This month for World Love Wednesday/ Miercoles del Mundo, we will be learning about and praying for Argentina. Below you will find our favorite books about and by famous Argentinans, Argentinan Music and Television recommendations, recommendations on where to find Argentinan food around the Twin Cities, and tips for praying with Littles. Come pray n’ play with us!
Books
- Stephen and the Beetle by Jorge Luján- This is a sweet book about a little boy that almost squashes a bug, but has second thoughts. Luján does a great job exploring the moral dilemmas that even littles may run into throughout their every day.
- The Big Wet Balloon (Spanish: El Globo Grande y Mojado) by Ricardo Liniers- This beautiful graphic novel is the story of two sisters, rainy day adventures, and lessons learned along the way.
- Evita by Lil Libros- This beautiful board book introduces littles to the legacy of Eva Peron, using the medium of opposites.
- Impossible by Isol- My littles love this book! It’s about a little boy who won’t eat, won’t let his parents sleep, and is up to all sorts of shenanigans. His parents reach out for professional help to find a surprise ending.
Music and Television
- Paka Paka– This Argentine children’s channel, has to be one of my favorite Spanish resources for littles. They have so many engaging and educational options for littles. And they have many full episodes available on their YouTube Channel.
- Viajando Por El Mundo: Musica Argentino-This Spotify Playlist has some fantastic songs for littles from Argentine musicians.
- Grandes Canciones de los Mas Pequeños: Argentina– Another Spotify Station with some fantastic Argentine tunes for peques.
Food
- Del Sur -This empanada shop is new to me, but definitely on my list of places to try this month. They serve empanadas, sandwiches, and salads, as well as dulce de Leche cookies for dessert.
- Boludo– This delicious pizzeria is owned by Argentine chef, “Che” Facundo DeFraia. Gifted a love of cooking in his abuelita’s kitchen. Boludo serves up amazing pizzas and Argentine Empanadas.
- Quebracho– Argentine Empanadas? ¡Por favor! We LOVE the empanadas from this small shop. All handmade and they deliver around the Twin Cities.
Yerba Mate
Yerba Mate Tea is an Argentine drink traditionally sipped from a calabash mate .
We used this list of Yerba Mate Facts for Kids to learn a bit more about the tea and customs around drinking it. Then we watched a video of how dried gourds are made into calabash mate:
Making Artesian Mates de Calabaza -The video is in Spanish, but even if your littles aren’t Spanish speakers, it is easy to follow, as it’s simply watching an Artesian show the process of his work.
Finally, we sampled the Yerba Mate Tea , and decorated our own dried gourd cups to remind us to pray for Argentina.
Calabash Mate Inspired Craft for Kids
What you need:
- Dried Gourd Bowls, Clean and Ready for Crafts
- Acrylic Paints
- Paintbrush
What you do:
After watching how Artesians traditionally grow and make calabash mate, let your little one decorate a dried gourd cup as a reminder to pray for Argentina. Traditionally the calabash mate is carved and burned to make their beautiful designs. However, we opted for paint as a toddler-safe decorating option. Also note, it may be wise to refrain from actually drinking out of your own cups, and typically the calabash mate is treated to be drank out of without ruining the cup. If you want to sample the Yerba mate, use a different cup.
Pray
When we set aside time to pray for different countries, I love to find worship music from that particular country. It helps keep our focus, while appreciating that the church is made up of every nation. Worship Music from Argentine Artists is a fantastic Spotify Playlist I recommend using for your prayer time, while also finding new Spanish-language music.
It’s ok to keep prayers simple with littles. Together we pray:
Dear Jesus, please bless the people of Argentina, and our neighbors that have moved from their. May you protect them and surprise them with your love. Thank you for all the ways they contribute to the Church and the Image of God. -Amen.
Baby Devotions 