Baltics with kids 5 & 7

[lwf99]

Agent Name:

Country Name: Poland City Name: Gdansk

Brief History Gdansk was founded in 997 as a stronghold or a kind of fort. In 1308 the Teutonic Knights took over the town. The knights were not nice to the local people and they were eventually overthrown by the soldiers they hired to work for them. It became a part of Poland in 1466. Gdansk was a part of Germany from 1939 to 1945. Malbork Castle is the world’s biggest brick castle. It was almost destroyed completely in World War II. Gdansk is one the chief Polish ports on the Baltic Sea.

Look For: Is Ziota Brama or the Golden Gate a bridge? What is on the red and gold shield?

Your Assignment:

1. What is on the top of St. Mary’s tower?

2. What kind of clock is inside St. Mary’s Church?

3. At Malbork Castle, find the “devil” near the toilets used by the Teutonic Knights.

4. What does “Malbork” translated mean?

5. What Polish labor movement began in Gdansk?

6. What mythical god is in the fountain located in front in Dom Artusa?

 

Favorite Place:­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_______________________________ _______________

 

Favorite Activity:_________________________________________________ ___

 

Favorite Food:______________________________________________

 

Favorite Dessert/candy:______________________________________

[lwf99]

I am still working on Oslo and will post it when I am done. My dossiers are geared toward little boys since that is who I wrote them for. Have a great trip and I hope they will be of some use to others!

[sbhdmh]

Awesome lwf99! I am so happy that you are continuing this for your kids!!! If anyone is stopping in Bremerhaven or Gothenberg let me know if you are interested in those and I will post them too. How great is this site? I bet there are some adults who will be bringing these along even if they aren't traveling with kids!

[lwf99]

Dossier File#

Country Name: Norway City Name: Oslo

Brief History of Oslo:

Oslo probably started just before the year 1000 but definitely was established by 1049 with King Harald Hardrade. Oslo became the capital of Norway during the reign of King Hakon V (1299-1319) who was the first king to live in Oslo. He also built the Akershus Fortress. One hundred years later, Norway and Denmark formed a union with Denmark being the stronger half. As a result, Oslo was reduced to an administrative center with the Kings living in Copenhagen. Over the next few years Oslo was destroyed many times by fire. In 1624 Oslo was rebuilt by King Christian IV of Denmark (and Norway) and he named it Christiania after himself. That part of Oslo is now called Kvadraturen. The union was broken up in 1814 and Oslo became to capital of Norway again. The Royal Palace was built between 1825 and1848 and the Stortinget (Parliament) built from 1861 to1866. After 1850 Oslo became the biggest city in Norway. The city’s name was changed again in 1878 to Kristiania and finally it was renamed Oslo in 1925.

Today Oslo is one of the few European capitals that has a forest as its backyard. You can take a train to edge of the city and go hiking or skiing. People there are concerned about the construction of high rise buildings in the city center and the number of people moving from the country to the city. People want to keep the farms and fishing industries going. However, it is estimated that 20,000 more apartments will be needed by 2020 to handle the city’s growth in population.

Look For:

• The big royal palace, the Parliament buildings and fortress by the harbor.
  
• Oslo is a “green city” because it has many green parks and lakes and it is surrounded by the islands and forests.
  
• There are many small cafes where people eat outside on the sidewalk
  
• The Norwegian flag that is red and blue on buildings.
  

Your Assignment:

1. Oslo is located at the end of a fjord. Ask what a fjord is.

2. Take a bus drive around Oslo and find the royal palace. Do they have guards at the gate?

3. Visit the Viking Museum and find out how old the two largest ships are.

4. Stop at Vigeland Sculpture Park and walk around. Find the statue of the little boy who is

having a tantrum.

5. Find out the name of the Peace Prize that is given out in Oslo each year.

6. Listen and find out what one sport people like to do in the winter and one sport that they

like to do in the summer.

7. Try some seafood for lunch and some lingonberry jam.

Favorite Place:_______________________________

Favorite Activity:_______________________________

Favorite Food:________________________________

Favorite Dessert/Candy:_________________________

[Libbywithnall]

So glad I found these thread. Thanks to everyone who has posted on it. We're travelling on Jewel of the Seas in June with dd11 and dd9. I am going to make them an activity booklet and these dossiers will be a great addition.

 

Libby

[toonye]

Laura,

 

Thank you SO much for your great work!

 

That's a great basis for me, I'll still have to translate the dossiers (dd speaks only french and german) and probably adapt them to the likes of a 8 yr old girl:p but it's GREAT work, really!

 

It's a brilliant idea and I hope it'll motivate our girl to cruise with us

 

She has tried all she can to try staying at my mother's but dh decided she had to travel with us...:rolleyes:

 

So this will surely cheers her up!

 

Toonye

[cassandra321]

Can you please post the one for Gothenburg.

 

Thank you so much. These are great.

 

Erika

[sbhdmh]

Here's Gothenburg :

 

 

DOSSIER FILE # 4

 

 

Agent Name: Katy – AKA: 004

Country Name: Sweden

City Name: Goteburg – AKA Gothenburg

Brief History: Goteburg is a big city located on the Sea. They like big things in Goteburg: Scandinavia's largest shopping centre, Nordstan; Scandinavia's largest amusement park, Liseberg; The University of Gothenburg is the largest university in Scandinaviaand Ullevi Stadium, the largest outdoor sports arena in Scandinavia.

In 2002 they hosted the World Ice Hockey Championship.

People in Goteburg love the water. They live on the ocean but they also have many canals. They also love licorice – even salty licorice.

Your Assignment:

1. From the ship see if you can spot the 8000 islands just off of Goteburg.

2. Visit the Fish Church (Fiske Kyrkan)

3. Find Poseidon, King of the Sea.

4. Eat cold shrimp you peel yourself (or Swedish meatballs.)

5. Ride the Ringlinien Vintage tram in the center of the city.

6. Bring home a book about Pippi Longstocking or Emil I Lonneberga

7. Get 2 types of licorice (sweet and salty). Find Salmiak or Fazer.

8. Taste Salt Licorice ice cream.

9. Try some special “birthday cake” Jordgubbstarta med Gradde.

10. Buy some Marabo chocolate.

 

Favorite Place:******************______________________________________________

Favorite Activity:_________________________________________

Favorite Food:______________________________________________

Favorite Dessert/candy:______________________________________

Edited May 9, 2010 by sbhdmh

[sbhdmh]

Just wondering if anyone has returned from their vacations using the dossiers. If so please post how they worked. My 5 year old recently started asking to go on another trip where she can have dossiers and assignments again. I'm just curious if other kids likes them as much.

[lwf99]

The boys LOVED their dossiers. It was a huge hit and gave them something to do each day. Plus they have an unique souvenir. Thanks! We are going next year to Alaska with another family and I will be doing another dossier for all SIX kids! Can't wait!!!:D

[Ultima Thule]

For Helsinki I should mention the Natural History Museum as an alternative.

 

http://www.luomus.fi/english/nhm/

 

It is newly open after a major rebuild, with several nice dioramas of animals from all over the world.

Its not an overwhelmingly big museum so it will not take too much time to see it.

Its located in downtown. You would pass it on the way to the rock church so it is easy reachable. Cost is 6/3 euros.

Its built to be child friendly with activities like open the box and see whats inside; add the correct bones to the incomplete skeleton on the wall:

open the kitchen cabinet doors and see giant models of insects etc.

 

The prehistoric section includes a skeleton (copy, not original) of Giganotosaurus Carolini, a carnivore dinosaur larger than even Tyrannosaurus Rex.

 

Audio tours in English: http://www.luomus.fi/english/nhm/tours/audio.htm

 

Note: closed on Mondays.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2011 by Ultima Thule

[ollienbertsmum]

I was reading this thread by accident. My 'little ones' are one 18 and 20 so I don't worry too much about entertaining them, although I think that the teenage years are harder than when they are young -especially on a cruise when they stay up late at night and then we want to go off on excursions at 7.30 am!

 

One of mine had a quest to buy a donkey on every trip. I am not sure how it started, it was hard in the baltics but we did it.

 

I collect postcards from different countries, so on holidays it has been fun sending a postcard home to us as a family, cruises are the ideal holiday to indulge in this. I think it could be fun for the kids to write "We were in......" and look for the post box in each place you visit. It is not exactly expensive so each child could write one. It is great when you get home to watch them arrive. They then have great souvenirs. It really is a question of finding ways to engage them, really it can be so tiring. You sometimes find that the smallest things interest the child - the kitten in the restaurant or the swings in the park. That is the way it is

[ArchMom]

Came upon this thread searching for info on kids in the baltics, and am resurrecting this for the wonderful 'dossiers' for the ports. Planning on doing these up for my almost 6yo :) Thank you to all who have contributed!