Flat Travelers

1. map & geography skills -- Identify your flat's destination on a map; you can even chart all of the flat's adventures on a master map.
2. writing skills-- Keeping a journal for the visiting flat, explaining your activities, is an fun way to get your kids writing! The expectation for a goody packet in return is good motivation.
3. learn about different cultures-- If you're fortunate enough to have an international trade, your children will learn about the daily life in another country.
4. responsibility-- Keeping up with the flat and sticking to the agreed upon length of stay are both areas where your child can grow in responsibility.
5. collections and organization -- Storing the postcards and stamps you receive into a collection is a great hobby for kids!
6. history comes alive -- At various times I've been able to reference our flat adventures to make a city or state more real to my daughter, "Remember when we sent Flat Bloom to London? That's the city where this story takes place -- in England." Then we can even pull out our goody package and review the photos, postcards, and brochures.
   

This is just a sampling of all the wonderful adventures our flats have gone on! From Washington DC to Chile, our flats have literally traveled the world! (I only wish I could fit into the envelope!)

If you like trading flat travelers in the mail, you will probably also like the Little Passports program. Each month, your child receives a packet which highlights a particular country. Purchase subscriptions that suit you -- 3, 6 or 12 options are available.

The monthly packet includes a letter from Sam and Sophia, stickers, souvenirs, and activity pages. Plus there is a special code that can be used for more learning online.

Featured countries include: Brazil, Japan, France, Egypt, Australia, Mexico, South Africa, India, England, China, Argentina, Russia, Israel, Thailand, Ireland, Kenya, Spain, Antarctica, Canada, Italy, Iceland, Poland, and Turkey.

Click on the image for a PDF file with several templates for making passports for your flat travelers. Not all are American themed. Some are generic; you can add your own personalizing emblem.

Although the passport is mostly just for fun, you can request the host family stamp the passport pages (with a sticker, seal, or rubber stamp). In this way, you have a mini record of each flat's journeys.

For some attractive and free printable state, country, and flag stickers visit Stickers and Charts.

For some free flat traveler journal templates, visit Mrs. Nelson's Traveling Buddies Project Resources. Scroll down to the Printables section.

The two standbys that you pretty much have to include with a returning flat are pictures and a journal.

photographs -- prints, on CD, made into an album, or emailed during or after the trade

HINT --Be sure to take pictures that include the flat. A photo of the Taj Mahal is good. But my flat in front of it is priceless! And don't underestimate "everyday" images. My daughter's favorite photos were always the ones of her flat with the family pets.

journal -- hand written, typed and printed, or on CD

You don't have to have a day by day diary, but do explain what was going on in your household during the flat's stay. Birthday parties, picnics, church events, and scouting trips are just as interesting to children as visits to museums and landmarks! You can share about the weather and any local events such as festivals or fairs.

Some people write the journal from the flat's perspective, imagining how the flat feels in the midst of the various experiences.

HINT -- If you're going to send a "form letter" type of journal, make sure to disguise it with some personalizations of the flat's name.

Here are examples of the kinds of goodies that you can send back with a visiting traveler:

• postcards
• menus
  
• stamps
• brochures
• maps
• candy
• pencils
• bookmarks
  
• keychains
• stickers
• magnets
• hats
• notepads
• flags
• posters
  
• pins
• t-shirts