A Global Perspective

Our play-based curriculum, Passport to Learning, is derived from the latest research, theory, and best practices in early childhood education. Through rich and thoughtful experiences, our children take on an adventure around the world as they learn developmentally appropriate skills and concepts.

Imagine embarking on an adventure to a new part of the world every month, like building an Eiffel Tower, discovering what animals call the Kenyan savanna their home, painting little hands in henna, and crafting a dragon to celebrate Chinese New Year, and more.

At Big Blue Marble Academy, our Global Passport to Learning combines best practices in early childhood education with a play-based approach that ignites a love of learning and discovery for all ages. As we explore the world with your child, we are preparing them with the necessary skills to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. Through each month-long theme, children explore and celebrate different countries and cultures in lessons prepared by our team of early childhood experts.

Explore the Global Passport to Learning Gallery

Australia

G’day! It’s time to go Down Under and learn about Aboriginal life and the ancient art form of petroglyphs and pictographs. Play a game of netball and recreate the architectural masterpiece, the Sydney Opera House, out of paper plates. Our youngest children read the book “Pouch” and learn to sign for mommy, baby, and book. Our older children take a deep dive into the Great Barrier Reef to meet some of the country’s amazing and diverse sea life.

Mexico

Que Pasa? Come meet our neighbor to the south. Learn about the geology of volcanoes and make your own eruption. Go back in time to meet the ancient Maya civilization, learn the process of making chocolate from cacao beans, and identify all the instruments in a Mariachi band. Create beautiful art from tissue paper by making Papel Picado and throw a fiesta (even our youngest ones can join in). Practice the month’s character trait, compassion, and learn about Mexico’s Compassion Center for children.

France

Bonjour! Sample some delicious crepes and practice measuring and math skills, and build an Eiffel Tower out of rolled newspapers. Replicate Notre Dame Cathedral’s stained glass windows (younger children learn about circles and arches), play Uno in French, and discover famous French artists and their techniques. Children build their own bicycle and chart the actual path of the Tour de France.

India

Namaste! Learn about the Hindu holiday Diwali and celebrate by making flower garlands and enjoying a spicy apple drink. Add a spark to the festivities by creating fireworks in a jar as you learn about the science of liquid densities by mixing food coloring, water, and oil. Listen to the beautiful music made by a sitar, participate in a Taj Mahal building challenge, and learn more about the history of yoga, along with new poses like cat and snake.

Peru

  • Hola! Come visit the third largest country in South America that features such diverse geography as the majestic Andes mountains and the Amazon basin. Learn about the Uros peoples and weave a basket, play soccer, and build your own lost city of Machu Picchu as you learn more about archaeology. Our youngest children learn about textures by playing with llama “fur” while our older children conduct experiments on dehydration using water, salt, and potatoes.

China

Ireland

Dia dhuit! Join us on the Emerald Isle known for its folklore, legends, and storytellers. Dance a jig, construct a castle, learn about the ocean tides, and inspire your own creativity using story stones. Explore the color green (our youngest are introduced to all the colors of the rainbow), plant seeds for a garden and then as you wait for it to bloom discuss the month’s character trait—patience!

Kenya

Jambo! Come explore the African savanna and the country’s famous wildlife on a safari. Compare family life in a typical village and in a larger city, count crocodile teeth and scales, sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in Swahili, make footprint animal artwork (even the little ones can!), and stretch into a giraffe yoga pose.

Italy

Ciao! Recreate such famous landmarks as the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum with building blocks in this land shaped like a boot. Paint the Sistine Chapel underneath a table with colored paper, make an Italian feast by rolling up playdough meatballs, sort and count the many shapes of pasta, dance to the inspiring sounds of an opera, and strike the triangle yoga pose that resembles a slice of pizza.

Our global curriculum features:

Early Learning Essentials

Our learning experiences are designed to build on growth and key milestones by addressing the essentials of early childhood learning: physical development (including motor skills), language and literacy, and cognitive development (including science, technology, engineering, art, and math). Research shows that children learn best in relationships with caring adults, and BBMA teachers ensure they make trusted connections to encourage attunement and attention. These interactions help to model important social and emotional skills for children to carry with them long after they leave our care.

Cultural Literacy

Pictures and storybooks are carefully chosen to bring each country’s culture to life in our classrooms while children build their literacy skills. Our children become aware of the multilingual world in which we live through language immersion and the introduction of vocabulary such as hello, goodbye, thank you, and I love you. Our language exploration also incorporates Baby Sign Language and American Sign Language.

Creative Expression

Big Blue Marble Academy classrooms are filled with limitless opportunities for children to expand their learning through art, music, and dramatic play. Painting, drawing, dancing, creating, and playing musical instruments all transform into invitations to expand imaginations, while building fine and gross motor skills and early literacy and math skills. Dramatic play reinforces cultural learnings as children pretend to climb the stairs of the Eiffel Tower or build a habitat using plastic animals and blocks.

Character Development and Social Skills

Focusing on a character trait each month, such as respect, patience, and collaboration, teachers seek opportunities to highlight the trait for children in real situations with classmates and the world around them. Using mindfulness techniques also helps children better understand and appreciate their feelings.