World Cup {Brazil}

We are excited about the World Cup this year! I decided it would be fun to learn a little about some of the countries playing and have some special summer activities (since our summer break just started). First off …

BRAZIL!

My husband served a two-year mission in Brazil, so I got a few good ideas from him.

• Make a World Cup Flag Bunting … a great way to start off our week
  1. Print this great flag bunting from Activity Village here
  2. Have the kids help cut out each of the flags and fold over the tab.
  3. String a ribbon for the bunting.
  4. Get ready to match the countries on a map (below!)

• Flag & Country Matching Game … my kids, ages 2-9 years old (well, not counting the baby) are all home for summer break, so they will all help in their own way
1. Print out this flag page with each of the 32 countries participating in the World Cup and laminate it (from Activity Village).
2. Cut out each flag.
3. Match the small flags with the larger bunting flags to find out which country they belong to.
4. We have a large world map on our wall, so we used an Atlas and placed a flag next to each country. I love how it looks
• Learn some Portuguese … teach the kids a few simple words
  1. Oi = (Oy) hello
  2. Tchau (chow) = goodbye
  3. Bom Dia (bohn JEE-ah) = good morning
  4. Obrigato (oh-bree-GAH-doh) = thank you
  5. Futebol (FOO-chee-bole) = soccer

• Read books about Brazil … I just browsed our local library and picked out a couple that looked simple with lots of pictures.

• Sidewalk chalk map of Brazil
  1. Open one of your books up to a big picture of Brazil
  2. Help the kids draw a large map outside with sidewalk chalk
  3. Add the capital, Brasilia, the Amazon River, the Amazon rainforest in the north, major cities, etc.
  4. Or simply draw an outline and let the kids color it

• Learn Capoeira
  1. Watch this video of kids performing pretty impressive Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art or dance.
  2. Have your kids try out some of the moves while they watch Remind them to be careful. These kids have been practicing for a long time!

• Brazilian Dinner … I have heard many times about the beans and rice my husband ate while in Brazil, but I’ve never tried to make them. Tonight was the night. It was a lot of fun to make something new and everything turned out delicious! Our Brazilian menu:

1. Arroz com Fiejoada (Rice & Brazilian Black Beans) … recipe here
   • I adapted this recipe and just used 2 cans of black beans instead of using a pressure cooker. I also used instant white rice. I was surprised how delicious this dish was.
2. Pão de Queijo (Cheese Bread) … recipe here
   • These were really fun to make. I’ve never used tapioca flour before. It reminded me a little of Oobleck … but the end product was a puffy little ball of cheese bread. Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. SO GOOD!
3. Chicken & green salad… I just thinly-sliced chicken and pan-grilled it with a little Italian dressing (yes, Italian. I know.)
4. Guarana Antarctica … this Brazilian soda pop is a treat for my kids. We don’t have pop very often and I had to order this online. It is a Brazilian favorite.
5. Dessert: Mousse de Maracuja (Passion Fruit Mousse) … recipe here
   • A quick and easy, cool and tart dessert. I whipped it up in my kitchenaid, so it was a breeze
• Brazilian Music … just for fun, we listened to this Brazilian music station on Pandora throughout the day and during dinner. I love it! Click here for the station.