Airport Adjacent: Teaching Gateway Children About Global Connections 

Living near Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) isn’t just handy for family vacations – it’s a supercharged launchpad for raising mini global explorers! At Creative World School in Gateway, we know that every rumbling jet engine and glimpse of a departing flight sparks BIG questions like “Where’s that plane going?” Let’s explore how your family can turn everyday moments into global learning adventures! 

Mapping Sky-High Adventures 
Did you know RSW connects Southwest Florida to over 50 nonstop destinations, including Toronto and Frankfurt? The airport’s interactive flight map transforms screen time into a geography lesson. Cuddle up with your child and watch real-time flights together. Ask: “Where do you think that plane from New York is going?” or “What language might the passengers on the Cancun flight speak?” Pair this activity with a Kids World Travel Guide to discover fun facts about each destination, like Germany’s fairy-tale castles or Jamaica’s Blue Mountains. 

And when your child asks, “But HOW do planes stay up there?!” cue up How Airplanes Fly! by SciShow Kids.  

-Ray Machines & Global Games 
Looking for ways to turn a trip through the airport into an educational experience? Yes, security lines can feel endless, but to kids, they’re a real-life spy mission! “Why do we take off our shoes? It’s like a treasure hunt for hidden surprises!” Turn your next airport drop-off into a scavenger hunt: Spot the tallest control tower, wave to baggage handlers, or count how many planes wear “hats” (aka winglets!). 

Travel isn’t just fun. It actually helps young children grow in amazing ways! According to Dr Samantha Fish, exploring new places strengthens family bonds, builds emotional resilience, sparks curiosity about different cultures, and boosts problem-solving skills. Even small adventures, like visiting the airport, can help kids feel more confident, adaptable, and connected to the world.  

Storytime Around the World 
 

Start with Children Just Like Me by Barnabas and Anabel Kindersley, a vibrant celebration of real kids worldwide that’s perfect for sparking curiosity in young minds. Through colorful engaging photographs and simple, relatable stories, it showcases the daily routines, homes, schools, and favorite foods of kids around the globe! This book is a wonderful way to spark conversations about similarities and differences, fostering empathy and curiosity in children. 

Then, explore If You Lived Here: Houses of the World by Giles Laroche, a whimsical tour of global homes. Marvel at stilt houses above Thailand’s rivers, Iceland’s grassy-roofed cottages nestled into hillsides, and cliffside pueblos that seem to hug the rocks. (Do they climb ladders to get home? Sometimes, yes!)​  

For families craving real-life adventure, National Geographic Bucket List Family Travel by Jessica Gee offers kid-friendly tips from their globe-trotting journeys—think building sandcastles in the Maldives or spotting penguins in Antarctica. 

 
Just like the flights from RSW connect us globally, Creative World School in Gateway connects preschoolers to the wider world through engaging, everyday learning adventures. We’re a school that deeply values global understanding and sparking that “mini global explorer” spirit in every child. See our world of discovery for yourself! Schedule a tour today!