Learning About Albania for Kids

Second up in our parade of nations is Albania (check out the post on Afghanistan for kids if you missed it!). I’ll admit to knowing almost nothing about Albania, so let’s learn together.

Albania Basics

To begin with, Albania is officially the Republic of Albania, and it’s located in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Greece, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro, and also has the Adriatic Sea on its western border. The capital is Tirana. It was estimated in 2022 that nearly 2.8 million people lived there.

Albanian is the official language, but people there also speak Greek, Aromanian and Macedonian.

Albania has spent much of its history ruled by other nations and empires, and it has been an independent nation since 1912. The nation covers 11,100 square miles (or 28,748 square kilometers) and includes mountains, plains and coastal regions.

Mother Teresa was born in Albania and is the only Albanian to have received a Nobel Prize.

National Symbols

The Albanian flag has a red background with a two-headed eagle silhouette in black. The flag was adopted in 1912. Red symbolizes bravery, strength, valor and bloodshed, while the eagle is a symbol of Albania. (Eagles have been used for heraldic purposes in the region for hundreds of years and the double-headed eagle was used by Albanian nationalists during their fight for independence.)

The eagle is also considered the national animal and symbol of Albania.

“Himni i Flamurit” is the national anthem, which you can listen to below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcjJoBtGBNI?si=2uuM0P0ojSbdGydK]

Albania Activities for Kids

Chasing the Donkey has some fun facts about Albania that kids might enjoy. Activity Village has Albania printables including a flag to color, worksheets, a map and more (these are available to their members). Kids Konnect also has a great collection of free worksheets and fact sheets related to Albania.

Older kids might like the story of Rozafa Castle, which legend has it would not stay standing until a woman was trapped in the walls. Or read the stories of the legendary Mujo and Halil, or listen to the song “Mujo, Halil and the Fairies.”

Want to try some Albanian food? A popular lamb and rice dish called Tavë Kosi is considered the national dish; Jess Eats & Travels has a simplified version. Fërgesë, which is made of tomatoes, peppers and cheese, is another popular dish. Find a recipe at the Foreign Fork. Or try Byrek, a spinach and feta pie that shows the Greek influence on Albania cuisine (try this recipe from Polkadot Passport).

Books About Albania for Kids

I didn’t find a lot of books out there for learning more about Albania, but you can check out My First Book – Albania by Penelope Palette, or this cute Albania Coloring Book with fun facts.

If you know of books or other resources for kids learning about Albania I’d love to know about them!

Next Plan Idea:

Learning about Afghanistan for Kids

If you want to teach kids the basics of Hanukkah in the classroom or at home, the picture book Hanukkah by Lesléa Newman and illustrated by Rotem Teplow is a nice place to start.

The book explores the Jewish holiday through the eyes of Lior, a boy whose name means “my light” in Hebrew, which is appropriate for talking about the Festival of Lights.

The book goes through all the preparations the family does, including cleaning, setting the table and cleaning the menorah. It talks about what the menorah symbolizes and the Hanukkah story of the oil in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem lasting for eight days when it should have only been a one-day supply.

The meaning of the letters on the dreidel are also explored, in that when you are in Israel they have a different fourth word (the letters symbolize the Hebrew letters for “a great miracle happened there” or, in Israel, “a great miracle happened here”).

Because the story of Hanukkah involves oil, a lot of the foods that are eaten during the celebration are fried in oil, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (fried jelly doughnuts). Other foods mentioned include challah, noodle kugel and sour cream and applesauce, which are served with the latkes. Family and friends drop by to share their food, light their menorahs together and play dreidel (the game is explained in the story). It also talks about how the candles are lit through the eight days and what happens at the end of Hanukkah.

The book includes Hanukkah blessings in English and Hebrew and talks about the lunar cycle of the Hebrew calendar, which is why Hanukkah is sometimes celebrated in November and sometimes in December. It also talks about why Jewish holidays are celebrated beginning at sunset rather than in the morning.

Other topics covered include Hanukkah greetings; how to spell Hanukkah; how to make an edible menorah and an tzedakah box (to collect money for charity); recipes for latkes and applesauce; and a more detailed story of Hanukkah than is included within the story of the book. There’s also a quiz to see how well you were paying attention.

This sweet little book is a quick read and a cute overview of the basics of Hanukkah and what the symbols, foods and games mean. It’s a great book for classrooms or at home for sharing basic knowledge.

About the book: 48 pages, hardcover. Published 2024 by words & pictures, suggested retail price $14.99.

Albania Basics

National Symbols

Books About Albania for Kids

Next Plan Idea:

Have you read?

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