THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2023 35 diplomacy, immigration both historically and now, the evolution of American cuisine, and the contributions of immigrants to U.S. history and culture, and other topics. During “themed” months of the year such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Month, and others, we established the tradition of incorporating into our bedtime routine stories and videos highlighting important individuals and events that are lesser known and not in most international or U.S. school curriculums. For example, during Black History Month this year, we talked about Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and what happened there that brought it all to an end. Major cultural events can also lead to identity-building educational quests. Like the rest of the world, our family fell in love Ages 4-6 PBS Kids (pbskids.org)—Exposes children to educational stories and life lessons by a variety of authors and from our favorite children’s books including tales by Dr. Seuss, Curious George, and others that help expand children’s knowledge of new subjects. Smithsonian Kids (si.edu)—This site offers a variety of art, history, and cultural activities for kids/teens of all ages and starts as young as the 4-6 age range. This site offers everything at the museum network’s disposal from live video of the National Zoo to the Smithsonian Learning Lab and much more. Ages 7-9 Climate Kids (climatekids.nasa.gov)—This site sponsored by NASA covers a wide range of topics including weather, climate, atmosphere, water, energy, plants, animals, and more. The site talks about how we are all connected by the same ecosystem and how we must protect and preserve the climate and our world. There are numerous games, videos, and activities for children of all ages. Cool Kid Facts (coolkidfacts.com)—My children always love a good quote, joke, or pun; and this site offers those things in spades. This website also gives your children access to educational videos, downloadable worksheets, infographics, pictures, quizzes, and more. Ben’s Guide to the U.S. Government (bensguide.gpo. gov)—This interactive website takes users on various learning adventures and gives them an insider’s look at the “ins and outs” of the U.S. government. The most fun part of the experience is that Ben Franklin himself is your guide and companion. Ages 10-13 NASA Kid’s Club (nasa.gov/kidsclub)—This site focuses on outer space and space exploration. Kids can go on missions that will teach them firsthand what it is like to be in space. NGAkids (nga.gov)—The National Gallery of Arts offers older kids and tweens a unique and entertaining introduction to art and art history, much of it based on the American art medium. There is even an option for users to create works of art. Ages 14-17 Theta Music Trainer (trainer.thetamusic.com)—This site offers a series of online courses and games for ear training and music theory based on all musical forms and especially those that originate in the U.S. There are exercises for every level of proficiency designed to sharpen skills and move users to the next level of musicianship. Exploratorium (exploratorium.edu)—The Exploratorium based in San Francisco offers an online version of itself, a public learning laboratory that examines the world through science, art, and human perception. —L.M. Online Resources Here are some interactive learning websites to consider by age. with the Broadway show “Hamilton.” While the musical is a work of historical fiction, in our household it led to many conversations and long trips down internet research and fact-checking rabbit holes to learn “the truth” about the Constitution, the Continental Congress, America’s political party system, elections and the electoral college, dueling, the history and modern-day legacy of enslavement in the United States, the role of women in the nation’s founding, and many other topics. It also led us to the amazing Hamilton Education “EduHam” program. Administered by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the EduHam program’s goal as stated on its website is “to help students see the relevance of the Founding Era by using primary sources to create a performance piece. The program consists of classroom activities and digital resources
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