I had a lofty idea a few weeks ago about a project for the kids and me.  I thought I'd make the kids some pretend passports and use them to help us learn about different countries - making food, looking at pictures, coloring maps.  I imagined official-looking passports, my kids getting smarter and more world-aware right there in my living room.  But, like many of those back-of-the-mind ideas, I didn't quite get around to the actual production.  So instead, we made up a new game today - brilliantly named Passport!

I gave the kids a blank piece of paper and they each wrote their name and destination - Martin using actual words:


Sophie's more representational:


Pretending that I was a customs agent, I asked them how long they would be in the country, what they might see there, what they would eat, and what they have in their suitcases.  Martin had great fun with this part, making up all kinds of fantastic answers to each question (watch out for Martin at airport security, he plans on packing beef in his carry-on).  Sophie couldn't be bothered with my questioning, more concerned about using every stamp in the house on her paper.

Once they had arrived in Africa, they changed into their swimsuits so that they wouldn't get too hot.  Martin punched our passport pages which were now serving as train, boat and airplane tickets.


Sophie spun the globe, looking for our next destination, occasionally pausing to row a boat with Martin or help punch the tickets of all of the waiting passengers (which was me, over and over again).


It was loads of fun making up the rules as we went along, pretending and changing our plans as the kids came up with new ideas.  And it didn't even bother me for too long that the date stamp I had picked up had a year panel that only went to 2007.  Obviously we can manage without faux leather passport covers, but an accurate date stamp for our pretend journeys?  A MUST.