On Friday, June 8th, two-time Emmy Award nominee, National Geographic Wildlife correspondent, and mom of four daughters, Mireya Mayor, talked to viewers about the importance of exposing children to international cultures and different geographic regions, and how families can take fun and educational trips “around the world”…all from the comfort of home.
Through her expeditions, Mireya uncovers parts of the world that many people may never get to see. As an explorer, her goal is to expose people to new places, cultures and the native wildlife that live there. As a mom, she strives to encourage her children to appreciate what’s beyond their immediate surroundings so that future generations can respect and enjoy all the beauty the world has to offer.
Also as the author of Pink Boots and a Machete: My Journey From NFL Cheerleader to National Geographic Explorer, in which she shares stories of adventure, exploration and scientific discovery, Mireya will provide viewers with tips to help instill a desire in children to learn more about the world, experience new cultures and understand and respect the significance of the world’s incredible beauty and diversity. Here are a few tips Mireya will discussed:
- Ways to spark your child’s interest in world travel
- Easy things you can do at home to inspire your kids to learn more about the world
- Playing with toys that make learning about the world fun and entertaining, like the long-standing Barbie “Dolls of the World” Collection which represents diverse cultures like Ireland, Australia, China, Argentina, Mexico, India, Chile and Holland
- Fun activities you can do to “travel the world from home” such as hosting an “International night” family dinners and other fun family activities
I was able to ask Mireya a few questions about different ways to teach your children about other countries without leaving the comfort of your own home. She had some great answers and ideas! Watch the video below to find out more.
I consider myself somewhat adventurous but am not really at a place in my life where I can travel to other countries or go on high-adventure trips. After reading about Mireya, I am making a bigger effort to teach my children about other countries so that they are aware of the many cultures and traditions that exist in our diverse world. I have traveled to Egypt, Italy, Israel, Denmark and used to live in Germany. I really hope that by teaching my children while they are young, I will be able to inspire them to travel when they are older. One of the ways I am able to teach my girls about other countries is through the Dolls of the World Barbies! Each Barbie represents a different country and is dressed accordingly. Like Mireya, my favorite was the Australia Barbie. I have always wanted to visit Australia and love her outfit and koala bear! My girls both loved the Ireland Barbie because of her “super cute dress”. I have really enjoyed playing with these beautiful Barbies with my girls and love showing them how women around the world dress. Another suggestion Mireya gave was to host a family International Dinner. I have been trying to incorporate a wider variety of foods from other countries into our meals. One of our family favorites is Able skivers. My parents learned how to make them when we lived in Germany so every time I make it for my kids it always brings back childhood memories. Trying out new and well loved foreign foods, and bringing the Dolls of the World Barbies into our home are just a couple ways I am trying show my children how to embrace and begin to love other countries!
Dolls of the World Barbies can be purchased on Amazon or the Mattel Shop. They retail for $29.99 each.
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Disclosure: I received four Dolls of the World Barbies in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other manner. The opinions expressed above are my own and any claims should be verified on the sponsor’s site.