepackaged mix, which will save time, or use this simple recipe:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup golden brown sugar (packed)

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Next, sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; blend well. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead gently for about one minute. Shape the dough into a ½ inch thick rectangle. Cut the dough into four equal pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least three hours. When you take the dough out, allow it to soften before rolling it out. Next, with the rack positioned in the center of your oven, preheat it at 350 degrees. Prepare a large cookie sheet by buttering it lightly. Next, roll out each piece of dough individually until they are about 1/8 inch thick. Next, take your favorite holiday cookie cutters and begin cutting out shapes and trimming the dough around the cutter. Your child will have fun doing this. Tip: lightly flour the cutters so the dough doesn’t stick to them. Remember to reroll the dough scraps to make more cookies. Transfer the cookies onto your baking sheet and bake them for about 11 minutes (until golden brown). Let them cool for five minutes. At this point you can choose to leave them as they are or frost them.

By choosing to frost them, you can allow your children to design them anyway they want. This can be made less messy and easier by using pastry bags or store bought tubes of frosting. Let their imagination guide them as they help you create these yummy holiday treats.

These are just a couple of ideas to both get your child involved in this festive season and use their imagination in creative ways. No matter what you choose to do, the most important thing is to have fun with your child as they explore the capabilities of their mind.

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

Imaginative, Kid-Friendly Holiday DIY Projects

 banner (1)

Spartan and his friends are great at using their imagination in different ways. Katie is especially good at art. She is able to use her imagination to create the images that she thinks of. We see this when she draws the rocket for the team to envision in order to contact Egg. Arts and crafts projects are great ways to allow your kids to use their imagination in creative and productive ways. The holiday season seems to lend itself to fun and creative projects that you and your children can do together. With the New Year on its way in, here are some fun, simple ways to spend quality and engaging time with your children.

Holiday Cards:

Holiday cards are always fun for children to make. Whether you celebrate a specific holiday or celebrate the season as a whole, greeting cards a great way to get your kids to use their imagination and be creative. All you need are a few pieces of construction paper (pick up a full pad of colored construction paper and let you child select their favorite colors to use), and crayons/markers/colored pencils/water colors etc. If you want you can add to the creative process by supplying your child with other elements like stencils, stickers, glitter, and glue. Let them decorate the card however they like and encourage them to put a seasonal greeting on the inside. You can choose to send this out to select relatives or friends or use the cards as decorations around your home.

Sugar Cookies:

No matter what holiday you celebrate, sugar cookies are a great treat that you can make with your children. You can always go with the prepackaged mix, which will save time, or use this simple recipe:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup golden brown sugar (packed)

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Next, sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; blend well. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead gently for about one minute. Shape the dough into a ½ inch thick rectangle. Cut the dough into four equal pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least three hours. When you take the dough out, allow it to soften before rolling it out. Next, with the rack positioned in the center of your oven, preheat it at 350 degrees. Prepare a large cookie sheet by buttering it lightly. Next, roll out each piece of dough individually until they are about 1/8 inch thick. Next, take your favorite holiday cookie cutters and begin cutting out shapes and trimming the dough around the cutter. Your child will have fun doing this. Tip: lightly flour the cutters so the dough doesn’t stick to them. Remember to reroll the dough scraps to make more cookies. Transfer the cookies onto your baking sheet and bake them for about 11 minutes (until golden brown). Let them cool for five minutes. At this point you can choose to leave them as they are or frost them.

By choosing to frost them, you can allow your children to design them anyway they want. This can be made less messy and easier by using pastry bags or store bought tubes of frosting. Let their imagination guide them as they help you create these yummy holiday treats.

These are just a couple of ideas to both get your child involved in this festive season and use their imagination in creative ways. No matter what you choose to do, the most important thing is to have fun with your child as they explore the capabilities of their mind.

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

Imaginative, Kid-Friendly Holiday DIY Projects

 banner (1)

Spartan and his friends are great at using their imagination in different ways. Katie is especially good at art. She is able to use her imagination to create the images that she thinks of. We see this when she draws the rocket for the team to envision in order to contact Egg. Arts and crafts projects are great ways to allow your kids to use their imagination in creative and productive ways. The holiday season seems to lend itself to fun and creative projects that you and your children can do together. With the New Year on its way in, here are some fun, simple ways to spend quality and engaging time with your children.

Holiday Cards:

Holiday cards are always fun for children to make. Whether you celebrate a specific holiday or celebrate the season as a whole, greeting cards a great way to get your kids to use their imagination and be creative. All you need are a few pieces of construction paper (pick up a full pad of colored construction paper and let you child select their favorite colors to use), and crayons/markers/colored pencils/water colors etc. If you want you can add to the creative process by supplying your child with other elements like stencils, stickers, glitter, and glue. Let them decorate the card however they like and encourage them to put a seasonal greeting on the inside. You can choose to send this out to select relatives or friends or use the cards as decorations around your home.

Sugar Cookies:

No matter what holiday you celebrate, sugar cookies are a great treat that you can make with your children. You can always go with the prepackaged mix, which will save time, or use this simple recipe:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup golden brown sugar (packed)

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Next, sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; blend well. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead gently for about one minute. Shape the dough into a ½ inch thick rectangle. Cut the dough into four equal pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least three hours. When you take the dough out, allow it to soften before rolling it out. Next, with the rack positioned in the center of your oven, preheat it at 350 degrees. Prepare a large cookie sheet by buttering it lightly. Next, roll out each piece of dough individually until they are about 1/8 inch thick. Next, take your favorite holiday cookie cutters and begin cutting out shapes and trimming the dough around the cutter. Your child will have fun doing this. Tip: lightly flour the cutters so the dough doesn’t stick to them. Remember to reroll the dough scraps to make more cookies. Transfer the cookies onto your baking sheet and bake them for about 11 minutes (until golden brown). Let them cool for five minutes. At this point you can choose to leave them as they are or frost them.

By choosing to frost them, you can allow your children to design them anyway they want. This can be made less messy and easier by using pastry bags or store bought tubes of frosting. Let their imagination guide them as they help you create these yummy holiday treats.

These are just a couple of ideas to both get your child involved in this festive season and use their imagination in creative ways. No matter what you choose to do, the most important thing is to have fun with your child as they explore the capabilities of their mind.

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

Help Your Children Respect the Environment And Your Home! Three Simple, Yet Crucial Habit-Forming Steps To Take!

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Let’s face it: teaching your kids to go green is great, but getting them to clean up after themselves and not to forget their underwear before walking out the door may come first on your secret priority list.  Yet there is a huge opportunity to teach our children how to become more conscious of the environment in the everyday actions they take by developing habits that will stay with them for a lifetime. Here are three dynamic yet simple action steps that will have them respecting their own home and personal development while forming lasting habits toward a safer environment!

1. Leave Something, Plant Something

If your child forgets to make her bed or pick up his toys that you’ve tripped over one too many times, your list of subtle, yet effective ways to drive that habit home once and for all may have become quite long by now.  However, there is one habit that when done together can work to heal both the environment and a forgetful mind.  Have your child plant a seed each time he or she forgets a crucial household chore.  Planting a seed in your own yard teaches them to hone the skill of patience, understanding and consciousness.  Watching that seed grow is a healing act that they will forever associate with being more mindful of the world, and home they live in. 

Take Them Out in Nature

When Spartan and his friends arrive in the rainforest they see many different animals that live there. These animals depend on the plants and trees around them for survival. This may be a difficult notion for children to grasp. By taking them out to local parks or forests you can help them get a firsthand look at these animals in their natural habitats. Admiring these animals in their natural habitats can show your child how careful they are with how they treat their surroundings.  Watching a bird carefully construct and then live in its own nest can be a powerful analogy to how your child treats his or her own room at home.

Teach Them That Everyday Items Come from Nature

Not into picking up after themselves? Spartan and his friends learn that the trees that are being cut down may be used for things like making paper. If you teach your child that paper comes from trees or that cotton clothes come from cotton plants you can help them realize that nature is their biggest resource. If they see the environment as a necessity instead of as an arbitrary setting, they will treat it better to ensure that it remains useful, while thinking twice about how they treat the possessions they already have.

Was this post helpful?  Leave us a comment and tell us what you think!

 

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

Is Your Adventurous Child More Than A Handful? Three Essential Steps Every Mom Can Take To Hone Their Passion!

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Every child has a natural sense of adventure. As soon as your child learns how to walk they begin to explore the world around them in many ways, using all of their senses and depths of imagination.  Yet there are some children whose natural sense of adventure supersedes even your wildest imagination, creating games, imaginary friends and foreign lands within the terrain of their 100 square foot bedroom!  This special and active yearning for adventure may have you wondering how in the world you will be able to keep up with their adventurous needs!

Fear not: there are three specific actions you can take right now in order to feed your child’s incredibly strong imagination while making life at home the serene haven you intend it to be!

1. Encourage Your Child To Focus Their Imagination On A Specific Project

Allowing your child to use their own mind to create exciting adventures for a specific purpose can allow them to go wild without needing to pull attention away from anyone else. This can be done while you are both out and about or in your own home.  In Spartan & The Green Egg, Spartan and his friends use the power of their minds to meet The Egg and go on an adventure to the Amazon. Using this story as the focal point let your child imagine that they are an explorer looking for specific items wherever you go (the ones on your grocery list, for example!). If you’re stuck in the house on a rainy day make a blanket fort with your child and let their imagination come up with their own adventure. The overall idea of showing your child the power of imagination is what matters most.

2. Anchor Your Child With New Information

As Spartan and his friends go on their adventures Max brings up important educational facts, like the tidbit about plants being used to make medicine. If you help your child gain knowledge during every day activities you can make every adventure a learning experience. For instance, while out at the park or beach have your child look for different kinds of leaves or shells. Once you collect a few different ones you can help your child learn why they are different and what purpose they serve. You can also do this by examining different bugs or flowers in a garden. Doing this acts as an anchor so they can channel their energy into focused topics that make them excited about new facts rather than searching for something to clear their impending boredom.

3. Help Your Child Keep an Open Mind

Even though Spartan and his friends go on a fun adventure to the Amazon, Tor remains skeptical about the whole process. He questions the general existence of aliens based on the sole fact that he’s never seen one. He only agrees to try out Spartan’s experiment when he is convinced by Katie and Spartan to stay open to the idea of aliens’ existence. Tor questioning information isn’t the issue here; it is the fact that he initially dismisses the notion of aliens’ existence altogether before listening to any information. As moms, you can teach your children to stay open to new ideas. This will help their sense of adventure by showing them that there are ideas other than the ones in their own mind. This is also essential when your child is playing with other children as they will all have different thoughts on their shared adventure.

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How To Stretch Your Child’s Imagination With Egg!

Egg from Spartan & The Green Egg

Egg, a friendly alien with a keen sense of a child’s need for learning and adventure, is one of the main characters in the Spartan And The Green Egg book series and the catalyst for taking the kids on the adventure of a lifetime.

The beauty of Egg for the children reading the books is his intention: to excite and motivate the children to look outside their current state of knowledge and dare to consider a world outside their perception. In short, to stretch their imaginations in ways that allows them to dream about what the world can hold for them, and then show them how possible it really is.

On their first adventure together, Egg takes Spartan and his group of friends on a trip to the Rainforest be transporting them through space and time. When they arrive, Egg guides the children to through their adventure in getting to know the people of the Rainforest and learning of the challenges they face for their environment. With Egg’s guidance, they learn how to trust themselves, and their positive instincts to do good in the world.

When your child gets to know Egg, they can go on the same adventure of stretching their imagination and giving them reason to think outside the box to build lifelong confidence and self-assurance.

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Getting Your Child Excited About Charity: Children For Peace

Children for Peace logo

In the spirit of Spartan And The Green Egg, The Children For Peace is a non-governmental organization that helps young people living in challenging circumstances obtain essential needs such as food, medical help and educational opportunities.

Their projects are 100% donation-based, and can be tracked by members of the Spartan And The Green Egg Community here. The Children For Peace provides an excellent opportunity for children to learn more about impoverished areas of the world and play an active role in watching groups make steady improvements, while supporting their causes virtually.

All donations they receive go directly to the projects they help fund. The Children For Peace pays no salaries and no overhead except for annual fee paid to their accounting firm that files all documents required for the government in Italy.

 

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Who Is Spartan? Three Reasons Your Child Needs To Become His Friend!

Photo of Spartan

Spartan, the main character in the Spartan And The Green Egg book series, has some skills that your child who loves adventure can benefit from. His uncanny ability to lead his group of friends in a generous, loving way makes him the perfect example for your child to hone their own leadership skills after.

Here are Spartan’s three main leadership attributes your child can hook onto and establish for life within the books and by joining the Explorer’s Club:

1. Conservatively Curious

Spartan has a love for adventure, and dreams about creating new places to explore with his friends. But when an alien appears on his kitchen table in the form of an egg, he doesn’t let his excitement override his sense of curiosity. He pauses long enough to ask a series of questions about Egg’s intentions, and lets his curiosity fuel his caution. When he is finally satisfied the Egg will lead them in a safe way, he agrees to go on the journey.

2. Quietly Observant

Spartan, although fully immersed in his adventure with Egg and his friends, remains quietly observant, always sizing up the situation to make sure he feels good about their choices in a foreign land. This attribute is one that teaches children to learn to listen to and trust their instincts, a practice that can serve them as positive and effective leaders for the rest of their lives.

3. Decisively Emotional

Spartan never strays from his sense of responsibility to himself and his friends while on their journey with Egg, but he also allows himself to stay in touch with what he is feeling, which allows him to make decisions based on his own internal compass rather than what is going on around him. This skill exemplifies to children that their feelings are their greatest guide, and when combined with a sharp sense of leadership skills, they can begin a most effective practice of becoming compassionate leaders.

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Increase Your Child’s Sense Of Community Through Books: Three Action Steps To Take Now!

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If your child has a natural passion for adventure and community, there are several ways to hone that spark to fuel their sense of community and leadership through the books they read. Exposing them to stories that both ignite their imaginations and teach them about practical world issues around them are incredible ways to instill a new found confidence and creative energy that can stay with them for a lifetime.

In order to further their experience and give them the space to explore the ideas and skills they learn from the books they’re reading, there are three helpful tips to help extend their learning into experiential habits.

1. Engage With The Characters Online

There are many children’s books that have websites that allow your kids to learn more about the characters in the book and interact with them in different ways. When they are able to identify with a particular character, and then engage with that character outside of the book they can continue to learn more about the educational message and stay connected through a healthy connection and fun activities.

Spartan And The Green Egg allows children to meet each of the characters and learn more about what areas of the world those characters are interested in. They are able to write in to each character to ask questions and form a relationship with them, giving them more information about how to help areas of the world that are most in need.

2. Engage With Other Children Around The World

Some children’s books offer online communities that are completely safe for your child to become a part of and engage with other children who love to book as much as they do. This kind of interaction, when supported with a site that helps foster healthy conversations and interactions, gives your child the space to explore the information they love from the book in real-time, in a healthy environment.

Spartan And The Green Egg has an Explorer’s Club that will soon allow children from all over the world to interact with each other and have healthy discussions about the books.

3. Talk With Your Kids

When your child has finished a book they love, the best way you can help to keep their imaginations going and build their confidence in the new information they just absorbed is to let them tell you what they loved about it, and listen to what they have to say. Let them ask you questions and guide them to the answers they are seeking. Remember to let your intuition be your guide, and let them know you support their minds and hearts 100%.

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Three Ways To Ignite Your Child’s Sense Of Adventure Without Leaving Your Home

Hard Case Cover Flat HZ

If your children have a natural sense of adventure that you want to nurture, but you can’t find enough time in the day to satisfy their need to travel the neighborhood in pursuit of long-lost treasures those pirates left thousands of years ago, we have just the remedy to keep their minds moving in the right direction.

Here are three simple steps for satisfying their urges without having to leave your home, the Spartan way!

1. Give them the challenge of learning what it takes to visit an area of the world they have never heard of

The Spartan And The Green Egg series was developed as a way for children to understand more than just where places exist geographically. Each Spartan story hones in specifically on issues surrounding these areas and the challenges visitors may face when they arrive. Your child is invited through the stories to take actionable steps with the explorers to overcome their challenges while helping to preserve the land and its inhabitants. Taking your child on such a trip gives them a chance to fully engage their mind while helping the explorers find their destination.

2. Join the actual explorers through the Spartan And The Green Egg Website

When your child becomes a member of the Spartan And The Green Egg website he or she has a chance to meet the explorers personally and see other areas of the world they each want to visit. Once they choose the explorer they can most jive with, they have the chance to look deeper into places of exploration that encourage them to come up with potential adventures of their own into these new and exciting places.

3. Join the SGE Explorer’s Club

We have found that children who like adventure like to take their reading to the next level of challenging interactions. That is why we created the SGE Explorer’s Club, which gives your children the chance to interact with the Spartan characters they love and learn from them about various areas of the world that appeal to them most in the books. When they become more fluent in the areas they love, the can then share their newfound information with other explorers from around the world, creating new virtual adventures together. This level of engagement gives them a chance to take control of their own journey while learning how collaborate as a leader on their chosen paths.

Can you think of other ways your child can benefit from joining the Explorer Team? If so, leave your comments below!

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

Three Ways To Ignite Your Child’s Sense Of Adventure Without Leaving Your Home

Hard Case Cover Flat HZ

If your children have a natural sense of adventure that you want to nurture, but you can’t find enough time in the day to satisfy their need to travel the neighborhood in pursuit of long-lost treasures those pirates left thousands of years ago, we have just the remedy to keep their minds moving in the right direction.

Here are three simple steps for satisfying their urges without having to leave your home, the Spartan way!

1. Give them the challenge of learning what it takes to visit an area of the world they have never heard of

The Spartan And The Green Egg series was developed as a way for children to understand more than just where places exist geographically. Each Spartan story hones in specifically on issues surrounding these areas and the challenges visitors may face when they arrive. Your child is invited through the stories to take actionable steps with the explorers to overcome their challenges while helping to preserve the land and its inhabitants. Taking your child on such a trip gives them a chance to fully engage their mind while helping the explorers find their destination.

2. Join the actual explorers through the Spartan And The Green Egg Website

When your child becomes a member of the Spartan And The Green Egg website he or she has a chance to meet the explorers personally and see other areas of the world they each want to visit. Once they choose the explorer they can most jive with, they have the chance to look deeper into places of exploration that encourage them to come up with potential adventures of their own into these new and exciting places.

3. Join the SGE Explorer’s Club

We have found that children who like adventure like to take their reading to the next level of challenging interactions. That is why we created the SGE Explorer’s Club, which gives your children the chance to interact with the Spartan characters they love and learn from them about various areas of the world that appeal to them most in the books. When they become more fluent in the areas they love, the can then share their newfound information with other explorers from around the world, creating new virtual adventures together. This level of engagement gives them a chance to take control of their own journey while learning how collaborate as a leader on their chosen paths.

Can you think of other ways your child can benefit from joining the Explorer Team? If so, leave your comments below!

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

Imaginative, Kid-Friendly Holiday DIY Projects

 Spartan & The Green Egg logo

Spartan and his friends are great at using their imagination in different ways. Katie is especially good at art. She is able to use her imagination to create the images that she thinks of. We see this when she draws the rocket for the team to envision in order to contact Egg. Arts and crafts projects are great ways to allow your kids to use their imagination in creative and productive ways. The holiday season seems to lend itself to fun and creative projects that you and your children can do together. With the New Year on its way in, here are some fun, simple ways to spend quality and engaging time with your children.

Holiday Cards:

Holiday cards are always fun for children to make. Whether you celebrate a specific holiday or celebrate the season as a whole, greeting cards a great way to get your kids to use their imagination and be creative. All you need are a few pieces of construction paper (pick up a full pad of colored construction paper and let you child select their favorite colors to use), and crayons/markers/colored pencils/water colors etc. If you want you can add to the creative process by supplying your child with other elements like stencils, stickers, glitter, and glue. Let them decorate the card however they like and encourage them to put a seasonal greeting on the inside. You can choose to send this out to select relatives or friends or use the cards as decorations around your home.

Sugar Cookies:

No matter what holiday you celebrate, sugar cookies are a great treat that you can make with your children. You can always go with the prepackaged mix, which will save time, or use this simple recipe:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup golden brown sugar (packed)

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Next, sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; blend well. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead gently for about one minute. Shape the dough into a ½ inch thick rectangle. Cut the dough into four equal pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least three hours. When you take the dough out, allow it to soften before rolling it out. Next, with the rack positioned in the center of your oven, preheat it at 350 degrees. Prepare a large cookie sheet by buttering it lightly. Next, roll out each piece of dough individually until they are about 1/8 inch thick. Next, take your favorite holiday cookie cutters and begin cutting out shapes and trimming the dough around the cutter. Your child will have fun doing this. Tip: lightly flour the cutters so the dough doesn’t stick to them. Remember to reroll the dough scraps to make more cookies. Transfer the cookies onto your baking sheet and bake them for about 11 minutes (until golden brown). Let them cool for five minutes. At this point you can choose to leave them as they are or frost them.

By choosing to frost them, you can allow your children to design them anyway they want. This can be made less messy and easier by using pastry bags or store bought tubes of frosting. Let their imagination guide them as they help you create these yummy holiday treats.

These are just a couple of ideas to both get your child involved in this festive season and use their imagination in creative ways. No matter what you choose to do, the most important thing is to have fun with your child as they explore the capabilities of their mind.

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