the piri-piri lexicon

Introducing... Passports & Detours - Custom family travel itineraries

2023-10-11T11:11:00.013+02:00

I did a thing, but let's get re-acquainted first.

Hi, I am Annabelle, a 40-something mother of two, lover of all things culture, diveristy, travel and food.

I have lived in 4 different countries. Porto, Portugal is currently home.

For as long as I can remember I have dreamt of far-away lands, foreign languages and meetings with people who were different from me.

My childhood was filled with van life trips to the British Isles. I started travelling on my own as a teenager when my parents agreed to let me take a transatlantic flight unaccompanied to meet up with my penpal and her family.

As a mum, I have travelled in all different manners and styles, planned and survived very different adventures:

📌 transatlantic flight solo with a toddler and a child? Yes! Twice!

📌 camping road trip in Italy with kids? Yes! We might even have visited a hospital there!

📌 experienced a tornado while on a holiday? Kids thought it was fun!

I love writing about travel. I have done so on this blog for a while, though these articles were never really the most popular. But more than writing, I absolutely LOVE planning trips. It might even be the best part of travel. So I decided to make travel planning for families my job.

I have had the immense privilege to be able to be a mother first and foremost for the past 10 years. I wouldn’t change that for the world. However, this came with a crazy mental load (travelling partner with no family support) and at the expense of finding myself again after leaving academia over 10 years ago now and spending my time dabbling in several fields including teaching, writing, marketing and creative businesses.

I feel like it is time to find myself again.

Those who follow me elsewhere may have noticed I have launched a little business. My own little business. I am trying to combine my love for planning, organising with my escape, my passion and the legacy I am trying to leave to my children. Something I am good at and something I love: organising travel.

It is a travel planning business.

What does that mean?

It means I get to plan the most amazing, entirely custom and entirely independent travel experiences for people and, mainly, families. I do all the research. All of it: accommodation, food options, activities, transport, etc. Clients (hello, mothers) can just tick that box off from their crazy to-do list. They can still travel, discover, connect and share with their family without having to do all the legwork beforehand. Because travel with kids doesn’t have to just be about resorts in brochures.

How different from a travel agent is this?, you may ask. Travel agents will pick what is on their books and get paid from referrals/commissions. I am 100% independent. I choose my clients. Not the travel company.

If you want to find out more, head on over to my website for more details.

Friends Books - from a German tradition to a memories book for global kids on the move

2023-04-25T18:43:00.006+02:00

Almost two years ago now, my family and I were embarking on a big transition. We were leaving Germany and moving to Portugal. Although our move was entirely desired, it was a little precipitated and happened under difficult personal circumstances on top of the dreaded pandemic restrictions.

While planning for this move, my priority was, as for many other parents, my children. At 7 and 11, they were not babies anymore who could be moved without a care in the world. I researched the best tools and ideas to make this transition as smooth as possible. I wrote a an article about some of the little things we did at the time to help them visualise, say goodbye and make memories.

Having both spent their early childhood in Germany (we lived there for 10 years), they were obviously leaving all of their friends, schools and the only home they remembered. It was important for me to keep some kind of keepsake from all of these aspects of their life. I also did not want to dedicate entire boxes to memories and souvenirs. Yet, photos with friends, contacts, a little word from their favourite teachers, a special piece of the school journal, etc were all things we wanted to hang on to. How to keep all of these things in one place, one small place that could fit in our hand-luggage? Enter Germany’s Freundebuch.

A German tradition

Freundebuch is a little book children finishing Kindergarten or primary school give their peers at the end of the academic year to remember them by as they move on to different schools around a city. A Friends’ Book is a little German traditions parents love to hate. Imagine a class/group of 20 kids with 20 little Friends Books going around the class. Little kids tend to not be able to complete the required pages by themselves (as they can’t write or read), so it is a time-consuming demand parents love or hate. Some have more questions than others. Some are more time-consuming than others as they come in many different formats and styles.

However, my children got their own Freundebuch when they left German kindergarten. And I could see how over the years, they kept looking at this little book again and loved to remember their friends even though we lived in the same city still. I realised these would make a great memento for my own kids who would be moving abroad (far away from all those children and friends).

What about a Freundebuch for kids moving internationally? I searched but my options were limited.

A global life

Many Freundebuch are not suitable for the global life. They all assume you will stay around town. Other more global moving books provide limited space for friends sadly. When space is included, it is usually part of bigger workbooks that include emotional support. While the content is often amazing, this is not what I was looking for, in this instance: pages upon pages of questionnaires not everyone has the time or desire to fill in. And often, not everyone wants others leaving a little kind word the ability to read more personal accounts of the move.

I ended up creating little stand-alone pages for my children to hand over to their friends and teachers so everyone could leave them a message, share a memory or some fun facts. For my oldest, we also included contact details, so she could reconnect with her friends by herself when she would be gone.These were messy, let me tell you! I am organised but it was some job to keep it all in check. Yet, their teachers absolutely loved them. They left the sweetest notes. Their friends shared the cutest little anecdotes in those pages. My kids treasure those books 2 years on.

Friends Books

Since then, I have had time to reflect on what worked and what didn’t, what my kids loved reading again and again, how we used them and how others had fun doing. I have since created 3 versions of those books (for different age groups). The questions are slightly different depending on the age group: my now 13-year-old didn’t think asking about favourite ice-cream flavour was interesting! A French version of them is also coming very soon.

How they work

Similar to the yearbook tradition in the U.S. or the old-fashioned autograph books with empty pages, friends books can be passed around your friends. The prompts are simple, sweet, age-appropriate and quick to complete. Kids can also map out their life around the world with space for family and former homes. Finally, there is a space for tickets, photos and mementos too.

Two formats are available:

a PDF to download and print yourself:

- Because you live in Antartica and cannot get the book shipped to you at all or in time.

- Gives you the flexibility to print all of the pages quickly if you need something by yesterday.

- Gives you the option to only print those pages you like.

- Gives you the possibility to add to it later on by re-printing more pages.

- Lets you give those friends and teachers only the one pages they need (saving a lot of time).

a physical book:

- Because you are not tech-savvy and would rather have someone else do the work.

- Gives you the possibility to offer the book as a gift for a child/family leaving soon.

- Gives you a neater and more practical way to handle the book in the long-term as it is binded professionally.

- Makes it easier to grab and stuff into a bog before taking that plane out of your old home country.

Benefits

All of your kids memories fit into a handbag: their friends photos, a sweet note from a teacher, a concert ticket. Their life in a book.

If you move often, you don’t have to use one every time. You can keep reusing the same one, adding to the friends and teachers pages.

They also make a fabulous gift for any child who is moving away. My son is gifting two next week to a classmate who will be leaving for France next month (shhh!).

Who is this book for?

- Expats, immigrants, digital nomads, (whatever your label is for your global life) and their children

- Worldschooling, road schooling families

- Military families

- Anyone child moving for any reason!

Get Your Friends Book Now:

3-6-year-olds printable Friends Book

6-12-year-olds printable Friends Book

12-year-olds and older printable Friends Book

3-6-year-olds physical Friends Book

6-12-year-olds physical Friends Book

12-year-olds and older physical Friends Book

6-12-year-olds printable French version

10+ tips for a smooth transition moving abroad with kids

2022-05-09T19:27:00.007+02:00

You are moving? How exciting! Now what?

Moving abroad (or not), can be a very daunting process for kids. Like any other transition in their life, it can feel overwhelming and they may struggle to process all of the emotions associated with the move. Any parent will try and smooth the process for them, of course. I attempted to make it easier for my kids also. Here is my take on it from a mama who made her own international move with two kids DIY-style.

As we moved abroad last summer from Germany to Portugal, I wanted to make sure my children understood the process and would have as smooth a transition as humanely possible. They were aged 7 and 11 at the time.

Following this expression: good goodbyes and happy hellos, I spent a lot of time thinking through options and ideas for my own kids for this momentous occasion. I read up on the RAFT framework to remember to focus on the different aspects of the transition, not just the goodbyes. If you are not familiar with it, I highly recommend reading about it.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of the more practical things we did to make this as easy, fun and interesting as possible. Please don't feel like you have to do all of this, especially if you move often. Doing what you feel will work well for your own kids is best.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Tips to help kids have a smooth transition while moving abroad:

Visual countdown

It is inexpensive. It takes seconds to make.

Children of all ages will love to visualise how much time they have left in their home, or in their school, or with a specific friend. In our family, we love to make little paper links chains to help visualise major events. In this case, we used toilet paper rolls, cut them in circles and attach the right number of circles to each other. Every Sunday, our youngest would remove a link, counting down to the number of weeks left in our apartment.

Read books

In our family, we love to read books to open discussion about different topics, especially hard ones or life-altering ones. Moving is no different. I used books to show my kids that moving was part of life, that many kids have done it before, that they may have found some aspects of it tough but they will make it through. I have a selection of books about moving home here.

Memory book

While searching for books, I came across this Moving Booklet. You can read my full review here. We loved this workbook as it allowed us to write memories and stick other bits and pieces in. We used it throughout the transition and it now makes a wonderful memory book.

Stay in touch kits with little postcards

The kids and I wanted to leave a little something to their school friends. It needed to be small, practical, and easily replicated. I am not one for small gift favours that are no use to anyone.

We created small stay-in-touch kits. They included little stationery items (stickers, pen, etc). But we also created little postcards. This was the highlight of the kits. Even their teachers wanted one. We simply printed a blank postcard with their new address at the back. Their friends could therefore send them mail. Little ones drew on them, older kids wrote. And we received some lovely postcards during the summer and well into the Autumn. It was a lovely surprise every time.

Edit and download this template entirely free. You can download in the format you prefer (I recommend PDF) and print 4 to a page to save on cutting time and paper. You can also get it printed in any copy shop. You can also download the empty template here.

Presentation about their new country

As agreed with their respective teachers, our kids prepared a few slides to present to their classmates near the end of the school year. Of course, the presentations were age-appropriate and both did not do the same thing. We also followed the kids interests. Mr 7 at the time showed his friends cork products (one of Portugal's biggest export) and talked about how it was made. It was both instructive and fun and interactive. Miss 11 highlighted several aspects of Portugal and took delicious custard tarts for her friends to taste. You can take a peek into Mr 7's first ever solo presentation below. Proud mama alert! I still can't believe he did it!

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Watch videos about new country
For weeks before our move, the kids and I watched age-appropriate YouTube videos about the sights, smells and tastes of our new country. We showed them photos and news from their future school, looked at Google Maps to familiarise ourselves with different areas. We looked at everything from shopping centers to restaurants near us, from tourist tips to football championships to animals unique to Portugal. We followed their interests (and ours) and tried to make them excited about their new country. Good goodbyes and happy hellos.
Get involved in decisions
We tried to involve the kids in as many decisions as we could. They were old enough for this and we felt it would give them more control over the move. From anything very basic to some major new home decision, we set up a weekly family meeting from the moment we told them we were moving to discuss everything and anything they or we needed to discuss. It was our Sunday morning routine and I loved it. We discussed emotions, friends, homes. We cried, laughed, picked a house with them, made plans and hugged a lot. Did I say it was very emotional? It was.

Friends book aka "Freundebuch'
If you have lived in Germany with kids, you will know what a Freundebuch is. Translated as a friends' book, it is a little keepsake, children give their friends to keep a little memento of their time together usually at kindergarten or school. Even though I have a love-hate relationship with them, I ended up making little Freundebuch pages for my kids to give their friends and then stick in our memories workbooks. But this was quite fiddly.

Fast Forward to the following year and I still had not found a little friends book that especially catered to children moving internationally. I decided to create my own. Take a look at my store where you can purchase your own Friends' Book printable (to download and print from home) or a book version.

Say goodbye to the moving van/truck
This is not something I had entirely planned. I thought it would be useful for the kids to see at least part of the process of the movers loading everything in their van. But I didn't want them there all day either. Luckily, it was a school day and once they came back from school, the movers were still here. So they got to see the last few pieces being loaded and got to say goodbye to their belongings and the van. It was rather emotional. My youngest had a bit of a meltdown (from fatigue also) but it was necessary for him to understand his belongings would just be shipped and not disappear.
Revisiting empty places
Once the van had left, we went back to our apartment and took pictures of it empty. It felt odd. It felt like it wasn't our place anymore. The kids didn't want to stay long. They looked at their rooms and happily left the building. An empty apartment is not the same as one with all your toys in it. Once again, every child is different and some may not like to see their home empty. But I liked to be as transparent and opened about everything with them. I always made sure I explained everything as some of these thing may seem obvious to us, but they were not for them.

Taking photos

We took lots and lots of pictures of everything they felt was important enough to remember. We had taken photos of our home while it was still untouched by the process. Just before we started selling, giving away, packing, etc, we took pictures of every room. The kids glued these in their transitions workbooks (see above). And we also took a few selfies in our empty apartment.

It is bittersweet. Don't hide it.

Finally, and I think this is one of the best piece of advice I read out there. It comes from Susan Cain's work on bittersweetness: don't hide the bittersweetness to children. When saying goodbye physically to friends, colleagues, teachers, I didn't pretend it would not be bittersweet. We didn't pretend we would see everyone again. Goodbye is part of life. We will meet many of our friends again soon. But for many, we won't. And that is okay. That is life. Pretending you will see all of them again (because let's face it you won't) is not necessary. Also, my now 8-year-old barely remembers some of his classmates a year on. Life is a great big whole bittersweet transition.

Wishing you good goodbyes and happy hellos!

Feel free to pay me coffee if you have found this at all useful and/or use one of my templates: paypal.me/thepiripirilexicon. Obrigada!

3 weeks in the Azores with kids: itinerary and tips

2022-02-02T11:41:00.004+01:00

In this article, you will find our full itinerary with places to see, where to eat, where to stay, fun things to do with children and more tips to plan your family holiday in the Azores.

The whole family agrees that these 3 weeks in the Azores were our favourite family holiday to date. From whale watching to pineapple tasting, from snorkelling to 4x4 on a dirt road, we all loved it. It was relaxing, simple, fun, delicious, not crowded and unforgettable. What more would you want?

Not wanting to contribute to over-tourism and, frankly, not really interested in laying on a beach with a million other people, we headed to the Azores a few summers back. I was initially unsure as it seemed marketed as an outdoor sports destination and this is not us. I was, however, pleasantly surprised. The whole family agreed that this was our favourite and best family holiday in a really long time (if not ever). Below I share our itinerary as well as some tips you may find useful in planning your own trip there.

3 weeks in the Azores: itinerary and tips

Days 1-5: Van life on São Miguel

We had a wonderful time camping and some of our most unforgettable memories where made with the van. But renting a camper van on the Azores is for those who like driving and are not easily scared. You can read more about our experience with renting a camper van over here.
I just need to add that that week was really cheap as we slept everywhere for free, distances are short so we didn't spend a lot of fuel and we mostly picnicked.

Van life at Piscina natural da Boca de Ribeira

Days 5-10: Relaxation in São Miguel

Where to stay

During those 5 days, we stayed at the Eco-resort in Santa Barbara, on the north coast of the island. That place is absolutely stunning, extremely peaceful, yet caters perfectly to families with small studios that sleep 4 or 6 and a small kitchen. It is also 100m from the beach and 500m from our favourite restaurant (though I wouldn't recommend walking there as the road has no sidewalks).

What to see/do

- Furnas: this small town in the center of the island is great fun to visit with kids. We headed straight for the calderas. These are steaming hot holes in the ground. Locals cook food on them. They were really impressive. But be warned, the very strong smell of sulfur made us all feel very sick after a while. Also, corn cooked in a plastic bag in those holes were not really our idea of a snack.
So, we headed out of the city center for lunch early.

Thermal pools in Furnas

- Poça Dona da Beija in Furnas: these hot springs have been set up into 5 different thermal pools. The site is busy with tourists but it is still really relaxing and enjoyable. Our children found some of the pools too hot, so be careful when bringing them there. There are changing rooms and showers on site. A must-do.

Sete Cidades on a sunny and cloudy day

- Kayak on Sete Cidades' lake: several little shacks have appeared on the shore of the lake in the village of Sete Cidades. Most of these are only opened at the weekend unless you pre-book a guided tour or activity. We went kayaking with Futurismo, it was a cheap activity for all of us (we rented two double kayaks) and they were very helpful. The stunning lake is in the center of a massive crater. Go on a sunny day and it is heaven.

- Caldeira Velha: another hot springs site in the middle of a lush tropical garden with showers and toilets. The water is very warm and the waterfall a lovely refreshing shower after a small hike around the gardens. Parking to enter the site is very very limited (and dangerous), so again go early or late.

Caldeira Velha

- Ilheu de Vila Franca de Campo: this is a small islet off the coast (boats depart from Vila Franca do Campo). The number of visitors on the islet is limited as it is a nature reserve. There are no real beaches, it is just a funny shaped rock with a lagoon inside it. Yet, it is worth the 10-minute boat ride. It is stunning and allowed our children to snorkel in just a few feet-deep of water. Watch for currents and tidal waves. But there are lifeguards on site too. Low tide times are always better for little children. We managed to pre-book the trip but many tourists just queue for a chance to get on the boat. Unless you have a Portuguese bank account, you must line up early in the morning on the day of your trip. Daily visitor numbers are limited, if you come late, you stand no chance of getting on. Oh and don't bring a pram or pushchair! The small path is just rocks and you will struggle. Take towels, picnic and swimming gear just like you would at the beach.

- Gorreana tea plantation: Azores is the only place in Europe that produces tea. Aided by some Chinese people back in teh day, the plantation still produces green and black tea to this day. You can visit the fields and the factory for free. When we were there we were surprised to see anyone could walk in and tour the old buildings without any kind of ticket or entry fee. We even go to taste the different teas for free. I am assuming this is not going to last long!

Please also see my other post about Sao Miguel for other things we did while we had our camper van.

Where to eat

- A Tasca, Ponta Delgada: delicious fresh fish and pineapple cake (made with local pineapple). Come early or book as it gets very busy with locals.

- Restaurante da Associação Agricola de São Miguel: this was the highlight of our culinary trip. It is a large restaurant serving meat (steak) from the island as well as other local products. If you like a good steak, this is a must. The blood sausage with pineapple was my husband's favourite. The little local cheesecakes are also delicious. They are very family-friendly, like most Portuguese restaurants. Service is good and prices are reasonable. We went back many times. Book as it is huge but gets full quickly. Highly recommended.

You can find more info and stories on my Sao Miguel Instagram highlight.

Days 10-13: Back in time in São Jorge

São Jorge is the least developed islands of those we visited. Tourism is still in its infancy there (few road signs indicating places, few shops and restaurants, etc). There are few accommodation options but the landscape is gorgeous and with direct connections to São Miguel by plane, it was an easy pick for us. I highly recommend getting out of São Miguel and visiting the lesser known islands. São Jorge is a good option.

Where to stay

While in São Jorge, we stayed at Intact Farm Resort. The name is a little misleading. It is not a resort. They are mostly little wooden huts, very simple, overlooking the ocean. The host is wonderful and very helpful. We had breakfast brought to us daily. He even took us on his boat around the caves of the island (for free). Inside the huts, there is everything you need for a few days. However, the self-catering proved a little tricky as we struggled with food shopping. The only supermarket on the island looks like a 1950s throwback with bare shelves and very bad neon lighting, selling 50 kinds of shampoo but no eggs. But you can also find food in smaller places if you are willing to spend time searching for it. This was in the summer of 2019. As the Azores, develop tourism, I am sure it will change rapidly.

Baby hammer shark a fisherman was throwing away

What to see/do

There are no great monuments to visit, just amazingly beautiful nature to get lost in and observe.

- Snorkeling and swimming: this is what we spent most of our time doing on São Jorge. Portinho has a lovely spot for swimming with good access and a shower (like in most places around the islands). The kids saw octopus and sea urchins there.

- Topo: we drove all the way to the tip of the island. The road is stunning with huge hedges of hydrangeas everywhere. At the end of there is a little natural pool and a tiny bar.

- Velas: the main town is worth a stroll. It is tiny but quite pretty.

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- Ponta dos Rosais: we also wanted to drive to the other tip of the island. This turned out to be quite an adventure. The road ends quite abruptly, leaving you with several dirt tracks to choose from and no road signs. We tried our luck and were so happy we did. We had a beautiful afternoon amongst the trees and the totally unspoilt landscape. At the end of the island, there is a lighthouse but you can't go near as the cliffs are apparently falling into the sea. There is also an old whale watching spot and the view from up there is stunning. We really felt like we were the only ones on the whole island then.

Where to eat

A Quinta: the only good meal worth mentioning we had on the island. We had fresh fish and octopus and it was delicious despite the modest appearances.

We also had a meal at Restaurante Amilcar but were very disappointed. Some of the food was terribly overcooked, we waited for ages and overall it was mediocre.

Overall, bring sandwiches as restaurants are rare outside of the main town of Velas.

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Days 13-19: The slow life in Faial

Where to stay

We stayed for the entire week in a lovely self-catering bungalow/house in the north of the island. Casas d'Arramada are a small group of houses with a central swimming pool, an amazing breakfast service and the kindest hosts. The houses were rebuilt in traditional style after the most recent volcanic eruption to bring people (and tourists) back to empty villages. Highly recommended. The only drawback is the secluded location. But with good planning, it is feasible. Top tip: there is a lovely pizzeria on the road heading south (near Cedros). It looks like nothing out of this world but the pizzas are delicious.

What to see/do

- Capelinhos volcano: a crazy dry and lunar area of the island where the eruptions are creating new spaces and the land is gaining on the sea. The last eruption, in 1958, was pretty significant. Many people lost their livelihoods, though nobody died. As a consequence, many families emigrated to Canada and the USA. To this day, many Portuguese people in the USA come from there. Summers in Faial are full of retuning Portuguese/Americans. You can visit the lighthouse near the volcano and, of course walk around the amazing landscape. The little museum is very interesting too, recapping the history of the eruption and the emigration that followed.

- Snorkelling: We snorkelled near the volcano, which in itself is a crazy idea the kids absolutely loved. The hardened lava made for fun jumping platforms and holes. There are so many gorgeous swimming spots in Faial with few people around (even in August).

- Caldeira Grande: We hiked around the caldeira grande (the volcano's crater). It is a very deceiving location. It looks so green, so peaceful and quiet. There is a just a volcano lurking underneath. Of course, it is not recommended to go down the crater alone (even though it looks like a meadow). We only stayed around the top.

- Whale watching: The Azores are a great whale watching destination in Europe. We had been avoiding the large boats going out to whale watch on São Miguel. We much preferred to see whales in a more sustainable way. And we found just the people. Azores Experiences offered small group trips in a very respectful manner. The skipper was very careful not approaching too closely the 4 sperm whales and their babies we saw. We also saw lots of dolphins. The guide was a trained marine biologist and there were only a dozen people on board. They were also great with children. Highly recommended for a more respectful option.

Where to eat

We really struggled with restaurants on Faial island. While the main city of Horta has some very lovely places, the rest of the island has few restaurants and they get busy very very quickly in high season. We just ended up having picnics very often.

- St Peter's: the iconic bar where all sailors crossing the Atlantic stop. It is nothing special. Service was a little slow but food was decent enough. The gin and tonic there is very special though. We went to see all the fun travel memorabilia inside.

Days 19-20: Back to São Miguel

As many islands are not connected directly to the rest of Europe (or even to mainland Portugal), we had to have a 24-hour stopover in Ponta Delgada before flying out to Lisbon.

We visited a pineapple plantation. Yes, pineapples in Europe! Dating from the 19th century, this unique plantation grows pineapples in greenhouses. The site is only a few minutes from the city centre of Ponta Delgada. The visit is free and there is a little store attached to it where you can sample all things pineapple. I highly recommend the fresh juice. Amazing!

We went back to our favourite lunch spot on the whole island (Restaurante da Associação Agrícola de São Miguel) for one last steak.

Lagoa do Fogo and my very tanned island babies

And, as we had a couple more hours before our flight, we took a quick detour by the Lagoa do Fogo (as we had not seen it yet). The weather was a little bit cloudy but the view spectacular.

You can find many addresses and links on the map below I had created as my own travel guide. I have addresses for Pico island too even though we ended up not going there. But it is easy to get to for a day trip from Faial (or vice-versa).

Tips

1. Plan ahead: as the islands are small and tourism is still developing, accommodation gets booked up really quickly. We booked our accommodation in April for a trip in August. While looking, many places we liked were already fully booked.

2. Do not just stick to São Miguel: It is the main island and it is really lovely. But people who refer to the Azores and have only been to São Miguel are not telling the full story. Each and every island is different and São Miguel is much more developed and very different from the other islands.

3. Rent a car: public transport is sorely lacking. If you want to see the sights and head out, you will need a car. Distances are small so you won't be driving a lot. But keep in mind that the roads can also be narrow. There is only one stretch of dual carriageway on São Miguel.

4. Expect a slow/simple life: supermarkets are few and far between outside of São Miguel. Tourism is still under-developed. On São Jorge, struggled to buy simple cooking ingredients like eggs. Cashpoints are few and far between, tiny villages with hardly any cafes or restaurants, livestock on the roads, etc... It is like being back in time, in a good way (mostly).

5. Go before it is too late: cheap flights have arrived to São Miguel. So, many people are discovering the island(s). Go before they change drastically due to tourism. Life will never be the same again there.

More tips and ideas on my Instagram account.

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Les galettes des rois: the different cakes eaten in France on Epiphany

2022-01-02T14:25:00.121+01:00

When I think of Epiphany, I think of galette des rois. But did you know there are different types of galettes? Yes, the flaky pastry filled with almonds is not the most common galette in all the regions of France. Here are some of the others eaten in France.

La galette des rois

I have tried to link to posts that contained recipes. Though I have not tried them all, please feel free to suggest your own.

Traditional galette

If you are interested in the history and significance of Epiphany in France, take a look at this article where I explained this in more details. I also included my own recipe for our favourite galette. La galette des rois (traditionelle): this is the traditional flaky pastry and almond creme galette. It is also sometimes called Pithiviers.

La galette franc-comtoise

I discovered this galette thanks to a friend of mine from the region. This galette looks a little more like a flan, to me anyway. It doesn't have the flaky pastry. Here is a recipe courtesy of said friend.

Ingredients:

- a quarter of a liter of milk

- 4 tbsp sugar

- 90g butter

- 125g flour

- 3 to 4 eggs

- a flavour of your choice: rhum, vanilla, orange blossom water

Directions:

Warm up the oven to 150°C. Heat up the milk with the sugar and butter. When the mixture is about to boil, pour all of the flour in it. Mix some more with a wooden spoon until you get a big dough ball. Lower the heat and keep working the dough for a few minutes. Then let it cool. Add the eggs one by one mixing all the time. Add your chosen flavour. Butter and flour a tart shape / pie mold. Spread the mixture in it. Don't forget the lucky charm! You can embellish the top by drawing patterns on it and brushing it with an egg yolk for colour. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. When it is golden, it is ready.

La galette briochée

This one is more common in the South of France (Provence). As a northern girl, I had never heard of it until I researched this article. It is basically a brioche with sugar or confit fruits on the top. You can also find this cake in other countries (Portugal for example).

La galette Dunkerquoise

I have never tried this one. Dunkerque is a city in the border with Belgium (at the very top of France). The galette seems to be a rather local specialty but looks delicious. It is a cake cut open and filled with a butter cream in the middle. Yum!

La galette créole

Commonly found in French Guyana, this is a dry cake filled with creme flavoured with coconut or guava. Apparently, in the past, the charm hidden in it could range from a bean (like in the rest of France) to a gold nugget (there is gold in Guyana). The person who found it got a bunch of flowers.

I am sure I have forgotten many other variations. Do you know of others? I would love to include them here.

Authentic diverse French children's books written by women of colour

2021-11-25T13:30:00.447+01:00

Like many, looking for anti-racism resources for my kids, I started by looking for books with non-white characters. The thing is while my kids read in English, as a bilingual family, I also wanted books in French. I can find French translations of American books. But my kids know little about American history and being Mexican American or Asian American means little to them. I wanted books that they could more easily relate to or understand. I wanted books about being French from the Antilles or Algerian in France, etc. I wanted the books to relate to a more familiar diaspora of the population around them.

The books below are authentic books in French (not translations from other languages) written by women of colour and featuring characters of colour. The books are all story books, not documentaries or how-to books. I would also recommend checking out the authors mentioned as many have other books also published but I couldn't list them all.
This is very much work in progress. I will keep adding to this collection as I find more. So be sure to come back.

Click on the images to learn more and/or purchase your own copy.

This article contains affiliate links. It means I may, under certain conditions, make a tiny little bit of money from you purchasing through them. It may buy me a coffee one day. You don't pay anything extra. It is a way for you to support the content I provide for free. So, thank you.

1. Comme un million de papillons noirs, Laura Nsafou

Learning to love yourself. A gorgeous poetic book (just like the title) about a little girl and her curly hair that attracts a lot of comments from her school friends (often not positive). The book also deals with bullying which is not a common topic in french children's literature. It is suitable from 3/4 years old. I discovered Laura Nsafou's books thanks to her blog Mrs Roots. She is an amazing strong woman doing so much for black girls in France. Go buy her books. Get it on Amazon, Book Depository, Fnac.

2. Le chemin de Jada, Laura Nsafou

The new book from Laura Nsafou deals with skin colour and the story of twin sisters whose skin colour is different. The underlying theme is about accepting yourself once again, which, if you ask me, is wonderful to see. Suitable from 3 years old. Get it on Amazon, Fnac.

3. Peyi an nou, Jessica Oublié

A comic written by a French woman with origins in Martinique and Guadeloupe. It is the story of a whole department of the French administration that aimed to encourage people from the French overseas territories to move to France. I had never heard of this even though it is pretty recent history. The book deals with this pretty serious migration topic in a playful and happy way. Recommended for ages 12+. Get it on Amazon, Fnac.

4. Aya de Yopougon, Marguerite Abouet

I discovered this series of books through our local bookstore. A little trip to the Ivory Coast with Aya who wants to be different from her friends and become a doctor. The series (6 books) is very light-hearted while presenting many everyday topics of life in the Ivory Coast (including the language). The book comes in various formats. Recommended for 13+. Get it on Amazon, Book Depository, Fnac.

5. Akissi, Marguerite Abouet

Another comic series but for younger children this time. Also set in the Ivory Coast, Akissi is a mischievious little girl who made my kids laugh out loud. The stories are simply about her everyday life. Suitable from 8+. Get it on Amazon, Book Depository, Fnac.

6. Les saï-saï, Kidi Bebey

4 good friends from school, always together often spend their school holidays solving various mysteries and playing detectives. The author has origins in Cameroon and there are several books from the same series. Suitable from age 8. Get it on Amazon.

7. Neïba je-sais-tout, Madina Guissé

Neïba is a fun, straightforward and a little dishonest 9-year-old girl. When she learns a secret about her big brother, she decides she will never share it, not aware of the consequences this could have. This is the first instalment of a series of books suitable from about 7 years old. Get it on Amazon, Fnac.

8. Les puissantes, Diveka

A crowd-funded book published by the Diveka Association about 20 powerful black women. The difference with many other books with strong women is that this one is French and not a translation in French, so the women represented are primarily French-speaking or relevant to the French-speaking community. And we love that! The campaign is over but you can still order the book here.

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9. Mulatako, Reine Dibussi

Suitable from age 6, this book is about Cameroon's mami-wata, underwater spirits with extraordinary powers. This first book is about Jéméa, a 10-year-old boy who is not great at school. His school is about to be destroyed by the powerful administrators of his submarine world. How will him and his friends react? Get the books on Amazon, Fnac.

10. Je veux le même, Belotie Nkashama

The story of two little sisters who can't stop arguing because they want the same things. Always. Everyday. Until their parents offer a game to change this. Suitable from 2 years old. There is another instalment in the same author. Get the books on Amazon.

11. Ibrahim et Nelson, les super héros de la cour de récré, Hashley Auguste

Two ordinary boys who love to build things. But both are super-heros, of course, just like anybody else. We love this book as it also talks about disability. Get the book on Fnac.

12. Insya veut danser le léwòz, Amandine Velin

Insya would love to dance at the party held by Monsieur Germain. But who can teach him how to dance? The author is a teacher from the French Antilles. This is her first book. And, in case you don't know, the léwòz is beat from Guadeloupe. Suitable from age 3. Get the book on Fnac.

13. Fadya et le chant de la rivière, Laura Nsafou

Another book from Laura Nsafou. This one is a unique story available on Lunii (a unique little device that allows kids to listen to stories without screen or radiowaves). If you have the system, this is a lovely story to add to your collection. It tells the story of group of women who hold magical powers and help anyone who asks. A beautiful story available here.

14. Solitude la flamboyante, Paula Anacaona

A historical illustrated novel about slavery and the complexity of the relationships between masters and slaves set in Guadeloupe around 1780. The story is that of Solitude la flamboyante, a true Guadeloupe heroin committed to fighting racism, colonialism before her time. It is loosely based on a true story. A story for older kids and young adults. Get the book here: Amazon, Fnac.

15. Ouagadougou pressé, Roukiata Ouedraogo

It is the story of Roukiata, a young woman, getting ready to leave France for Burkina Faso. As she gets ready she tells the story of her life in Paris and its colourful streets. The books tells of difference, family and friendship in a rather fun way but not only. We really liked it. A graphic novel suitable from age 12+. Get the book on Amazon or Fnac.

16. Little Nappy, Hashley Auguste

A bilingual book series written by an Franco-Haitian author. Each book deals with a different subject in the life of a young girl like taking care of her hair. The brand also includes a doll and lots of other items. Little Nappy is suitable from 3+. Get the books on Amazon or Fnac.

17. J'aime lire (version Afrique)

Technically, not a book but I wanted to mention this version of the much loved French magazine. It features stories with mostly black kids and characters and the content is culturally adapted also. I have not personally tried it but I have heard good things from people who have. You can find out more here.

Do you have any other family favourites? I would love to hear about them.

As Aventuras de Sofia na Selva (Portuguese book review)

2021-11-23T12:10:00.002+01:00

When I was little, I loved yoga. I practised yoga for many years as a child and teenager. As an adult, this has helped me tremendously with relaxation techniques, in particular. So when I heard about the books written by Giselle Shardlow, from Kids Yoga Stories, to introduce yoga to children through reading while moving, I wanted in.

WARNING: this post contains affiliate links. In layman's terms: that means that if you click on it, I may possibly earn a 4% commission on this $12.99 item - if you're in the right country, purchase it quickly, and haven't already clicked someone else's link. It won't cost you extra, but you might accidentally support the free content I provide. Proceed at your own risk.

The concept

Kids Yoga Stories "integrate yoga, literacy, cultural education, and environmental awareness". What more would you want? The author, Giselle Shardlow, is a yoga instructor and educator passionate about education, happiness and health.
I really liked the idea of focusing the stories on travel and discovering new countries. So I thought I would give it a try. An added bonus for us was that Sophia's Jungle Adventures was available in Portuguese (as well as a number of other languages: Russian, French, Spanish). On our quest for more Portuguese materials, this was perfect. The book is aimed at children from 4-7 years old.

The story

The story is that of a little girl called Sophia who travels by plane to the Costa Rica jungle and encounters many animals. On almost every page, a little bubble shows the child a simple yoga position to attempt: the cobra, the toucan, the plane, etc.

Our experience

Saudação ao Sol

Once our book arrived, I handed the book over to Papa and off he went reading it to his girl, 5. I walked away as I mostly do when they read in Portuguese or else they chatter in French. From the next room, I heard furniture moving, then laughter and giggles. I took this as a sign for a good book. 10 minutes of Portuguese with giggles. That does not happen everyday.

Postura do Agachamento

When I reappeared, LJ, wanted to tell me all about this great book where you can do cool moves. I feigned ignorance and sat comfortably watching (and snapping these pictures) while she flicked through the book again and showed me the moves. Her little brother (1) joined in too, of course.

Attempting the cat / Postura do Gato

She explained the animal poses and the movements. She remembered a few new Portuguese words too. Perfect. To this day, she refers to this book as 'the book with the cool moves'.

As you may know if you are a regular reader, Papa speaks Portuguese from Portugal. I was a little worried about his take on this book which is in Brazilian Portuguese. But he says that it is fine as there are few words that would be different and also that it kind of goes with the story of jungle and that it could easily take place in the Brazilian Amazon, making it a perfect language-culture fit.

My verdict

If you are looking for a fun and very simple introduction to yoga, I highly recommend Sophia's Jungle Adventures and its Portuguese version As Aventuras de Sofia na Selva. The illustrations are really cute and the translation is well done (even the spelling of the name of the character is adjusted).
As an added language bonus, this is perfect for bilingual children to pick up a few new words and idioms.

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You can find more of Giselle's yoga books here.
Sophia's Jungle adventures in English is here, in French or in German.

Disclaimer:
I received a free copy of this book for the review but the opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Book release: How to Raise a Global Citizen

2021-11-20T15:24:00.003+01:00

If you have been living under a rock for the past few months or if you don't follow me on social media, you may not know about this yet. I am now a published author for something beyond academic writing! And I couldn't be more excited about it (as you can tell from the number of !! I am going to be using in this little text)!

How this opportunity came about

The winter of 2020/2021 was rather dark. COVID was raging in Europe. We homeschooled for almost 3 months in a row. Our family was going through a very tough transition work-wise and life-wise. On one of those dark days, I received an email. That emailed basically asked if I would be interested in rewriting some of my content. Now, I get these emails asking to place content on my site or similar all the time. And at first glance, I thought, yes, just another one of those. I ignored it. A few days later, intending to clean my inbox, I went back and read that email properly. The request seemed genuine enough. The guy checked out and seemed to be a genuine editor for DK. I though: ok, let's give this a go. I replied saying I would be interested but I needed more details. To my surprise, he replied immediately with more details and wow! Just wow!!! He was offering a proper writing gig for a proper book with a bunch of other great authors and an editor to put it all together. I said yes even though I had doubts I could homeschool two kids (one of whom was not independent - first year of school) and write this book on a tight deadline. Little did I know the editor herself and some of the other authors were in the same situation. It worked a treat and the rest is history.

I am so glad I said yes. After a few delays due to global supply chain issues, the end product is a very beautiful and caring book any parents will find useful to instil in their children a more global outlook on life.

How to Raise a Global Citizen: for the parents of the children who will save the world.

A cheerful, optimistic handbook for parents and carers shaping the next generation of responsible global citizens - ready to change the world for the better!

Our children have the energy, capacity, and passion to create and nurture a global culture in which inclusion, acceptance, respect, and participation are the core values that underpin a human being's every interaction. As parents and carers, our job is to help our children take their first steps along that path.

Raising truly globally minded, and socially conscious children happens at home and in the community. Children can be inspired, equipped, and mobilised to make a difference in the world. By encouraging values such as responsible and kind use of social media, respect, open mindedness, empathy, a sense of community, parents can help to shape a new generation of emotionally intelligent, outward-looking, politically ethical world citizens.

Relevant to parents of children of all ages - from toddlers to teens - the book gives practical advice on how to talk to your children, the vocabulary to use, and activities and projects you can undertake with your children, from planting a tree to keeping a gratitude diary to cooking themed cuisines. And you'll find out how to model global citizenship through your own day-to-day actions.

You can listen to a sample of the audiobook here.

Order your copy at

The editor

Anna Davidson is the author of A Young Citizen’s Guide to Money and, as a writer and editor, specialises in books for parents and families. A mother of three, Anna read modern languages at Oxford University and spent a year teaching secondary-school English in Marseilles where she first developed a taste for global citizenship. Since then, she has worked for leading publishing houses in both London and Paris. Anna now lives and works from home in Kent.

The authors

Marvyn Harrison is a father of two and founder of Dope Black CIC as well as co-founder of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) consultancy BELOVD. He coined the term Dope Black Dads on Father's Day 2018. Challenged by his feelings towards parenthood, Marvyn created a WhatsApp group with fathers he knew, hoping to share and learn from the experiences of those going on a similar journey to him. Now the Dope Black Dads network engages over 12,000 dads across the UK, US, and Africa. Marvyn regularly leads podcasts for parents and contributes to panels, webinars, Q&As, and documentaries on the subjects of male parenting, masculinity, mental health, the Black experience, and business. dopeblack.org

Dr Annabelle Humanes wants to live in a world where diversity is celebrated and valued. A linguist, she worked in academia for over a decade before starting a family, teaching languages and carrying out research in language acquisition in young children. Evidence-based decision-making and multilingualism are her passions, and her own family lives with four languages (and cultures) on a daily basis. When she is not travelling or eating her way around the world with her little European citizens, she runs language enrichment classes and playgroups for French-speaking families. She blogs about being the mother of two cross-cultural children and blending cultures and languages. thepiripirilexicon.com

Dr Melernie Meheux is a senior Educational Psychologist passionate about using psychology to support children and their families. As a certified Play Therapist, she believes in the power of play to give children a voice to make sense of their experiences, and strongly advocates the rights of all children to play. Melernie is co-chair of the British Psychological Society's Division of Educational and Child Psychology (DECP), and chair of the board of trustees for Solidarity Sports, a charity that supports disadvantaged children and those who have experienced trauma to access play opportunities. She loves writing, hates inequality, and wants to contribute towards saving the planet in any way that she can! bps.org.uk/blogs

James Murray is an environmental journalist and founding editor of the award-winning website BusinessGreen. He has spent the past 15 years reporting on the climate crisis, the green economy, and clean technologies, and is a regular commentator on a wide range of environmental issues on ?TV and radio. In 2020 he also helped launch the world's first Net Zero Festival, bringing together business leaders, policymakers, and campaigners to explore how to accelerate the green industrial revolution. An English graduate from the University of Exeter, James lives in South London with his wife and two sons. businessgreen.com

Jen Panaro is a self-proclaimed composting nerd and an advocate for eco-friendly living for modern families. As a mum to two boys, she is passionate about helping families find ways to be more responsible stewards to our communities and the planet. She regularly writes for her blog, Honestly Modern, and other publications about exploring climate action, zero waste living, regenerative gardening, and intersectional environmentalism, all through the lens of modern family life. Jen is also the founder of WasteWell, a company she runs that provides composting services and related educational resources. In her spare time, she's a messy gardener and a serial library book borrower. honestlymodern.com

Jess Purcell is a science educator who is dedicated to making the science of sustainability accessible to all learners. She creates sustainability science experiments and nature activities ?for students of all ages, which can be done in the classroom or at home, and are designed to foster critical-thinking skills and a love of the natural world. Jess lives in central Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids, and two cats, and can usually be found outside, working out the kinks of an experiment, upcycling trash into "treasure", hiking with her family, or attempting to read a book while being cajoled into a game of hide and seek. thoughtfullysustainable.com

Fariba Soetan is a blogger and mother of three multiracial daughters living in London. Her passion for raising citizens of the world grew from her own experience being raised in a mixed heritage family (Iranian/British) and immigrating from Tehran, Iran to Edmonton, Canada at a very young age. After meeting her Nigerian husband in Wales, Fariba moved to Nigeria for a few years with her two young children, before settling down in London. Her blog for parents of mixed race children, Mixed.up.Mama, aims to help bridge parents' understanding about raising multiracial families, and encourage them to be intentional about talking about race and identity to children. mixedracefamily.com

The beautiful illustrations of the book were created by Cecilia Castelli.

Have your ordered your copy yet? If you have read it, I would love your feedback also.

French books subscription for kids

2021-11-18T21:35:00.006+01:00

I think reading is one of the most important thing you can do with your child, whatever age they are. We started reading bedtime stories to our daughter when she was 6-months old. She started 'reading' stories to her baby brother when he was a couple of weeks old. And we still read to them, they read to each other and we read together.

Our favourite children's books publisher

I am always on the lookout for good books. Speaking a minority language (or three) at home often means having to purchase books from abroad or relying on family gifts. Not always easy. So I thought I'd share our favourite French book publisher: L'ecole des Loisirs.

"l'école des loisirs is an independent family-owned publishing group founded in 1913. First specialising in school books, l'école des loisirs has expanded to become one of the two largest publishing houses for children's books in France. Entirely dedicated to children's books since 1965, our main ambition is to "make reading a pleasure for children".

One of our early favourites: Simon

They publish quality children's books. Nothing beats a well-written story beautifully illustrated. Books come in all formats, shapes and sizes. Variety is key to their collection. Some have lots of text, others not. They publish books from French authors as well as translations from foreign authors from all over the world, so that your kids get small tastes of foreign culture too.

An example of a translated Japanese book aimed at 3 year olds - love the fact that there are culturally different kids names

WARNING: The text below contains affiliate links. In layman's terms: that means that if you click on it, I may possibly earn a 4% commission on this $/€12.99 item - if you're in the right country, purchase it quickly, and haven't already clicked someone else's link. It won't cost you extra, but you might accidentally support the free content I provide. Proceed at your own risk.

French books subscription

What we like best is the annual subscription. It is not cheap, but quality is expensive. Kids receive a book a month for 8 months of the year. They ship worldwide and if you get together with friends, you can get a substantial discount. There are subscriptions for kids from 0 to young adults.

I really couldn't recommend them highly enough. If you are looking for French books, they are well worth the expense in my opinion. You can order directly from your local bookstore or find them in major online bookstores.

Chansons pour la St Martin

2021-11-02T13:30:00.053+01:00

Si vous habitez dans le Grand Est de la France ou un pays germanophone, vous connaissez surement la Saint Martin. La Saint-Martin est célébrée le 11 novembre en souvenir de saint Martin. La date correspond à la mise au tombeau de saint Martin le 11 novembre 397. En Europe centrale, la Saint-Martin s’accompagne de nombreuses traditions parmi lesquelles on trouve la dégustation de l’oie. Apres 10 ans en Allemagne, nos enfants ont célébré la St Martin presque tous les ans. A chaque fois, il s'agissait d'un petit défilé avec des lanternes décorées et de chants autour d'un feu. (Plus d'informations ici). Voici donc notre petite selection de chansons en français pour la St Martin.

Lanterne, lanterne, soleil, lune et étoiles
Lanterne, lanterne
Joli feu de bois
Trotte, trotte St Martin
Je marche avec ma lanterne (Je vais avec ma lanterne)
Je porte ma lanterne jolie

La plupart de ces chansons sont des traductions presque mot pour mot des chansons allemandes. Il en existe donc pas mal de versions différentes. Voici quelques unes de nos préférées.

Chansons pour la St Martin

Vous pouvez aussi écouter quelques unes de ces chansons (ainsi que quelques chansons en allemand) sur Spotify ici.

1. Lanterne, soleil, lune et étoiles

Lanterne, lanterne,

Soleil, lune et étoiles

Brûle, ma lumière

Mais surtout pas ma lanterne.

Lanterne, lanterne

Soleil, lune et étoiles

Enferme-le, le vent

Il doit attendre que nous soyons à la maison

Lanterne, lanterne

Soleil, lune et étoiles

Reste lumineuse, ma lumière

Sinon ma chère lanterne ne rayonne pas.

2. Lanterne, lanterne

Les paroles ci-dessous sont une traduction presque mot pour mot de la chanson allemande.

Lanterne, lanterne,

Soleil, lune et étoiles

Brûle, ma lumière

Mais surtout pas ma lanterne.

Lanterne, lanterne

Soleil, lune et étoiles

Enferme-le, le vent

Il doit attendre que nous soyons à la maison

Lanterne, lanterne

Soleil, lune et étoiles

Reste lumineuse, ma lumière

Sinon ma chère lanterne ne rayonne pas.

Si vous préférez une version française, en voici une assez jolie.

3. Joli feu de bois

Feu de bois

Feu qui chante

Joli feu de bois

Feu qui chante

Dans le vent qui passe

Je te vois

Et je chante

Joli feu de bois

Et je chante, je chante avec toi

Ma mie, veux-tu ce bouquet

D'aubépine et de genêt ?

L'ai cueilli dans la bruyère

Te le donnerai

{Refrain}

Ma mie, qu'as tu à pleurer ?

Ton bouquet est bien fané

J'en ai un de flammes claires

Te le donnerai

{Refrain}

Ma mie, quand tu partiras

Et quand le feu s'éteindra

Ne luira plus qu'une braise

Tu l'emporteras

4. Trotte, trotte St martin

Trotte, trotte Saint Martin

Trotte, trotte Saint Martin,

Avance et galope sur le grand chemin,

Trotte, trotte Saint Martin,

Avance et galope jusqu’à demain.

Arrête-toi au tournant,

Tu découvriras un très vieux mendiant,

Arrête-toi au tournant,

De te voir il sera tout content.

D’un seul et grand coup d’épée,

Brave Saint Martin a tout partagé,

Son manteau en deux moitiés,

Et l’une au mendiant est venu donner.

Vous pouvez aussi trouver la partition et l'air ici.

5. Je marche avec ma lanterne

Je marche avec ma lanterne

Ma lanterne marche avec moi

Au ciel brillent les étoiles

Et moi je brille ici bas

Tout est fini, rentrons sans bruit

Ladigue, Ladigue, Ladon

Chante le coq

Miaule le chat

Ladigue, ladigue, ladon

Une autre version de cette chanson avec une traduction beaucoup plus littérale.

Je vais avec ma lanterne

Et ma lanterne avec moi

Là-haut les étoiles brillent

Et nous brillons ici-bas

Ma lumière est éteinte

Je rentre à la maison

Rabimmel, rabammel, rabom.

6. Je porte ma lanterne jolie

Je porte ma lanterne jolie dans la nuit.

Je porte ma lanterne jolie, une étoile me suit.

La, la, la, la, la, la, ô, bonheur, la la la la la la, dans mon cœur.

Je porte ma lantern' allumée, nuit bien aimée.

Je porte ma lantern' allumée, sous le ciel étoilé.

La, la, la, la, la, la, ô, bonheur, la la la la la la, dans mon cœur.

Vous pouvez aussi trouver quelques autres chansons de la St Martin ici.

10 fun facts about cork

2021-10-17T21:44:00.003+02:00

Cork: a buoyant light brown substance obtained from the outer layer of the bark of the cork oak.

What is cork? Did you know cork originated from the bark of a tree? Before I learnt all about cork while visiting Portugal, I had no idea where it came from. My children learnt all about cork as part of their little presentation about Portugal to their classmates (before leaving Germany). Since arriving in Portugal, we have been learning some more. We recently visited Planet Cork in World of Wine, Porto and learnt even more about it in this great interactive exhibit. Here are 10 fun facts about cork we learnt together.

- Portugal produces about half of the world’s cork.

- Cork is the bark of a special type of oak. To make it you need to remove the bark, let it dry and boil it several times to remove all impurities.

- It takes about 25 years before a tree can be harvest for the first time.

- A cork oak needs around 9 years between harvests.

- At 43 years old, a cork oak is considered mature and the cork harvest is of the best quality, at last!

- The first bottles of Coca-Cola were sealed with cork until plastic replaced it in the early 60s.

- Cork is of course all about stoppers for bottles. But did you know cork can also be used as a building material, to insulate, for flooring and to make shoes, bags, clothes, light fixtures and a million other things.

Bags and purses made out of cork

- 13 billion cork stoppers are produced each year.

- Cork can also be used in vaccines. Compounds are extracted from the waste of the cork industry and it serves to amplify the effect of the vaccine and so our body’s response. It appears to also act as an anti-inflammatory.

A jumper made with cork fibres

- In Hollywood, film productions use cork waste to make the explosions look even more dramatic. Cork is light and safe.

Leaving letter to Germany

2021-07-09T16:12:00.001+02:00

Dear Germany,

I am going to be brutally honest and blunt here (German-style). Oh the irony! Please don’t get offended and don’t take it personally!

I have wanted to leave you for a long time now. Our home felt like home. The 4 little walls that held our family safe for 10 years felt great. But Germany never felt like home. To me, you were always temporary. We’d said we would give it a go for 3-5 years. We stayed for 10. I am sure you can agree, we gave it a good go.

➕I have loved how you made our life generally amazing in terms of travel. Being in the middle of Europe was so much fun. Certainly very different from being on an island (UK: I am looking at you.) And having a huge airport hub an hour from home was a dream.

➖I have hated how central we were within Europe. The sea was sooooo far. Some say we were as far as one can be from the sea in Europe.

➕We have all loved the opportunities Germany offered us. My husband thrived professionally. He travelled the world. Took us with him on many occasions. And professional and financial opportunities made our life generally very privileged and comfortable.

➖I won’t miss your food though. I have not loved the food here. The general lack of food diversity was depressing at best (especially when we arrived. It has gotten slightly better I have to admit). Getting decent fish and seafood, for example was always a challenge. Luckily, we lived near the French border for a bit more variety.

➕We have all loved the more eco-conscious way of living that was part of simple daily life. Returning bottles to get money back became second nature. Buying organic anything was so easy. And cycling around our town was so much fun.

➖I hated all the nit-picking on rules and strictness of some of these rules. I am sorry I forgot one spider web in our flat when we left but is this really enough to call its condition unacceptable and treat us like we were vandals? You have left me a bitter taste that will keep going for weeks if not months.

➕A special note for my husband who has loved driving at crazy speed on the Autobahn.

➖I have hated the directness of many people here. I could never really get used to the way people spoke to me. Maybe it was the language subtleties I could never get. Mea culpa. Maybe it was me taking things too personally. In any case, I still think too many people are rude and it makes me grumpy.

➕The pandemic finally made us appreciate the amazing forests, lakes and nature trails that you do so well.

➖I have not made many real friends who were not expats or had lived abroad.it may not be your fault, Germany. It may have been because of my language skills or because of having a travelling husband and young children. But this meant we never felt really attached to the place.

➕Above all, I have loved how you treat families and children. I love the freedom you have given my children, the independence, the skills they have mastered and the sweet early childhood they have had there. We have loved the running around sprinklers while naked in their kindergarten backyard on hot summer days. We have loved your not-over-the-top health and safety approach. It was such a welcome change after the UK. We have loved our children being taught about using real knives, candles, tools etc. My children have loved playing outside daily without adults, walking to the bakery alone or playing in a nearby playground on their own.

Do you think you can outgrow a place? I think it is possible. Many people may not think twice about it as they would never even consider moving abroad of their own accord. We break the mold in those terms and I realise that. But my husband had nowhere else to grow professionally (the whole story is much more complex but not mine to share). I had nothing left to give to make it work better for us. My heart was not with you. I could not see myself grow old there. So, yes, I think we did outgrow you. We mostly enjoyed everything Germany had to offer us for 10 years. But our heart is not in Germany.

I do hope my children do feel some attachment to Germany. My youngest was born there, after all. I do hope I can help them not forget their German entirely.

So long Germany. See you soon, maybe.

Auf Wiedersehen

Annabelle

Books about moving home and country for kids

2021-06-01T12:08:00.004+02:00

Below: 10+ books about moving home and/or country for kids.

As we embark on our very own moving journey, I have found books to be a great conversation starter with my own children. Whether they see themselves or other children go through the same feelings and situations of saying goodbyes, planning, decluttering, etc, or just want to process their own questions, books are always useful. Below, I have listed some of our favourite books and stories, but also some workbooks children can use to record memories and process their emotions.

WARNING: The article below contains affiliate links. In layman's terms: that means that if you click on it, I may possibly earn a 4% commission on this $/€12.99 item - if you're in the right country, purchase it quickly, and haven't already clicked someone else's link. It won't cost you extra, but you might accidentally support the free content I provide. Proceed at your own risk.

Stories about moving home

Arto's big move: Arto has lived his whole life in the snowy, cold North — and six years is a long time. When his mom gets a new job and the family prepares to spend a year in the South, Arto is not happy at all. He’s just going to act as if there isn’t any difference. In the new Southern landscape of prickly plants, strange birds, and a big, hot sun, Arto stubbornly dons his winter uniform of boots, mittens, coat, and knit cap day after day. It’s worth the stuffy, sweaty, overheated feeling if he can pretend he’s still in the North. A very relatable story with a memorable character. Best suited for ages 4-7.

I'm not moving! Dad says we have to move. He has a new job. Mom says I'll like my new room. Well, I'm not moving! Change isn't easy for young boys and girls. And when change means moving to a new school, a new house, and away from friends, well that can be downright complicated! Best suited for ages 5-8.

Evelyn Del Rey is moving away: Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela’s best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other: Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat. But not after today—not after Evelyn moves away. Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes until it’s time to say goodbye, making promises to keep in touch, because they know that their friendship will always be special. A very sweet story featuring girls of color. I believe there is also a version in Spanish. Best suited for ages 6-8.
Marie's Big Adieu: Friends Forever: Marie and her family are moving house! But while her parents are excited, Marie feels sad. She doesn’t want things to change, and moving means she’s going to have to say goodbye to her best friend. But luckily, her family are here to help her every step of the way, showing her that moving can be a fun and brand-new opportunity after all! Best suited for ages 4-8.
Goodbye brings hello: from being pushed on a swing to learning how to pump your legs yourself, from riding a beloved trike to mastering your first bike ride, from leaving the comforts of home behind to venturing forth on that first day of school, milestones are exciting but hard. They mean having to say goodbye to one moment in order to welcome the next. While this is not technically about moving home, it is a very sweet story about being brave and feeling empowered with change. Best suited for children from 4.

Stories about moving country

A new home: Moving to a new city can be exciting. But what if your new home isn’t anything like your old home? Will you make friends? What will you eat? Where will you play? In a cleverly combined voice — accompanied by wonderfully detailed illustrations depicting parallel urban scenes — a young boy conveys his fears about moving from New York City to Mexico City while, at the same time, a young girl expresses trepidation about leaving Mexico City to move to New York City. The books is also available in Spanish. Suitable from ages 4 to 8.

B at home: Emma moves again: Emma is only ten years old, but has already moved twice. Now, her parents are telling her the family is moving again. She's furious, sad, nervous, and a little excited, all at the same time. Unsure of how to tackle these conflicting emotions, she turns to B, her faithful teddy bear. While trying to come to terms with the challenges of another move, what Emma really wants is just to 'be at home'. As the journeys of Emma and B unfold, home changes once again, but home also begins to take on a new meaning that Emma can take with her wherever she goes. This book also has an accompanying workbook (see below). Best suited from age 6/7.

Our pick: we love this book. my girl read it on her own (at 10/11 years old). She loved it. She could relate to many aspects of the story. It also helped her approach the topics that matter to her: friends and memories. The workbook (see further down) is also wonderful for saying goodbye and keeping little memories.

New is fun, too: Join Panda Ya as she learns that new and different can also be great fun! With the support and compassion of her Ma and Pa, discover how Panda Ya embraces the differences between her old and new ways of life. While exploring her new neighborhood, Panda Ya finds new playgrounds, friends, modes of transportation, snacks, and even a new way to see the rest of her family. To her delight, she ends her first long day noticing that the moon she admired from her old home was the very same moon at her new home. If it could be happy there, then so could she. Best for ages 3-5.

Sammy's next move: Sammy's Next Move is a wonderful story about a snail named Sammy who lives around the world with his parents. He is a ‘third culture kid’, TCK or global nomad. He often moves to new countries and has to change schools and make new friends. Sammy experiences the feelings and thoughts common to children in similar situations. Sammy is a snail and so he carries his home with him wherever he goes, just as a third culture kid does by knowing that home is where their heart is! Best suited for ages 8-10.

The mission of detective Mike: Mike is unsettled. He knows that something odd is happening at home because his parents are whispering all the time. But, being a detective, Mike is quickly on the case. He enlists his friend Ikem to help him get to the bottom of the mystery. Mike and his family are moving to another country, making him confused and fearful. What will happen to his toys, his room, his friends, his house? How will he learn to talk in a new language and how will he ever make new friends? As his mission gathers momentum, Mike and Ikem find the answers to his questions and solutions to his problems.

Workbooks/journals about moving for children

I am on the Move - Friends' Book: This digital download is a tool and a memento at the same time, perfect for expats, immigrants, digital nomads, and their children, as well as worldschooling and military families. With this Friends' Book, your child can creatively involve their friends, teachers, coaches, and anyone else they want to keep in touch with. Simply print out the pages and let your child hand them out to their friends. They can stick pictures, drawings, and leave little notes in the book, creating a wonderful keepsake of memories and friendships. Saying goodbye is as important as preparing for new hellos, and this Friends' Book helps your child do just that. It takes little space, so you can easily include it in your luggage, or make it part of a larger treasure box with other mementos from your former home, city, or country. There are also version for other ages.

Me and my big move workbook: Together with experts, they created 100 pages filled with fill in templates, games and tips from other little movers that will kickstart your family adventure! Play lots of fun exploring and mindfulness games. Create a treasure box, lists your favorites, create your “good goodbyes”, draw, sticker, jot and log all the new things you discover! Learn about your feelings, get ideas to make new friends, and keep in touch with your old ones by trying all the ideas of other experienced movers. Guiding you through all the phases of relocating, the book has a focus on the settling in period, while this period kids can experience the change the most. So even if you already made your Big Move, the book will help you settle in more quickly! We love this workbook. It is beautiful, fun, creative and mindful. It also makes for a great keepsake for any child moving. I would say though that it is more suited to processing the new destination rather than saying goodbyes as the majority of the workbook is about the new place.

I'm moving! a hands-on guide to help children prepare for a move and navigate the emotional highs and lows that come with it. From the moment the move is announced to the time when everyone is settled in the new home, I´m Moving! is an effective tool for personal growth, helping the child unpack the move and tie up any loose ends prior to moving.

My moving booklet: This is the accompanying booklet to go with the B at home story (see above). There is also a French version of this workbook. The book is designed to help children through the initial stages of an upcoming move. Moving usually means going through quite a roller coaster of feelings. It can be exciting and terrifying at the same time. It can be very sad to say goodbye, but it can also be incredibly fun to experience new things and meet new people. Everybody experiences a move differently. My Moving Booklet will allow children to to say goodbye properly and truly welcome the new challenges and adventures that lie ahead of them and, together with their parents and teachers. In many parts of this booklet, they will have the opportunity to either write about it, to draw a picture, or to glue on a photograph. This is their own unique story that one day will serve as a keepsake of a life-changing event.

You might also be interested in these lists of books:

First reader book series in French

2021-02-22T13:59:00.021+01:00

In this article, first and early reader book series for young children to learn to read in French.

Finding books for children to first read independently can be quite tricky. You need books that will spark their interest, have complex enough stories to interest them yet simple enough vocabulary to not discourage them too quickly. For multilingual families, finding those books while not necessarily being immersed in the school system can be difficult.

Below I have selected our favourite first reader series of books. Each of these series offer a large selection of stories. So if your child likes one of them, you know you can keep going. Most of these are inexpensive little books that you can easily get shipped also.

1. Sami et Julie

J'apprends avec Sami et Julie. This is our very favourite series. The books are simple, engaging and fun.

It is mostly based on phonics or syllabic method of reading. Each book clearly highlights what sounds kids need to know before they can read it and the progression is clearly set out and easy. There are 3 levels (Niveau 1/2/3 CP) for the first school year (it mostly follows the French school system and its trimesters). I loved that it had books recommended for beginning, middle and end of year (making it really clear for parents as to what fits best). The stories are not very complex but they are interesting enough for kids around 6 years old. Boys and girls alike will like most of the stories and the topics are varied enough to find something that will fit your child's interest. I think my son has read the whole collection between our home books and what his teacher lent him. In my opinion, these are some of the easiest ones to start with. My son read Super Sami as his first ever book and absolutely loved it.

2. Je suis en CP

Je suis en CP is another series of books for early readers in their first year of school. Most of the books deal with things that happen at school, making it relevant and fun for young learners. Another positive point of these books is that the characters are quite diverse and represent a typical French classroom (in their names at least). That is something I liked as it was not necessary the case in the other book series. Once again, the books are classified in 3 groups of difficulty. We did find that those were more difficult to read than the previous series (Sami et Julie) though. There is more text on each page (at the same level) which can be quite daunting for some children. My son liked them nonetheless. We just did not start with these. You can find these books here.

3. Regarde je lis

The adventures of Mila and Noe. Fun and simple books following the adventures of two friends. The books are also geared towards children in their first school year and divided in three reading levels. As for the previous series, we found them a little more complex than the Sami and Julie series but still as much fun. my son loved the suspense in some of the books and couldn't wait to turn the pages. You can find most books here.

4. Nathan Premieres Lectures

These books are a little different. They are made to be read in pairs: adult and child together. The adults reads most of the story and the child inserts a sentence (or reads the speech bubbles) here and there. It is a fun way to learn to read. My son was never into that kind of books, but my oldest loved them when she was younger. Here is an example of the kind of book. There are also 3 main reading levels. my children found the stories a little less relatable than some of the others. Many were about animals or with animal characters. If you have an animal lover, this is for them.

5. Poussin - Milan Poche

My children never got hooked on those as I think the stories were a little too babyish for them. But if you have a child who is starting to read when younger (before 6 years old), then these are great fun. Also based on a syllabic method of reading (phonics), the stories are simple and knowledge needed to read is clearly visible for parents. This is the first level of reading. Next level will be Benjamin Milan Poche. This second series is a lot of fun and my daughter absolutely loved them when she was little older (end of first grade/ second grade).

Can you recommend other first reader series? Are there other books your children loved when they first learnt to read in French?

If you are looking for more book recommendations for young readers in French, take a look at our awesome selection of graphic novels.

Gift ideas for French-speaking children

2020-12-02T11:42:00.003+01:00

Are you looking for gift ideas for children who speak French as a minority language? Or maybe you are a French-speaking family living abroad and need to bring in a bit of France into your household. Whatever the reason, I have listed a few ideas below.

As a French-speaking family living outside of France, I love getting gifts for my children that allow us to boost their language skills or expose them to various aspects of French culture and the French-speaking world. I also think that it is harder to find materials in French that helps us raise little world citizens. With this in mind, I have compiled a little list of gift ideas I thought French-speaking children and their parents would love to receive. Some are about French culture, others are about raising little world citizens through French. These are all things I have personally purchased and liked or tried on several occasions so can recommend them.

- Ecole des Loisirs

The best books for kids in French. For me, these are the best children's books for kids on the market. They publish books from all over the world: some are originals others are translations. The books are incredibly varied and this is what I like about it. Sure, there may be one or two that are not your cup of tea but your kids may like them. I think it is important to expose our children to a variety of books. The subscriptions include 8 books throughout the school year adapted to your child's age. If you get together with other families or a school, it is even cheaper. We have subscribed since our kids were babies and have never regretted it.

This post contains affiliate links: In layman's terms: that means that if you click on it, I may possibly earn a 4% commission on this $12.99 item - if you're in the right country, purchase it quickly, and haven't already clicked someone else's link. It won't cost you extra, but you might accidentally support the free content I provide. Proceed at your own risk.

- Rue du Monde

An awesome publisher. If you are looking for quality books in French about the world, this is it. You can find their current catalogue on their site. We love the French version of this beautiful atlas: Cartes and its workbook, Le Livre qui parlait toutes les langues has been playing non-stop in our car since our youngest was two and we have cooked with Les soupes du monde. amongst many others.

- Henri Dès

Our favourite French-speaking kids singer. Yes, he is not too young anymore. But he is a classic from my childhood (I actually met him twice when I was a kid. He came to eat in my house!) and we love him still. Many of his songs haven't aged (unlike many other kids singers). His songs are great to sing along too. You can find his CDs here (does anyone ever buys CDs anymore?) or simply listen on Spotify.

- Enfance et Musique

More awesome music for kids. From jazz for kids to story books accompanied by soundtracks, from world lullabies in African languages to original bossa nova sung in French, they have a bit of everything. We love their books of country-specific songs with the CDs. We listen to those often in our car. And event the adults don't mind those. Take a look at their site for the full collection.

- Cursive tracing boards

Cursive letters are still very much part of French education and culture. Teaching kids to write in that way is not always easy (especially if children are not educated in the French system). We love those little tracing boards for young children. They make for great motor practice and are beautiful too. Take a look around that Etsy store, there are also some lovely reversible tracing boards.

Tracing board by BuyLoMDesign

- Journal des Enfants

A newspaper for kids. I used to read this newspaper when I was a child. It has changed a lot since then. but it is a fun little newspaper for 8-12 year-olds. It includes some fun little stories and major news events in a very simple and approachable way. I also like the fact that it includes world and French news (perfect for kids living outside of France). Some complicated words are explained (perfect for bilinguals). You can subscribe to the paper or online version. The online site has no adverts when you subscribe to it (yay). And if you choose the paper version, you can get it shipped outside of France.

- Baika magazine

A magazine with a difference. We absolutely love this magazine. It is a very pretty magazine for kids about the world. Each one is themed around a country. It is suitable from about 8 years old. The illustrations are gorgeous and my oldest loves the activities in it. Their site also contains stories to listen to and activities to do at home. It has been a great resource for us during our quarantine days. You can buy back issues if you are interested in a particular country or subscribe (from anywhere around the world). Highly recommended.

- Bayard Jeunesse

The classic French magazines. There is something for everyone in their magazines: from 1 to 20 years old. I have to say I used to read many of those and loved them. Miss 10 had a subscription to one of them (Astrapi) last year and couldn't wait for it to arrive. They ship all over the world and are a great way to keep up with French culture.

- Journal/diary

Boosting your child's minority language skills by writing for themselves is the best. My oldest is a big fan of journals of all kinds. We have selected our favourite journals for kids in this article. But I would like to mention one in particular we have found really excellent (especially for younger children as it requires a little less writing): The Happy Self Journal. While the title is in English, they have a French version now (as well as other languages like Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese, Dutch, German, French, Italian). (US version is called HappyMe Journal)

- Subscription box

There are so many subscription boxes out there for kids these days. Our children really like them. They make Christmas last longer as they get a box every month or so for a set period of time. Many of these boxes are available in french and many ship abroad. A great way to bring a bit of culture or language without even being aware of it. We personally like the Toucan box and Pandacraft ones as my kids are quite crafty. But there are many others. Take a look at this great list.

Learn about Japan with kids: activities and resources

2020-11-25T10:00:00.141+01:00

Here are a few very simple ideas, resources and activities to get you going with learning about Japan at home (or in the classroom). Our kids favourite part was the origami making.

This article is part of a series in which we explored different countries of the world. We spent a week going around the world (virtually). Our first stop was Madagascar. Our second stop was Japan. Here are some of the things we learnt about and used. I hope they inspire you in learning with your own children at home or in the classroom.

This post may contain affiliate links for which I may earn a few cents to buy myself a coffee in exchange for the free content I provide.

Map & flag

Our first task was, of course, to find Japan on a map. We used our beloved atlas Maps for that. Japan fills a double page on it. It is beautifully illustrated and full of talking points for kids. Once we had looked at that, Mr 6 was tasked with reproducing the country's shape with playdough while Miss 10 wrote some important facts (official language(s), capital city, population) in her little printable passport. They also coloured the country in their 'fake' passport's map. Finally, they drew the flag.

Every time we learn about a new country, we do this little routine.

Stories

The book we listened to on YouTube about Japan was not really a story. It was more of a factual book explaining life in Japan: I love in Tokyo. I was afraid it would be a little long and boring but my two children, 6 & 10, loved it and watched the whole thing. We even had to stop to talk about some of those the things the reader explained. We also loved that the book as narrated by two people: an English and a Japanese speaker. Highly recommend either watching the video or purchasing the book.

Food

This is the point where I should give you a link to a really cool recipe to do with kids for them to taste a little of japan. Real life advice? We ordered sushi! Ahah! No shame!

When they were younger our kids loved playing with these cute fake sushi sets (like these) their dad had brought back from Japan.

Craft

The children were set on making origami for our day about Japan. Simple and cheap activity as you only need paper and a YouTube tutorial. We liked these hummingbirds (see video below). We also did some non-traditional boats and whales too.

Literacy

We did a couple of literacy activity and these were, of course, Japan-related. Mr 6 had a lot of fun trying to write some Japanese characters: hiragana. We downloaded some of these characters here.

Miss 10 loves poems and poetry and we learnt about a special type of Japanese poems: haiku. She read some we found on the internet and then she had a go for herself. She loved it and I love what she came up with (in English, one of her 4 languages).

Game

We borrowed this fun family game from friends: Sushi Go Party. We were a little unsure but once we had got the rules worked out, it turned out to be great fun for the whole family. It was a fun way to learn about sushi and play together. Our 6-year-old happily played along. We could have made the game even more challenging but we stuck with the easier levels. Highly recommend it.

Reference

I should also mention this amazing book we love and always refer to: This is how we do it. It shows a typical day for several children around the world (Japan is one of the countries represented) and highlights some similarities and differences in their families' days. My children love the images of the real families at the end on which the drawings are based.

If you have more resources, I would love to hear from you. Let me know in the comments below.

Gift ideas for multilingual children

2020-11-20T11:11:00.003+01:00

Anyone in your family being raised learning more than one language? Maybe you would like to send something to someone abroad who speaks a different language?

Most gift guides out there are language-specific (e.g. for little learners of Spanish) or for adults language learners. I struggled finding general gift guides that could be suitable for all/most children being raised with more than one language. With this in mind, I have scoured some of my favourite shops and come up with some money-can't-buy options also. I hope there is something for everyone. (Simply click on the images to be taken to the links/products).

Some links in this post are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you!

- Bilingual wall art

How about a beautiful poster or image to put on their wall? If you scour Etsy, I am sure you will find some clever ones. Yet, it is tough finding some in languages other than English or bilingual ones.

Our very favourite ever wall art is that that of Love Your Lingo. My kids had the alphabet when they were younger and we also had some of their posters (still going strong). All materials are now sold as PDF to download and print yourself (which cuts on shipping costs). Take a look here.

I also really like Frau Otilie for German materials (there are also a few in English).

Counting poster in German from Frau Otilie

Children Inspire Design has some really cute posters, wall maps and alphabet posters in different languages.

Poster from Children Inspire Design

Etsy also has a really lovely array of posters and decor in many languages. I love in particular the products made by Our Bilingual Family.

Portuguese-English alphabet from Our Bilingual Family (other languages are available too)

- Board games

We got given this game, Dobble, (also called Spot it in English) when our oldest was 5. There are different versions of it (Junior, Sports, etc). The aim of the game it to name something that matches your own card. So you have to think of the name of objects really quickly. It is a great language game to practice vocabulary. And it is great fun.

Dobble/Spot It

For more games options, take a look here. I have selected our favourite games that can be played in any language.

- A penpal

How about getting that little multilingual in your life a penpal? If they are old enough to read and write (or are just beginning), this might be a great option. Find another friend in a different country within a similar age range and who speaks one of the child's minority language(s). And you never know, lifelong friendship might blossom too. If you really want to add something material to the gift, how about a cute little penpal kit like this one?

Penpal Kit courtesy of Trilingual Mama

- Language minority books

This is an absolute must in my books (pun intended). Parents often struggle to find decent quality books in minority languages. So if you are a friend, family from afar or have access to those minority language materials, parents will forever be grateful. Here is a non-exhaustive list of online stores that usually ship worldwide and focus on language books and materials (and you would be supporting a small business).

- Magazine subscriptions

For a present that lasts throughout the year, what about a subscription to a magazine in a minority language? Many magazines will ship abroad. Here are some suggestions for foreign language learning for older children. Also, Bayard do some great ones in French for all ages. Our daughter has been reading Astrapi for the past couple of years and they have been one of the greatest gifts her grandparents got her. A bilingual one (Spanish, English) for little kids can be found here. National Geographic also has versions in many languages.

- Audio books

If your bilingual child does not read yet, or even if they do, audio books may be a great alternative to books. They are also a lot less daunting as they can be played in the background while doing another activity. Passive learning at work.

- Bilingual toys

I am not normally a fan of toys that talk or that make noise. But I make rare exceptions for one or two quality toys in minority languages. We have an older version of this farm toy from Chicco. It is great for counting, learning colours and animal names and sounds. Even the 6yo still likes to press the buttons once in a while to repeat the words in Portuguese. And it exists in many different language combinations.

- Digital materials

I am not going to tell you how to subscribe to Netflix in a country that is not yours (ahem VPN ahem), but there are certainly lots of films and cartoons available online these days that are watchable in different languages.

- T-shirt

A fun customised t-shirt or top of some sort with words in another language always make people talk and comment. I found these cute ones from Mixed Up Clothing. Etsy also has a decent collection you can customise to suit your needs.

- A piece of culture

Growing up multilingual is not just about learning a language. It is also about learning about the culture(s) associated with the language in all its aspects. So think outside the box. What about a recipe book from said country? A music album? A game that kids there play but is difficult to find elsewhere? A typical piece of clothing? Something that will spark their interest and that will make them special because nobody around them has the same. Because being multilingual is about celebrating diversity.

- A journal

A journal makes a great gift for kids who can write, especially if you can find prompts in a minority language. I have selected a few of our favourite journals here. Worth noting is this journal for kids that is available in many different European languages: Happy Self Journal. See my full review in this article.

Bonus ideas

If you are looking for a gift idea for the parents of the multilingual children, I highly recommend this book. It is written by two great mothers and experts. Lots of ideas to boost languages at home with simple games and activities.

If you are looking for more ideas, have a look at Bilingual Kidspot. There are some other excellent gift ideas for bilingual children.

Save me for later

Did you see my other gift guide?

Learn about Madagascar with kids: activities and resources

2020-11-17T18:01:00.004+01:00

We have recently spent a few days learning about different countries around the world. Our first stop, to my daughter's request, was Madagascar in Eastern Africa. Here are a few ideas, resources to get you going with learning about Madagascar.

Let's clear things first. No we did not watch the movie Madagascar (you know the one I mean with the talking animals). It has little to do with Madagascar. Here are some of the things we learnt about and used. I hope they inspire you in learning with your own children at home or in the classroom.

This post may contain affiliate links for which I may earn a few cents to buy myself a coffee in exchange for the free content I provide.

Map & flag

Our first task was, of course, to find Madagascar on a map. We used our beloved atlas Maps for that. Madagascar fills a double page on it. It is beautifully illustrated and full of talking points for kids. Once we had looked at that, Mr 6 was tasked with reproducing the country's shape with playdough while Miss 10 wrote some important facts (official language(s), capital city, population) in her little printable passport. They also coloured the country in their 'fake' passport's map. Finally, they drew the flag.

Every time we learn about a new country, we do this little routine.

Story

There are lots of really great read-alouds on YouTube for kids. We found this lovely story read by a teacher about the great trees (baobab) and animals that make Madagascar so special: This is the Tree written by Miriam Moss and illustrated by Adrienne Kennaway.

My only regret was that I would have liked something by a person of colour but couldn't find anything authentic on short notice. If you have any ideas, please leave us a comment below, I would love to have an alternative.

For my French-speaking readers, we also have this book we really like in French about the baobab and the animals of Madagascar: Boubam et le tam-tam (we love this series of books with their audio stories).

Recipe

Making burnt rice tea

We struggled finding a recipe we could do with limited ingredients available to us at the time (thanks quarantine). So we ended up preparing a drink altogether. We made burnt rice tea. Yes, I know it sounds awful. But it was actually a really interesting process and tasted good (between a tea and a cereal drink). We found the recipe for burnt rice tea here.

The finished product

Music

I love playing music while we do other things and finding authentic music these days is pretty easy with streaming services. We found some great singers from Madagascar and have actually started many of them to our usual music rotation. What better way to raise little world citizens!

On our Madagascar day, we listened to Razia Said and Lala Njava. It was important for me they sang in malagasy. Language exposure is important for our little world citizens and to fight injustice.

Craft

Malagasy silk weaving is one of the country's most revered and longstanding craft traditions. Of course, we don't have silk at hand at home and I probably wouldn't give it to my kids if we did! So we made a much safer and cheaper version of weaving with paper.

We cut up a bunch of old magazines with colourful pages, cut out lines in white paper and simply threaded the magazine strips into the white paper. It was a great yet very simple activity my kids really liked and I think it can be done with a huge age range.

Fun facts

We also learnt about vanilla. Even if vanilla is not native of Madagascar (but rather Mexico), much of the world's consumption comes from Madagascar. We looked at a vanilla pod, talked about our trip to a vanilla cooperative in nearby Reunion island and we watched a couple of videos on YouTube about how vanilla grows, how it is harvested, etc. I am not going to link any one in particular as there are so many great ones.

Printable

While we listened to music, we also did these cute little printables (crosswords) to learn about Madagascar and practice language skills (as French is a language spoken there). The first one was suitable for my 6-year-old and the second one is much better suited to an older child (my 10-year-old found it challenging). Click on the images to be taken to the original sites for download.

Wildlife

To end the day, we watched an episode of Madagascar, a tv documentary series narrated by the wonderful David Attenborough. As usual, these documentaries are informative, mesmerising and kids absolutely love them. Highly recommend them.

Cartoon

A good friend also recommends this cute little cartoon for young kids. The characters travel to many countries around the world and Madagascar is amongst them. Here are the episodes about Madagascar in French and in English. There are actually 3 different episodes you can watch as a whole or separately.

If you have more resources, I would love to hear from you. Let me know in the comments below.

The German school bag: Schulranzen

2020-08-30T16:51:00.011+02:00

The German school bag: Schulranzen is a real rite of passage in every German child's journey to school. As a foreigner, I was shocked by their price and their almost mandatory nature. Here is a little more about the Schulranzen, their history, design and current status in schools around Germany.

Some links in this post are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you!

Name

Der Schulranzen is the name for the German-style school bag. There are a few other names for it in different parts of the German-speaking world: Schulmappe, Schulsack or Schultasche. All of these words more or less mean school bag. Schul(e) = school Ranzen = satchel.

History

Historically, the school bag has developed from the backpack, of course. It was not until the end of the 19th century that the school satchel became widespread. The current ergonomic lightweight satchel made of nylon is based on an invention from the Austrian Georg Essl III in the 1960s.

Design

Until the mid-1970s, school satchels were made almost exclusively of leather and linen, sometimes also laminated with fur (mostly calf and cow skin). Since the mid-1970s, school bags have mainly been made from textile fabrics and plastics.

The new school bag is made of a tear-resistant, waterproof nylon fabric and remains consistently light. In addition, the weight is lower. The bag is also easier to carry due to its portrait format instead of the usual landscape format (like the one we still use in France) and thus contributes to avoiding postural damage for students, allegedly. The back plate is padded, the shoulder straps wide and also padded. The inside of the bag is stiffened. This is one of the main differences with traditional backpacks. This way, the books are protected and their weight can be distributed appropriately. Bottom protection corners help to protect the bag from the outside. Fluorescent reflectors also increase the child's road safety as most German school kids travel to school on foot (often on their own).

Traditionally, the school bags for girls and boys were different. With traditional leather or linen satchels, boys 'satchels had a long flap, while girls' satchels had a short flap. Sadly, the traditionally gender-specific design of school satchels has largely been preserved (but that is a debate for another day and definitely not German-specific).

Price

Prices are, to me, a French citizen living in Germany at the time, crazy expensive. A good quality Schulranzen can reach prices around €250. Common mainstream manufacturers include Scout, Ergobag, Herlitz or McNeill. Here are a few examples of typical Schulranzen on the market today.

There are, however, great deals to be had if you look early or late enough. Most German families buy their Schulranzen very very early on the year before their child starts school (February is when stores have their promotions around here). But previous years models sell for much cheaper and the second-hand market is also a great place to look.

Personal opinion

The justification for those bags is that they are not just simple backpacks but reinforced from all sides and sturdy and safe. In addition, they will last a really long time. Personally, I find this does not justify the cost. To me, this is all just a big marketing trick. You can find really good backpacks also reinforced for half the price. French school kids carry 'cartables' that are also sturdy and last just as long for around €50-€70 (for a very nice one). My daughter had one of those French-style bag that lasted 3 years and was still perfectly usable when we changed. She wanted something more grown-up for her 4th year of school. Most German kids will also change bag after a few years, so yes it may last a while but your child won't want it forever anyway. I have heard of so many families who change after two years. Not buying one will definitely make your child stand out though and I realise this is entirely personal. You know your child best.

If you want to learn more about the very important phase in a child's life that is the Einschulung. Take a look at this article.

Pandemic journal for kids

2020-04-29T11:57:00.001+02:00

A pandemic journal for kids to write about their thoughts, experiences, life, fears, and hopes during lockdowns, self-isolation, sheltering in place policies around the world.

Miss 10 and I have worked on this little printable over the past few days and we published it with the help of our friends at Multicultural Kid Blogs.

This is a great little exercise for kids to do: a keepsake to look back on when they get older, a few minutes of quiet for us, parents, and a great exercise if you are looking for something in a minority language. There are currently 11 versions of it in 11 different languages. More to be added soon too.

Find your pandemic journal for kids here.

If you do use it, let us know and tag us on social media. We would love to see what you do with it.

Resources for learning at home in French

2020-04-14T14:27:00.001+02:00

Are you on lockdown or confinement? Are you looking for things to do with the kids while stuck at home? Do your children speak/learn French? I have tried to list as many resources for different age groups below. I have indicated when the resources are paid (very few).

- 1 jour 1 question: very short videos about current topics for kids. These are great starter activities or ideas to open a topic with kids. Best suited for 8+.

- C'est pas sorcier: 25-minutes clips explaining specific topics to kids (from opera to the second World War). A school classic that is perfect to accompany a lesson. Best suited for primary/elementary school kids

- Baika magazine: a great little magazine that have turned some of their resources into printable materials. The main focus is on learning about the world. You can make masks from Gabon or learn about Iran. We love it.

- Fable cottage: fairy tales told in French with slow audio and translation if necessary. Great for bilingual learners with a limited proficiency.

- Bayam: an app from Bayard, a magazine publisher. I believe some of the services are paid for you the price is currently reduced and you can try it out for free. There are fun activities for all ages. We love the magazines but have not tested the app yet.

- Savio: app to learn french for 7-12 year old children. You can also test for free. This is not really aimed at beginners but more at bilingual children or children at an already advanced level.

- La maitresse part en live: a teacher for the 3-6 year olds does a live lesson everyday of the week on an age-appropriate topic. There is literacy, stories, songs, play, etc. Requires parents input but very useful.

- Video stories: filmed story books for kids. A lovely selection for younger ones (3-6). Our favourite is Caca Boudin, of course!

- French audio stories: simple short stories with audio tracks in French.

- Video stories from Ecole des Loisirs: some of the best books for children (in my opinion with stories told by authors or others). Highly recommended.

- Okapi podcast: a fun podcast in french for teenagers and their daily life, struggles and issues.

- Brainpop: science, history, language topics for school children. You can test for free but the rest needs a subscription.

- Family game: a fun printable card game to learn about Europe. We are big fans over here.

- Learning activities from Ecole des Loisirs: activities and games around a story from our favourite publisher of French books. Most are aimed at young kids but my 10-year-old also liked some of them (Chien Pourri). Some of the games are online, others are PDF to download.

- Dargaud: Comic strips to read online for free. My 10-year-old loves Boule et Bill. my 5-year-old likes Ana Ana.

- Recipe printables: great little printable recipes in French for kids to make on their own.

- Maman les p'tits bateaux: my kids favourite podcast where kids ring in to ask existential questions like why did cavemen draw on walls, etc. The answers are short and sweet. It is found at the link above but can also be downloaded on your Podcast app.

- Yoga in French: fancy calming them down while hearing some French. Try this lovely Quebec accent. My kids liked this session a lot.

- Workout in French: or do you need to get them to spend some energy. Try this very comprehensive workout with Kevin.

If you have any other resources for learning at home in French, I would love to hear from you. Don't hesitate to leave a comment below with your favourite ideas.

Porto with children: 5 suggestions to make your trip easier

2020-01-16T13:39:00.003+01:00

Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, is renowned worldwide for its Port wine cellars. While it is possible to take the kids to visit them, there is plenty more to see and do. Below we have a few suggestions of things to see and do while in Porto with children, but also where to stay and where to eat. There is a lot more beyond Port wine.

We spent 3 days in Porto in late September. We visited the classic sights and had some great food too. Porto is a lovely city. The whole world seems to be in love with Porto right now and for good reasons.

1. How to go around

Porto is not a huge city, which makes it perfect to visit on foot with the family. The sidewalks can be narrow and a bit rough for your pram or pushchair, so you will often resort to walking on the street. But it is entirely feasible. Cobblestones are everywhere, just like in Lisbon, so a baby carrier can be a good idea.

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Inside the funicular dos Guindais, Porto. A fun way to avoid the steep hills of the city. #travelwithkids #thepiripiriontheroad2015 #Porto #igersoporto #travelgram #funicular

A post shared by Annabelle 🌍 Expat writer (@thepiripirilexicon) on Sep 7, 2015 at 1:34pm PDT

Porto is also quite hilly, so if your kids have had enough, the funicular is great fun.
And lastly, the metro can be useful too depending on where you stay. But you certainly don't need a car.

2. Our favourite spot: the riverside

With the Port wine cellars on one side and the gorgeous city of Porto on the other, this is where the magic lies. On a gorgeous sunny day, you can see the old wooden boats transporting the wine in barrels on the Douro (called Rabelo), the stunning Dom Luís I Bridge (inspired by Eiffel designs), and some gorgeous traditional tiled houses.

Miss photographer

Dom Luís I Bridge

Porto's colourful houses

3. The famous bookstore: Lello

Yes, it is a gorgeous bookstore. But we were surprised: 1. by the fact that you had to pay and queue to enter a store! And 2. by the fact that it was so crowded. The two together was not an entirely great combo for children. If you make a purchase, they will take the price of your entry ticket off the price of the book(s). But still, it is, in my opinion, sadly, way too overcrowded to enjoy (think Instagrammers fighting for the best angle of the stairs).

4. Away from the tourists: the beach

Not many people venture out of Porto center to reach the seaside. Porto is only a few minutes away from the Atlantic Ocean. And the fresh sea breeze was a lovely way to cool off and a nice change of scenery for the children. We loved walking along the beach for an afternoon.

Ice-cream at the seaside

5. Where to stay

If you are looking for accommodation, we stayed in a really lovely AirBnB. Clean, simple and great location to walk to the city centre. The host was also really helpful. Highly recommended.

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Our first stop in #Porto. #airbnb #portugal #oporto #igersoporto #thepiripiriontheroad2015

A post shared by Annabelle 🌍 Expat writer (@thepiripirilexicon) on Sep 6, 2015 at 10:52am PDT

If you want authentic Portuguese food, take a look at this article about Portuguese foods. Many of the recommendations on it are in Porto.

To go further afield, here is a little road trip around Portugal we took a few years back. Some other places to visit can be combined with a stay in Porto.

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10 children songs in French for Christmas

2019-12-10T11:00:00.004+01:00

Are you tired of listening to the same song over and over again? How about diversifying your children's Christmas playlist? Or maybe your children are multilingual and you are looking for more French input? I have put together a little list of my children's favourite Christmas songs.

Some of these French Christmas songs are adaptations of English songs, but I have tried to also include traditional songs that are popular in schools in France. Many of these I learnt myself at school or my kids performed in their school.
There is something for everyone. Just be warned some of these may become addictive. Petit Papa Noël is on repeat for much of December in my house.

French Christmas songs

1. Noël en Forêt

This is a popular song in our family. Both my children learnt it as kindergarten.

You Tube - lyrics - Spotify

2. Mon beau sapin

A French version of the original German O Tannenbaum.

You Tube - lyrics - Spotify

3. Douce nuit

Another translation, it is a fun one to sing as there are versions in many languages.

You Tube - lyrics - Spotify

4. Petit Papa Noël

This is THE Christmas song for kids in France. You hear it everywhere and everyone knows it. It is old (1946) but there are many different versions. I have linked to a children's version. The original is from Tino Rossi but a little old-fashioned to be appealing to young ears.

You Tube - lyrics - Spotify

5. Grand Saint Nicolas

This one is not really about Christmas but St Nicholas which is celebrated in some regions of France and Germany. Anne Sylvestre, the singer, used to be really popular when I was a child. She may be less so now but her songs have become classics.

You Tube - lyrics - Spotify

6. Vive le Vent

An adaptation of the English classic Jingle Bells, originally from Mireille Mathieu. There are many versions of this song.

You Tube - lyrics - Spotify

7. Petit garçon

One of my favourite songs by Henri Dès, the loveliest French singer (well, he is actually Swiss but very popular in France). The whole album entitled C'est le Père Noël is really lovely.

You Tube - lyrics - Spotify

8. Voici le Père Noël

This was a new song to me but my children listened to it at kindergarten.

You Tube - lyrics - Spotify

9. Noël au bout du monde

A singer from my childhood with a multicultural twist on Christmas.

You Tube - lyrics - Spotify

10. C'est le Père Noël

Another song by my favourite French singer for kids: Henri Dès. This is a really fun one to sing along to.
You Tube - lyrics - Spotify

If you use Spotify, you can find our children's Christmas song list over here. You will find a few other songs in other languages too as we are a multilingual family.

Have you got any French Christmas songs? Please share them in the comments so we can listen too!

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This article was posted as part of

Don't miss other posts about Christmas in different lands, plus the printable pack Celebrate Christmas Around the World, on sale now!

20+ graphic novels in French for young readers

2019-11-21T13:42:00.003+01:00

Graphic novels can get a bad reputation as some adults think they are just images and don't count as serious reading. However, experts have widely disagreed on this and many point to the benefits of graphic novels for reluctant readers and emergent readers.

In my house, we are big graphic novels fans. Miss 9 has been devouring all graphic novels she can find since she started reading. We are slowly adding more and more text and fewer and fewer images but she will pick a good graphic novel over anything else.

Recent studies have shown that reading graphic novels is actually much more challenging in terms of brain development and skills than reading a traditional novel. Graphic novels increase recall and problem solving, and they generally enrich the skills of the reader.
Liesl Shurtliff, a New York Times bestselling author, makes this compelling point about graphic novels:

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if graphic novels are more, less, or equally challenging than a straight novel. What matters most is the child, their identity, and their relationship with books and reading. Shaming any child for their reading choices, no matter what it is, is a death sentence to the child’s budding and delicate passion for reading.

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As French is pretty much our family language these days, Miss 9 reads a lot in French. So, she has helped me compile a list of her favourite books she has been reading from first grade till now (which would correspond to CP/CM1 in France). Most of these books are suitable from about 6 years old. And most of these books are also series, so you have reading for weeks! As you will see there is something in there for everyone: from girly dancing books to space and monster adventures, from crazy dog adventures to classic Famous 5-style adventures.

Happy reading!

This post contains affiliate links: In layman's terms: that means that if you click on it, I may possibly earn a 4% commission on this $12.99 item - if you're in the right country, purchase it quickly, and haven't already clicked someone else's link. It won't cost you extra, but you might accidentally support the free content I provide. Proceed at your own risk.

>> Tom-Tom & Nana

A French classic I used to read as a kid. The cartoon covers the Dubouchon family, proprietors of the restaurant The Good Fork, which is often turned upside-down by the mischief of the two youngest children, Tom-Tom and Nana. Hilarious and a great book series to start emerging readers on. Miss 9's absolute favourite from the moment she could read. You can find most of the titles here.

>> Adèle

A new style of female heroes, Adèle has a wicked sense of humour but she is always loving. Tighten your seatbelt, it is a wicked book series. Here is Miss 9's favourite in the series.

>> Les Sisters

Marine and her older sister Wendy. Both are full of personality and a strong sense of independence. So while they may love each other with all their hearts, it's not always easy for the two of them to be together. While Marine may want to hang out with her older sister, nothing could be more embarrassing for Wendy. See how despite all odds, they still manage to get through each day without killing each other… well, at least so far! You can find most books from the series here. The books are available in French and English if I am not mistaken.

>> Studio Danse

Whether it’s ballet, modern dance, or hip-hop, these three are committed to getting better, and maybe one day making it to the Nationals! In the meantime, they still have school, family, crushes, and everything else life throws their way. Follow along with their hilarious misadventures as they practice to perfection, ace their recitals, and hopefully make it through with no bumps and bruises! You can find the books here. Again this series is available in French and English.

>> Anatole Latuile

14 books about this crazy boy with his even crazier hair and his silly ideas. He puts all his energy into doing silly stuff and getting himself into trouble, mostly in the school playground. You can find the stories here.

>> Zita la fille de l'espace

Another series of 3 books that exists in English. Zita the Spacegirl is a fun, captivating tale of friendship and redemption from Flight veteran Ben Hatke. It also has more whimsical, eye-catching, Miyazaki-esque monsters than you can shake a stick at. We love strong girl stories and even though Miss 9 is not normally into monsters and space creatures, she really liked this. You can find the books here.

>> Les carnets de Cerise

Cerise is an 11-year-old who lives alone with her mother. She dreams of becoming a writer and already has quite a few journals written up. Her favourite subject: people and adults in particular. She likes to observe people and imagine what secrets are hidden deep down inside them. The books are here.

>> Emile et Margot

The two siblings live in a castle in the middle of a forest. Their favourite pastime is to drive their maid crazy. The stories are full of humour and poetry. You can find them here.

>> Chien Pourri

Chien Pourri (Dumpster Dog in the English version) dreams of treats, balls, and leashes. He wants someone to play with, someone who will take him on long walks, someone who will feed him--he wants an owner. So begins Dumpster Dog's search for a human companion. The series is available here.

>> Lou!

This series is available in English and German too. Starring a tween girl, Lou — diminutive for "Louise" — and her single mom, Emma, an aspiring Space Opera writer (who gets published eventually). The comic started out as a gag series, but from the second volume onwards, it focuses on story and continuity. Lou is your average middle school girl. She loves theatre, makes her own clothes, and has a huge crush on someone who she can't bring herself to talk to. She also has an awesome best friend, and a video game loving mom who she's determine to set up with the guy across the hall. Life is never dull for Lou! You can find the series here.

>> Bruno

Bruno, the cat in the checkered cap, takes life as it comes. When it's too rainy to go outside, his friends come around for breakfast. When a fish invites him into the river, he follows it. Why not? When the canary forgets how to talk, Bruno helps out. Days come and go, and for Bruno they always bring something interesting. And once in a while, a day comes along that is just about perfect! These six linked stories are full of friendship, silliness, and the little moments that make life good. There are two volumes with stories from Bruno (and volume 1 is also available in English). You can find them here.

>> Le Club des Cinq junior

An easier adaptation of the classic Famous 5 stories and adventures. This collection is available here.

>> Les Inséparables

These little books are perfect for very young readers. They are short, simple and cover topics of interest in a simple manner (racism, screen addiction, pocket money, etc). They are presented in a graphic novel style, hence their appearance here. You can find them here.

>> Max et Lili

There are over 120 books in this series. They are small and short but can contain a lot of texts. Each volume talks about a fun or difficult life subject (from death or unemployment to religion, from going camping to getting lost) in a very relatable style. Miss 9 loves them. She reads them to her brother too. I find them a good starting point for discussions on certain topics. You can find some here.

>> Les enquêtes des enfants capables

As the title suggest, a cute group of kids solving mysteries. Technology mixed with retro styles makes this steampunk series adorable. You can find them here.

>> Surfside Girls

Two books (available in French and English) about two young girls spending their best summer surfing, and solving mysteries. Miss 9 loved them both and I loved the illustrations. You can find them here.

>> Motordu

Another classic from my childhood. The hilarious story of a Prince who is invited back into school to straighten his words. This is a little tougher to read for very youg readers as the word plays are numerous. But once they get it, it is great fun. Find them here.

>> Le Petit Nicolas

A classic for any French school child. Miss 9 loves them even though she often stops to ask cultural questions that are clearly outdated. But I have fun explaining them to her. Find Le Petit Nicolas here.

>> Verte

Verte shows no interest in becoming a witch. She wants to be normal. Her mother is exasperated, so she sends her for a day to her grandmother. The results are good. A little too good. This is a fun one-off story (also available as a non-graphic novel). You can find the graphic version here.

>> Fleur de Bambou

Two animals and a little girl set out to save the bamboo forest in two adventures (and two separate books). We love the illustrations in those books and the sweet solidarity between the main characters. You can find them here.

>> Jack le téméraire

Another story available in English (Mighty Jack) and French. A fantastic rework or adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk. You can find them here.

Have you got a favourite graphic novel for young readers? We would love to hear your suggestions.

Our favourite journals for children (body positivity, travel, growth mindset, etc)

2019-11-05T12:59:00.006+01:00

I have very fond memories of writing a secret journal when I was younger. And I have been encouraging my girl to write journals when we travel. That seemed to work well. But, until a few weeks ago, we had yet to make the leap to more traditional journals. After getting her the last one on this list, she got hooked and keeps asking for more.

Below you will find a few of our favourite journals. Most of these have prompts written in English. I always encourage my multilinguals to write in whatever language they want, regardless of what is on the page already. But for the little multilinguals, I have added a French journal (maybe more for girls) at the bottom of the list. Go check them out.

This post contains affiliate links: In layman's terms: that means that if you click on it, I may possibly earn a 4% commission on this $12.99 item - if you're in the right country, purchase it quickly, and haven't already clicked someone else's link. It won't cost you extra, but you might accidentally support the free content I provide. Proceed at your own risk.

Big Life journal:

This journal is marketed as a growth mindset journal for kids. Different versions of the journals cater for different age groups from 4 years old until the teenage years. We love the look of it and the content too. The website also contains lots of lovely free posters and notes pages to print out at home. Big Life Journal can be ordered there and there are US- and EU/UK- based shops.

Happy Self Journal:

Another journal for the 6-12 crowd. Its aim is to create happiness, develop positive habits and nurture enquiring minds. Based in the UK, this one is perfect for those wanting to write less. It encourages doodles too. I like the simple design and fun little illustrations. The Happy Self Journal can be purchased here.

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Always so happy to receive photos of journal pages being filled out 💕 this makes the hard work so worth while! And this page shows very well how the journal works as a lovely joint activity. 💕 Here you can see a parent’s handwriting together with some of Charlie’s handwriting, emoji circling and checklist ticking! A lovely way to discuss the day with your child and see where the conversation takes you...it’s amazing what comes up! I love this time of day. Even my 10 year old still likes me to act as scribe sometimes - allows him to chat without any distraction. Enjoy this lovely time. X

A post shared by The HappySelf® Journal (@happyselfjournal) on Sep 29, 2019 at 12:05pm PDT

I am a Rebel Girl: a Journal to Start Revolutions:

We got this journal when it came out but I feel like Miss 9 is just about now ready to start using it. She found it funny but was not really interested in using it just yet. So I would say, it is better suited to tweens and teens. But it is an amazing journal and quite different from anything else out there encouraging girls of all ages to jot down their hopes for the future or love notes to favorite body parts. You can get the I am a Rebel Girl journal here.

3-Minute Gratitude Journal:

Again this is a journal that is easy to use as it does not require much writing. It is suitable for younger children and is quick and simple to use. A page a day with a few other prompts and fun pages in-between. You can take a look at the 3-Minute Gratitude Journal here.

Back and forth journal:

I have been searching for one of those for a while now to share with my girl. I would much prefer a non-gendered one (why does everything have to be gendered these days? But hey that is a fight for another day). Maybe I will make my own. But this is a fun way of journaling and opening communication with your kids (and not just for mothers to daughters). Here are a few journals of that type I like.

Image from Between Mom and Me journal

Share Your Smile: Raina's Guide to Telling Your Own Story:

Miss 9 has this one on her wishlist. She loves the books from Raina Telgemeier and is eagerly awaiting this one. This is a little more than a journal Raina explains how she wrote her own story and gives lots of tips for kids to do the same from drawing tips to places to stick photos to writing tips. Take a look here for more here if you have a budding writer.

Wreck this journal

I have just recently discovered this journal. It sounds totally awesome. We have not tried it yet. But it feels like something kids would love. It is not a traditional journal. It feels more like an art journal. "Inside, you'll find prompts for painting, shredding, transforming, and unleashing your creativity." Take a look at the sample pages for a better idea. There are different versions of this journal: colour, duct tape, red, 'everywhere' (which is more like a travel journal), etc.

Question a day journal for kids

This is a really lovely, bright and colourful journal written by a blogging friend. I love the simplicity of the prompts and short free spaces. Some of the questions are: Do you want to get to know yourself a little better? What is your favorite kind of music? How would you use different superpowers? Is there anything that makes you nervous? This would make a wonderful keepsake to look back on a few years later and they make journaling less daunting. You can find this cute little journal here and support a fellow mum at the same time.

Journal d'une peste à écrire toi-même:

Now, please take this one with a big pinch of salt. It is 100% not politically correct. It is humor. So make sure your kid has reached that stage when they can tell it is not okay to behave like this.
This is also an added on to a very famous French book series. I used to love reading the books and Miss 9 loves them too. The accompanying journal is a fun one with very short writing prompts and lots of doodling spaces. You can find the Journal d'une peste here.

If you are looking for travel journals for kids, head over here, where I have collated over 30 different ideas for journals to purchase or make yourself.

Have you got a favourite journal? I would love to hear your recommendations.

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