Learning about flags is a great way to start learning more about our the world we all live in. Flags are representations of each country, their elements hold special meanings, and come in different colors, patterns, and shapes. While learning about flags, children can practice the names of the countries, and even the names of the colors. Since this is such a visual topic, there are some activities to learn about flags of the world that you can put into practice even with the youngest of the house.
1. World Map Mural. This activity works very well to revise the names of the countries and continents. First, you will need a big world map printed or painted on a big piece of paper. It can be in color, or you can leave it blank and then paint it with your little one. Once the world map is finished, it’s time to work on the flags. The quickest way to do this is to grab some flags flashcards and print them on a size that’s small enough so that there’s space for the flags in the world map. Print these flags and cut them. If you want, you can also laminate the cards so they’ll last longer. Now, when you have all the flags, it’s time to start putting them in the world map! Read the names of the flags and put them in the correct place of the world map. You can use reusable adhesive putty. Ask your little one to help you match the names of the countries in the world map and their flags. You can try putting one flag each day, turning this activity into a fun longtime project!
2. Country World Puzzle! If your little one is starting to read, then it could be a great time to introduce world puzzles to their free-time activities. Make a list of some countries and make your own world puzzle with them. Use the flags of these countries as the cues to identify them in the puzzle. Your little one will have to guess the name of each country to be able to identify its name. You can even do puzzles of each separate continent and the countries it has, so your little one can also practice learning the names of the countries in English. If your child is on the younger side, then you can put some of the letters of each country next to its flag to help him or her guess its name.
3. Design your own flag. Flags are very creative, some have horizontal stripes, others are vertical, and some don’t even have stripes but other symbols. With your child, check the different flags of the world there are and ask him or her which ones are their favorites. Using these are starting points, ask your little one to design his or her own flag. Tell your child that he or she can use their favorite color, and can even add an emblem or any other element to their flag. This is a much more creative activity that will encourage your little one to find out more about the countries of the world and their flags.
