In just over 2 weeks I am going to be traveling to the Dominican Republic with my 7 1/2 year old daughter, Darah, to have a relaxing, joyful 4 days in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Leading up to this trip, Darah and I have been preparing for our adventure in a new country by getting more educated on where we are going! The Dominican Republic is a beautiful country with a rich, vibrant culture and history. I’m not sure how much of the island we are going to have the opportunity to see since we will only be there 4 days, but I am certain that we will be interacting with folks who call the Dominican  Republic home, and I know we will enjoy our interactions so much more if we learn a little bit more about the place we are visiting.

First Stop: The Library! 

Your nearest public library is the very first place I would suggest that you visit to get some resources on the Dominican Republic. Make use of the children’s librarian and ask for some help locating books that talk about the country, or even that are set in that country. We were able to pull 4 different books and are enjoying them immensely. If your library seems to be a bit lacking in materials, I’ve also got a list of children’s books on the Domincan Republic on Amazon, so check that out and see if anything catches your eye.

Crafts and Enrichment Activities

I’ve also found quite a few activities online that are great fun and really help educate the child on the Dominican Republic. Thanks goodness for crowd sourcing these types of ideas, because I was a little lost trying to come up with ideas on my own!

I recommend the following activities:

• Carnival Masks
• Dominican Republic Flag Coloring Page
• 10 Awesome Baseball Crafts (Baseball is an extremely popular sport in the Dominican Republic)
• How to Dance the Merengue
• Merengue Dance History
• Great General Overview of Dominican Republic Culture

Get in the Kitchen!

Perhaps one of the best ways to prepare for a trip to the Dominican Republic is to get a jump start on enjoying the cuisine! Here are some popular dishes in the region to get you started:

• Mangu (Mashed Plantains)
• Mondongo (Tripe Stew)
• Chimichurri Burgers
• Bizcocho Dominicano (Dominican Cake)

I hope these ideas can help you make your upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic even more fun by starting the fun and learning right now. Please leave a comment below if you have any additional suggestions or resource ideas to share with others!

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