Give The Gift of Wanderlust

Happy Friday! This week has been crazy with a capital C...I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend of organizing and wrapping Christmas gifts, designing our holiday cards, decorating the house and catching up on work...wait, did I say relaxing?

Today, I am skipping my normal Friday On My Radar Screen post and instead offering some ideas for some great gifts for the children in your life. I believe that the greatest gift you can give children is a broader view of the world. While not all children have the opportunity to travel the world and experience other cultures first hand, there are many ways for children of all ages to learn about the rest of the world without ever leaving home.

Here are a few of my favorite "wanderlust inspiring" books and toys for children that would make amazing holiday gifts:

Zylie The Bear Adventure Kit - What could be better than a stylish bear who travels the world and has books about her adventures with her rockstar panda friend from China and a sporty koala friend from Australia?

Little Passports - Inspire a love and understanding of the world as your child learns about geography, history, culture, and language in a fun and memorable way by giving a subscription to follow Sam and Sofia each month on their exciting adventures around the US and the world.

Interactive Intelliglobe - Touch the wireless “pen” to the globe to play games and hear more than 10,000 facts about the world in English, Spanish, French, and German.

Barefoot Books World Atlas - An atlas for the twenty-first century, it shows how all parts of the planet are interconnected and looks at the challenges which face us all in creating a sustainable future.

Giada's Recipe for Adventure Books - Everyone's favorite Food Network star, Giada DeLaurentiis has penned a series of three children's books in which Alfie and Emilia are transported to Naples, Paris and Hong Kong where they learn first-hand how food cannot only take you places but can also bring you back home.