Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – Australia

Australia is a fascinating continent/country to study! Today, I’m sharing some fun Montessori-inspired activities using the Little Passports Australia package.

Disclosure: I’m an affiliate for Little Passports and, as an ambassador, I received a year’s subscription to the World Edition of Little Passports. Once a month, I’m sharing some Montessori-inspired activities featuring Little Passports. This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you. Of course, all opinions are my own.

Here are my previous Montessori-inspired Little Passports posts:

1. Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Global Adventure (which contained the Little Passports suitcase, passport, and world map used each month along with a letter from Sam and Sofia, activity sheet, stickers, and a boarding pass with access to online games and activities)
2. Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – Brazil
3. Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – Japan
4. Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – France
5. Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – Egypt

The Little Passports materials could work especially well for afterschooling, in a Montessori homeschool with children of multiple ages, or for summer learning. The World Edition is a monthly subscription recommended for ages 5-10. A total of 24 different adventures are available in the series. I’m sharing activities that would allow preschoolers to join in the adventures as well.

Contents of the Little Passports Australia Package:

• A letter from Sam and Sophia, your child’s travel companions. This adds interest to a world study for a wide range of ages.
• Souvenirs themed around the chosen country. This month’s souvenir is an Australia scratch kit.
• An activity sheet for the country. This will generally be best for 5-10 year olds.
• A picture from the country. This month’s picture is of Sam and Sophia in Australia.
  Picture of a Uakari Monkey
  Picture of a Uakari Monkey
  Picture of a Uakari Monkey
• A passport stamp.
• A map marker.
• A sticker for the suitcase.
• A “boarding pass” for access to online content about the country. This month’s boarding pass has a map activity with a tour of Australia (which includes a printable photo album), Great Barrier Reef photography game and information about animals of the Great Barrier Reef, and an Australian Aboriginal design with online paint brush. The online activities are recommended for ages 5-10, although younger children could easily be included in the Australia online activities.
  This month’s boarding pass to Brazil had fun trivia questions about Brazil as well as an interactive soccer game. – See more at: http://www.peaceloveorganicmom.com/2013/05/traveling-to-brazil-with-little.html#sthash.NohmOxUG.dpuf

Following are some suggestions on how you can make Little Passports Montessori-inspired and have it work for multiple ages at home.

Map Work

The first package had a global focus, so you could have done any sort of continent map work in connection with the first package. After that, it’s best if your children have a chance to work with related Montessori continent box materials before the country package arrives (possibly for the two weeks preceding your work with the specific country). For the Australia package, I’d recommend working with the Australia continent box for two weeks before and after working with the Australia package. (See Montessori-Inspired Continent Activities with Animal Figures – Australia.)

Map Unfolding and Folding and Country Matching Activity

Map Unfolding and Folding and Country Matching Activity

I would include this activity for each country. Map unfolding and folding makes a great Montessori-inspired practical life activity. I’d recommend showing your child how to carefully unfold and fold the world map that comes with the first package. If you feel that would be too difficult for your child, you could laminate the map and put it up on the wall.

For the Australia package, I traced Australia on the map and cut out the country piece from a foam sheet. Your child could place the matching foam piece on the world map, maybe using Velcro if your map is laminated and hung up. I included Brazil, Japan, and France, and Egypt on the tray to reinforce the work done previously with Little Passports.

Australia Scratch Cards and Punching Activity

Australia Scratch Kit Tray

This is a fun part of the Little Passports Australia package. I just put the materials from the Australia scratch kit on an inexpensive wooden tray from Michaels hobby store.

Australia Scratch Kit Punching Activity

I added a Montessori-inspired extension of an Australian animal punching activity. After completing the scratching part of the activity, preschoolers could punch out the animals. I recommend using Montessori Services punchers (the safest tools for punching activities).

Extensions Using Montessori-Inspired Beach Language Activities

Montessori-Inspired Beach Language Activities

I have a Montessori-Inspired Beach Language Activities post at PreK + K Sharing with activities that would work well with the Great Barrier Reef theme from the Little Passports online activities. Beach-themed activities work well with Australia in general and are especially fun during our winter in the Northern Hemisphere and Australia’s summer.

Thank you to Safari Ltd. for the free Coral Reef TOOB Key!

Extensions Using Montessori-Inspired Ocean Math Activities

Montessori-Inspired Ocean Math Activities

I have a Montessori-Inspired Ocean Math Activities post at PreK + K Sharing with more activities that would fit with an Australia beach theme.

Extensions using Safari Ltd. Animals

My post with Montessori-Inspired Continent Activities with Animal Figures – Australia has ideas for continent (and country) activities using one Safari Ltd. TOOB.

Make your study of Australia as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. 🙂

Montessori-Inspired Global Adventure Pinterest Board

On the new Montessori-Inspired Global Adventure  Pinterest Board, I pin lots of Montessori-inspired continent activities in general along with Montessori-inspired continent and country activities that work well with Little Passports packages. You’ll also find pins with links to facts and resources you can use to create Montessori-inspired continent and country activities. And you’ll find links to free continent and country printables as well. Each month, I’ll add new continent and country activities to the board.

More about Little Passports

You can sign up for 3 months ($13.95/month with a one-time payment of $41.85), 6 months ($13.95/month with a one-time payment of $83.70), 12 months ($10.95/month with a one-time payment of $131.40), or monthly ($11.95/month, billed monthly and can be cancelled any time).

Every month after the first month, your child will visit 2 new states and receive:

• A 32-page activity-packed journal covering 2 states
• Stickers
• Pop-out Models
• Postcards
• Access to more information and activities online

You can find out more and subscribe at Little Passports.

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