A Fun Literacy-Based Travel Activity for Kids

At Page Pioneers Book Club, we believe in bringing stories to life! By combining books with real-world exploration, you can help your child develop a deep, immersive understanding of different cultures. Whether you live in a vibrant city like New York or a smaller town, this activity is a fantastic way to bond with your child while fostering a love for reading, family engagement, and cultural learning.

In this post, we’ll walk you through a fun and easy-to-follow literacy-based travel activity that will turn a book into an unforgettable adventure. This hands-on experience will enrich your child's reading journey, help them connect with diverse cultures, and make memories that last a lifetime.

Step 1: Choose a Book That Highlights a Specific Culture

The first step in creating your literacy-based travel adventure is to pick a children's book that introduces a particular culture. When you read about different traditions, holidays, and ways of life, you’re opening your child’s world to new perspectives and fostering empathy. Whether it’s a folk tale, historical fiction, or a modern-day story, the book you choose should reflect a culture you're interested in exploring.

For instance, last year, we read "Alex’s Good Fortune" by Benson Shum. In this beautifully illustrated picture book, Alex travels to visit his grandmother in China, where he experiences Chinese New Yeartraditions. The story is rich in cultural details, teaching children about family bonds, festive foods, and meaningful customs, such as the giving of red envelopes.

Step 2: Explore a Neighborhood or Cultural Event That Mirrors the Book

Once you’ve read the book, the next step is to take your adventure outdoors. This is where the magic happens: immersing your child in the culture by visiting a neighborhood or attending a cultural event related to the book.

If you live in a city like New York City, you have a wealth of options! After reading Alex’s Good Fortune, we took a trip to Chinatown. It was a fantastic way to connect the dots between the story and real-world experiences. We walked around the vibrant streets, took in the sights and smells, and even stopped to enjoy some traditional Chinese food like dumplings and bao buns. The children were thrilled to recognize Chinese symbols and decorations from the book, and they loved tasting the foods they had read about.

If you don’t live in a place with easy access to cultural neighborhoods, don’t worry! Start by searching for local cultural festivals, parades, or even museum exhibits that align with the culture explored in the book. Many communities host events like Chinese New Year celebrations, Mexican Day of the Dead festivals, or Irish St. Patrick’s Day parades. These experiences offer fantastic opportunities for children to see cultural traditions in action, adding another layer to their understanding of the book.

Step 3: Make It an Immersive Experience

The key to making this activity truly impactful is immersion. When kids are physically present in a culture—whether through a neighborhood visit, a festival, or a museum—they are more likely to remember the details of the book. The sights, sounds, and even the smells they encounter help reinforce what they’ve learned and build a deeper connection to the material.

While visiting Chinatown, for example, we pointed out symbols like the Chinese lanterns and the color red—important elements in the book that are associated with good fortune. Kids were able to draw connections between the words they had read and the real-world environment around them. You can also engage your child by asking questions like, “What do you notice here that was mentioned in the book?” or “Can you spot a red envelope like Alex received in the story?”

A visit to a museum can also be a valuable addition. Many museums offer exhibits on different cultures and provide an interactive experience that aligns with what children read. If time allows, museums often have hands-on activities, making learning even more engaging.

Create Lasting Memories Through Family Bonding

These immersive literacy-based travel activities aren’t just about teaching kids new facts—they’re about creating lasting memories. The excitement of reading and then experiencing the culture firsthand will stay with your child long after the book is finished. When you read about something, then visit it in real life, your child’s understanding of that culture deepens, and they can carry those memories with them forever.

Not only do these experiences create educational opportunities, but they also provide quality time for family bonding. Exploring a neighborhood together, trying new foods, and discussing the story you’ve read helps strengthen relationships and encourages open, meaningful conversations. The memories formed during these trips become cherished family moments and spark further curiosity for learning.

The Importance of Home-Based Learning

The beauty of activities like these is that they can take place in the comfort of your own home or as a complement to school-based education. Whether you’re homeschooling your child or supplementing their public or private school experience, home-based learning creates a unique opportunity to engage in personalized and interactive learning experiences.

By using books as a gateway to exploring different cultures, you encourage self-directed learning and critical thinking. Children are more likely to become lifelong learners when they see the connection between their studies and the world around them. This approach also nurtures a love for reading—as kids realize that books are not just for school, but also for discovering new places, people, and ideas.

Ignite a Love for Learning with Literacy-Based Travel

A literacy-based travel activity is an incredibly fun and effective way to help children engage with books in a way that goes beyond the page. It’s an adventure that brings cultures, traditions, and stories to life, helping kids learn while they explore. Whether you’re visiting a local neighborhood, cultural event, or museum, the memories and lessons your child gains from this immersive experience will last a lifetime.

By combining reading with real-world exploration, you’re helping your child develop critical literacy skills, a love for diverse cultures, and a curiosity about the world. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to spend quality time together, creating bonds and memories that will last far beyond the classroom.

Ready to plan your own literacy-based travel adventure? The world is full of books, cultures, and experiences waiting to be discovered—one page at a time.