A Quiet Community

Oceania & Polar Regions: Tour the World Itinerary

Unless otherwise noted, I have previewed all YouTube clips to ensure that I would feel comfortable showing them to my own children before I recommend them to you and yours! But feel free to preview yourself to make sure clips are right for your family if you have any concerns. Enjoy!

First, learn the countries that make up Oceania (2.5 min; ages 3+):

Destination: Antarctica—>

Picture Book: Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers (5 min, ages 3-6):

If your littles love that sweet story, there’s a feature length adaptation (24 min; ages 5-8)

Antarctica: Destination World (3 min; ages 6+):

Could you be an Antarctic scientist? (4 min; ages 8+)

Understanding the difference between the Arctic vs. the Antarctic (4 min; ages 9+)

And with your older kids, learn about Ernest Shackleton:

In 1914, Shackleton made his third trip to the Antarctic with the ship ‘Endurance’, planning to cross Antarctica via the South Pole. Early in 1915, ‘Endurance’ became trapped in the ice, and ten months later sank. Shackleton’s crew had already abandoned the ship to live on the floating ice. In April 1916, they set off in three small boats, eventually reaching Elephant Island.

Taking five crew members, Shackleton went to find help. In a small boat, the six men spent 16 days crossing 1,300 km of ocean to reach South Georgia and then trekked across the island to a whaling station. The remaining men from the ‘Endurance’ were rescued in August 1916. Not one member of the expedition died.

The Search for Endurance (7 min; ages 11+)

Links to Learn More about Antarctica:

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Destination: Arctic—>

Picture Book: Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse (4 min, ages 3+)

If you enjoy this story, here’s a feature length adaptation: (26 min, ages 5+; storyline centers around a lost dog, a few short scenes features scary masks)

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Destination: Australia—>

Picture Book: Why Koala Has a Stumpy Tail (4 min; ages 3-7; free to listen on Audible Stories)
Picture Book: Over in Australia: Amazing Animals Down Under (3 min, ages 3-6):

Picture Book: What is in Australia? (2.5 min; ages 3+; keep volume down a little so you can read the text aloud to your littles)

What would you need to know if you were moving to Australia? (6 min; ages 4-7)

Learn about the Great Barrier Reef (4 min; ages 4-7)

Kids Try Australian Food (6 min; fun for ages 4+)

Australia: Destination World (3 min; ages 6+):

Also consider enjoying some Australian music in the background today! (1 hr; all ages; the time listing on YouTube enables you to skip around to various songs)

And, learn how to play traditional indigenous games, Kolap and Kai (4 min; ages 7+):

Links to Learn More:

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More on Australia—>

Picture Book: Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French (7 min, ages 3-6)

And the sequel: Diary of a Baby Wombat by Jackie French (3 min; ages 3-6)

Take a quick tour of the Royal Australian Mint to learn about Australian money (4 min; ages 6+):

And with your older kids, learn about Sorry Day, celebrated each year in Australia on May 26th:

National Sorry Day is an Australia-wide observance held on May 26 each year. This day gives people the chance to come together and share the steps towards healing for the Stolen Generations, their families and communities. Stolen generations refer to Indigenous Australians who were forcibly removed from their families and communities.

Learn about the History of Australia that led to Sorry Day (3 min; ages 9+; preview first if your child is sensitive):

Picture Book: Sorry Day by Coral Vas (13 min; ages 9+; preview first if your child is sensitive)

Watch Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Official 2008 Sorry Day speech in full (4 min; SO moving, for ages 9+):

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Destination: New Zealand—>

Kids Try Snacks from New Zealand (6 min; ages 4+):

Tag along on this family road trip through New Zealand (4 min; fun for all ages!)

Amazing Fruits of Australia and New Zealand (3 min; ages 4+):

And with your older kids, learn about Anzac Day (read more here):

Anzac Day is observed on 25 April. It commemorates New Zealanders killed in war and honours returned and serving servicemen and women. The date marks the anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand soldiers – the Anzacs – on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. At the end of the campaign, Gallipoli was still held by its Ottoman Turkish defenders.

What is ANZAC Day? (2 min; ages 9+; mentions casualties of war):

Links to Learn More about NZ:

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Destination: Papua and West Papua—>

With your older kids, visit these unique islands of Indonesia! Technically Indonesia is part of Asia, but these two islands are sometimes considered Oceania due to culture & location.

Tanah Papua: A Paradise for Birds  (9 min; content is fine for younger ages, but likely to interest 10+):

Indonesia’s provinces of Papua and West Papua on the island of New Guinea make up the Land of Papua, or “Tanah Papua” in the Indonesian language. This region supports one of the only remaining large tropical forests in the world and is home to nearly half of Indonesia’s biodiversity. Over 600 species of birds are found in Papua, including 27 bird-of-paradise species, many of which live nowhere else on earth.

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Destination: Tonga—>

June 8th is Tongan Emancipation Day – click here to read about it with your kids!

And now, get a glimpse of what it’s like to live like a Tongan (8 min, fine for all ages, but likely to interest ages 9+):