Enriching Education: Eat2explore and Little Global Citizens

 I recently had the chance to see sample boxes from two fun providers. Both of them were very educational and fun for my kids, and each one had a slightly different angle. Honestly, as a parent, I think learning about the world is so important - it helps make kids better global citizens and more appreciative of people from different backgrounds. Even if you don't get either of these boxes (or some of the other fantastic ones out there), it's worth your time to learn about different countries, connecting them to your kids' interests in ways that they might not get in school.

The first box, eat2explore, is excellent for families who love to try new foods. There are 20 countries or regions represented, and each box has recipes, passport stickers, and pins. Also included are spices to help make the recipes authentic, blended perfectly to make the recipes easier; and shopping lists to make that part of the experience easy. We got to try the box from Greece and my kids loved the flavor - savory, but not too unfamiliar! You can purchase as a subscription, or you can buy just one box at a time. While you might be able to find the ingredients and information for less, for some families, the price will be worth the time saved by having it all together, or the fun discovery of not knowing what's inside. Besides the website, it's also available at Amazon, Williams Sonoma and Kohls.

Little Global Citizens is more of an activity box, with crafts, puzzles, and more. You can choose your subscription frequency, and each box will have screen-free activities, language basics, recipes, and more. This one is geared towards kids a little younger than my own (ages 4-10), but they still enjoyed doing the craft included in our box. One thing I think is neat about this subscription is that you can add a sibling so you get the craft supplies for two kids. You can buy previous boxes or bundles if there's a specific country you want, and the website is very clear about what's included. If you have kids that enjoy doing crafts and activities, this can be a great way to learn about other countries. The crafts might require more assistance for younger kids, but kids on the older end of the age range should be able to complete them fairly independently.