ALL ABOUT ITALY FOR KIDS
AN EDUCATIONAL & INFORMATIONAL RESOURCE GUIDE FOR CHILDREN
You might know Italy as a European country that’s shaped like a boot! It’s home to pasta, art, and more, and there are so many exciting things about Italy to learn.
Italy sticks out into the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas. The official language is Italian, and people who live there are part of the European Union, which means that they use euros as money. The capital city is Rome, home to many historical monuments and famous landmarks. The Italian flag has three stripes, each a different color: red, green, and white.
The country has two large mountain ranges, the Alps and the Apennines. It’s also the home of rivers including the Adige, Arno, Po, and Tiber. If you visit Italy, you’ll find plenty of beaches, mountains, deep woods, and lots of farmland full of livestock and crops like grapes and olives. Like America, has lots of different plants, animals, and terrain.
Italy has lots of famous cities, including Venice, which is famous for its canal system. Instead of seeing cars traveling on a road, you’ll find little boats called gondolas traveling the waterways around the city. There’s nowhere else like it in the world! Other famous places in Italy include Naples, Florence, and Tuscany. There’s also the island of Sicily, located off the coast of the point of Italy’s “boot.” It kind of looks like Sicily is a ball that Italy is kicking! Each region of Italy is unique, with different foods, styles, customs, and landscapes. Learn more about the geography of Italy to discover them all.
Family life is very important to Italians. They often have meals together to enjoy their famous food. Chances are good that you’ve had Italian food lots of times. Italy is the home of dishes like pasta and pizza. They make delicious sauces, olive oil, and pasta. Near the coast, you’ll find great seafood. Italians make cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta. Many of your favorite foods might have roots in Italian cooking.
The people of Italy have really made their mark on history. The Romans built the famous Colosseum, which people still visit today. Italy is also very famous for art. Artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were Italians, and you can find their work in museums and historic sites around the country. Italy has also influenced music throughout history, especially with opera. Many operas and other classical choir pieces are written in Italian due to the beautiful sound of the language. Italy is also the home of great fashion! Maybe you have heard of names like Armani, Gucci, Versace, and Prada, famous fashion designers from Italy.
Many Americans are descended from Italian immigrants. You might have Italians in your own family tree. Learning about Italy can be a fun way to connect with your family’s past!
Want to know more about Italy? There are lots of ways to do it, from learning a new recipe to playing games that are popular there, like soccer or bocce ball. You might also read some fun facts about the country online, or you could try learning to speak Italian. Maybe you’ll even get to go there someday and use what you’ve learned!
Italian Language
- Months of the Year Slide Show
- Italian Language Facts
- “Chicken Little” in Italian and English
- Learn Italian Online
- Basic Italian Phrases
- Key Phrases in Italian
- Learning Italian Phrases: Asking for Directions
- Italian Vocabulary Practice
- Italian Course: From the Beginning
- Italian for Dummies Cheat Sheet
- English-Italian Dictionary
Italian Geography
- The Geography of Italy
- Italy Physical Map
- Italian Geography
- Italy Map
- Italy Regions Quiz
- Britannica: Italy
- Italy Map of Cities, Roads, and Rivers
- Italian Regional Foods
- How Italian Food Was Influenced by Geography
- Landforms of Italy
Photo by Ewan Topping (Flickr)
This page was last updated with help by Marco Permunian
Additional Resources:
- Italian citizenship requirements
- Italian citizenship through descent South Africa
- Italian citizenship by marriage UK
- Italian citizenship by marriage Canada
- Benefits of Italian dual citizenship
- Becoming an Italian citizen through grandparents
- Italian citizenship by marriage Brazil, Argentina and South America
- Italian citizenship by marriage Australia
- Italian citizenship through descent
- Apply for Italian citizenship
- 1948 case
- Italian citizenship through marriage
- How do I become an Italian citizen
- How to get an Italian passport