Living in Culture

As the seasons change, Culture 4 Kids is excited to begin a new lineup of programs exploring cultures, traditions, and celebrations from around the world!

This fall, we’ll be traveling from Ethiopia to Mexico, India, and Morocco, discovering how communities celebrate important moments, preserve traditions, and express their cultural identities through art. Each program is designed for children ages 4–10 and combines cultural education with interactive activities and hands-on crafts.

Enkutatash: Ethiopian New Year

September brings Enkutatash, the Ethiopian New Year!

Celebrated each September, Enkutatash marks the beginning of a new year in the Ethiopian calendar. The celebration is associated with new beginnings, family, music, flowers, and traditional foods.

In this Culture 4 Kids program, children will learn about Ethiopian traditions and explore how New Year celebrations can look different across cultures. Through stories and activities, they’ll discover the importance of celebrating new beginnings and spending time with family and community.

Día de los Muertos: Honoring Loved Ones

As October approaches, we’ll explore Día de los Muertos, a Mexican tradition celebrated from October 31 through November 2.

Rather than being simply a “Mexican Halloween,” Día de los Muertos is a time for families to honor and remember loved ones who have died. Families may create ofrendas, or altars, decorated with photographs, favorite foods, flowers, candles, and other meaningful objects.

Children will learn about the symbolism behind traditions such as marigolds, papel picado, and ofrendas, while discovering the many ways families remember and celebrate the lives of those they love.

Diwali: The Festival of Lights

Another fall celebration we’ll be exploring is Diwali, often known as the Festival of Lights.

Celebrated by millions of people around the world, Diwali is an important festival in several South Asian religious and cultural traditions. Depending on the community, celebrations can include lighting diyas, creating colorful rangoli, sharing sweets, decorating homes, and spending time with family.

Through stories and hands-on activities, children will learn about the traditions and symbolism associated with Diwali and explore the idea of light, celebration, and new beginnings.

Patterns & Places: Morocco

Not every Culture 4 Kids program has to be connected to a holiday!

Our newest year-round program, Patterns & Places: Morocco, explores Moroccan culture through architecture, markets, textiles, and geometric art.

A major focus of the program is zellige, a traditional Moroccan form of geometric tilework. These intricate patterns can be found throughout Moroccan architecture and demonstrate the importance of geometry, craftsmanship, and artistic tradition.

After learning about Moroccan tilework, children will create their own Moroccan-inspired geometric tile design, giving them the opportunity to experiment with patterns and symmetry while connecting art to culture.

Bringing Culture to Kids

One of the goals of Culture 4 Kids is to show children that there are many different ways to celebrate, create, and connect with others around the world.

This fall’s programs highlight four very different cultural experiences: a New Year celebration in Ethiopia, a tradition of remembrance in Mexico, a festival of lights in India, and the artistic traditions of Morocco.

Culture 4 Kids programs are offered free of charge to libraries, schools, and community organizations. If your organization is interested in bringing one of these programs to your community, please reach out through the Culture 4 Kids website.