Globe spinning is a great way to engage the kids in planning an imaginary vacation. Sandy, my youngest son, used his lighted globe of the world as a night light. When he was 7 and 8, each night just before he went to bed, he would spin the globe, close his eyes, and say, “Let’s see where I am going tonight.” Wherever his finger touched was his dream destination.

Chile was a frequent stop. Was it timing? Was it luck? At first it was a joke, but then his curiosity was up about the country. He found a picture of the flag, drew it and hung it on his bedroom wall above the globe. To his delight, he discovered that soccer, his very favorite sport, was also the main sport in Chile. He was surprised to know that people so far away enjoyed chicken for dinner. They ate grapes and plums just like he did. So one evening we prepared a Chilean dinner.

With the spin of a globe or random fingerpoint in the atlas, your family could go to any destination in the world. The sojourn can be brief or extended depending on the interest level.

Many meaningful opportunities will present themselves as your family explores new faces and new places. This is the family’s imaginary vacation. Just like with a real vacation, the family needs to do some research in order to take advantage of all the “good stuff.”

Learn about the country’s flag and draw it.

Take a trip to the library. The resource librarian may enjoy the experience too, for every library has underused materials that include history, folklore and notable people. Check out international cookbooks for the favorite foods of your chosen country. This could be an opportunity for everyone to taste new things, prepare new dishes.

Now it’s time to plan your trip. What kind of clothes would you take? Where in the country would you go? What would you see? A river? A cave? A museum? A monument? Would you attend a sporting event?

Increase the family vocabulary by learning words in a new language — try universal words like “please” and “thank you.” Everybody can contribute information in planning the pretend trip. National Geographic magazine and the related Web site are also good sources of information as well as lovely photographs.

Listen to the music of the country. Are there folksongs, dances or traditional games you could learn?

For the grand family activity finale create a “How We Planned Our Imaginary Vacation Journal.” You could take pictures of each other researching in the library, searching the grocery for international foods, tasting unusual ingredients and preparing a meal. Collect pictures, a small map of your country and the flag. Maybe a local travel agency has a free poster, a brochure or a travel advertisement. The journal will be your family’s memento of summer.

Heidi Maness Hartwiger, a Wheeling native, writes the Natural Parent, Natural Child series for the OV Parent magazine.