I have some interesting facts about Chile for kids. And since we’re learning about Chile we’re cooking and tasting one of its delicious native dishes. And look at my page South America Unit Study Resources for more ideas about South America.
Chile is a fascinating country in South America, famous for its beautiful landscapes, delicious food, rich traditions, and amazing wildlife. It is a wonderful country to explore through geography, history, culture, and, of course, cooking.
One of the most famous foods is the empanada de pino. It is a baked pastry traditionally filled with seasoned ground beef, onions, a slice of hard-boiled egg, an olive, and sometimes raisins.
Empanadas are especially popular during Chile’s celebrations in September.
We will learn some cool facts about the country, its food and culture, as well as look at some other great craft and activity ideas before we end with an easy beef empanada recipe.
First, look at some books about Chile that you can use as a read aloud or as a spine for a Chile unit study.
BOOKS ABOUT CHILE FOR KIDS
We prefer living books when we can find them and then we love to add reference books to our study of the day.
6 Books About The Country of Chile for Kids
Add a book or two to your reading day or add to your home library.
Once there was a little boy named Neftalí who loved wild things wildly and quiet things quietly. From the moment he could talk, he surrounded himself with words. Neftalí discovered the magic between the pages of books. When he was sixteen, he began publishing his poems as Pablo Neruda.
Pablo wrote poems about the things he loved―things made by his friends in the café, things found at the marketplace, and things he saw in nature. He wrote about the people of Chile and their stories of struggle. Because above all things and above all words, Pablo Neruda loved people.
A childless old woman is given a merbaby to raise until the child can safely return to the sea.
Chile: The Complete History for Kids invites young readers on a vivid journey through one of the most breathtaking and surprising countries on Earth. From ancient Mapuche families who learned to live between forests and rivers, to brave leaders who shaped a new nation, to modern Chile filled with creativity and resilience, this book brings history to life in a way kids can truly enjoy.Every chapter turns big events into clear, meaningful stories. Children will meet heroes who fought for freedom, explorers who crossed towering mountains, families who rebuilt after powerful earthquakes, and communities who stood together to make their voices heard. With a friendly storytelling style, fun facts, and quizzes to test what they’ve learned, this book transforms history into an adventure that sparks curiosity on every page.
Ever since Isabel told me all about Chile my belly has been rumbling…I wish I could go to Chile. But how can I get there? It is impossible for dogs to fly.
Embark on a journey over air and land in Monica Lizama’s exciting new children’s story, All Paws to Chile, a tale positively bursting with globe-trotting adventures!
In Nick and Aya Travel to Chile, young readers join siblings Nick and Aya and their parents, Kate and George, on an exciting adventure stretching from the bustling streets of Santiago to the deserts of the far north, the volcanoes and forests of southern Chile, the wild landscapes of Patagonia, and even the mysterious islands of the Pacific Ocean.
Along the way, children will:
- Explore famous landmarks and hidden corners of Chile
- Learn about wildlife such as sea lions, huemuls, guanacos, king salmon, condors, penguins, and native insects
- Discover deserts, volcanoes, geysers, forests, rivers, glaciers, mountains, fjords, islands, and oceans
- Experience Chilean culture through local foods, colorful murals, traditional music, fishing communities, and regional traditions
Based on a true story, this out-of-this-world picture book follows the exciting scientific journey of a chica and a chinita with sky-high aspirations—perfect for fans of Mae Among the Stars and What Miss Mitchell Saw.Natalia is a chica, an ambitious girl with dreams of becoming a scientist. Luna is a chinita, an adventurous ladybug that dreams of visiting the stars. But neither dream is easy to reach. Ladybugs are meant to munch on garden pests. And no one from Natalia’s family has ever been to college. Still, both Natalia and Luna want más.Then Natalia’s all-girl class designs an experiment. If astronauts want to live in outer space, they’ll need to grow food. Could chinitas go along to keep the pests away? The girls are eager to find out, and Luna is hungry to help. If their theory is correct, it’s a project worthy of NASA itself—and the stuff all dreams are made of.This inspiring picture book is based on the real story of Chilean high school girls who convinced NASA to send ladybugs to space!
Then, look at these other activities about Chile and South America.
HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES ABOUT CHILE AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES
- Free Lapbook Chile For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
- Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project
- Easy And Fun Rainstick South America Craft For Kids
- 9 Free South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages
- Free South America Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
- Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance
- How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft | 7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids
- Negrinho From Brazil–South America Unit Study
- How to Make Easter Island Statues History Craft for Kids
- South America Geography Salt Dough Map + Printable Pennants
- Humboldt Who? Hands On to Understand Ocean Currents & Their Effect On The Galapagos Islands
- How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft
- How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CHILE FOR KIDS
Next, look at some facts about Chile. Use them to fill in the free country notebooking pages I have or just to learn about Chile.
QUICK GEOGRAPHY FACTS ABOUT CHILE
- Chile is located along the west coast of South America, on the Pacific Ocean. It is a long, narrow country, stretching approximately 2,650 miles from north to south.
- Chile is home to Easter Island, famous for its enormous stone statues called moai.
- The Atacama Desert is so dry that NASA has used parts of it to help study conditions similar to those on Mars.
- The Andes Mountains run along much of Chile’s eastern border.
FOOD, CULTURE, & INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF CHILE
- Spanish is the main language spoken in Chile
- Food is an important part of Chilean culture. Because Chile has such a long coastline, seafood is very popular- fish, mussels, clams, and other seafood are common in traditional meals. Chile also grows grapes, apples, peaches, avocados, and many vegetables.
- Other popular Chilean foods include pastel de choclo, a baked dish made with ground beef, chicken, onions, and a sweet corn topping; humitas, which are made from seasoned ground corn wrapped in corn husks; and completo, a Chilean-style hot dog often topped with avocado, tomato, and mayonnaise.
- Chile has a rich mix of Indigenous and European influences. The Mapuche are one of the country’s largest Indigenous peoples and have helped shape Chilean traditions, language, music, and food.
- Traditional music and dancing are important parts of celebrations. The cueca is Chile’s national dance, usually performed by a man and woman waving handkerchiefs as they dance around one another.
- Chile celebrates its Independence Day on September 18, with festivities often continuing into September 19. These celebrations are called Fiestas Patrias. Families gather for barbecues, music, dancing, games, and traditional foods such as empanadas.
Now that we have learned about Chile, let’s bring a little of its food culture into our kitchen. We will make empanadas de pino, the traditional Chilean meat-filled pastry. These are delicious served warm and are a wonderful way to celebrate Chilean cuisine.
We were not brave enough to try the authentic boiled eggs and raisins in ours and kept it simple.
It would also be traditionally made with homemade dough for the crust but we used store-bought pie crust- this shows how flexible you can be while still showing your children a taste of other cultures.
MAKE EASY BEEF EMPANADAS
You will need:
- For the filling:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup beef broth
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons diced garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- Oil for frying
- Ready-made pie crust
optional:
2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
½ cup black olives
¼ cup raisins (optional)
Cut a premade pie shell into 4 equal pieces; you can fill 2 and still have filling leftover.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook until soft; sauté diced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add the ground beef, broth, tomato paste, diced pimentos, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Cook until the beef is browned and fully cooked.
Allow the filling to cool.
Place some cooled meat filling in the center of each crust piece.
If you want to go authentic, add a piece of hard-boiled egg, an olive, and a few raisins.
Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together with a fork all the way around to seal.
Heat oil to 350 and fry on each side for 2-3 minutes.
Remove and drain well on paper towels.
