Costa Rica
Here are two fun facts about Costa Rica that have a dramatic impact on the country and hopefully will raise questions in your children’s minds about the United States. Costa Rica is one of very few countries in the world that does not maintain an army. Without an army, Costa Rica has no significant military costs. This translates to both lower taxes and more available funds to make investments in services for the population in areas such as education. The literacy rate in Costa Rica is an astounding 97.8%. A trip to Costa Rica can be a fascinating look into the unique circumstances leading to the one-of-a-kind culture of this Central American country.
What Costa Rica may lack in massive cathedrals, ancient ruins, and theme parks, it more than makes up for with its incredible array of outdoor activities. Costa Rica will entertain and educate your children in its extraordinary outdoor classroom. For those interested in birds, Costa Rica is home to 894 bird species—more than the U.S. and Canada combined. A chain of volcanoes extends down the middle of the country with Arenal offering the best opportunity for your children to experience the magnitude and grandeur of a volcano. Your entire family can learn about the structure and function of volcanoes and the role they play in terraforming our planet. Not surprising given the volcanoes, Costa Rica has had multiple earthquakes which impact both what can be built in the major cities and how it must be built. Your children can enjoy a great introduction to building engineering and the solutions that have been found to make buildings safe even in earthquake prone regions.
Costa Rica is 288 miles long and only 170 miles from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea. It is a paradise for lovers of nature, featuring extensive rain forests fully equipped with heart stopping zip lines, mountains, beaches, and a very friendly people proud of their country. The vegetation is one great botanical garden, creating the ideal ecosystem for a large variety of mammals, reptiles, and 4,000 known insect species. Costa Rica will give your children the opportunity to see biology on a massive and diverse scale, and to understand some of the many complex interactions throughout ecosystems.
Speaking with a travel expert will help organize your trip to ensure your family can focus on experiencing the extraordinary beauty of Costa Rica.
Learning Opportunities:
- Learn about volcanoes and the role they play in shaping the Earth.
- Consider the challenges faced when building structures in an earthquake prone region.
- Develop a basic understanding of seismic waves and how they affect the Earth.
- Gain a unique perspective on the rain forest ecosystem and its many components.
- Utilize Costa Rica’s vast bird populations to understand the physiology and behavior of birds and even discuss the role evolution plays in adapting organisms to the environment.
Call your Travel Expert to learn where to go, what to see and do and how best to get there.
