Marco Polo - It's not just Pool Play!

So reading up on Marco Polo for the History class was pretty fun.  I was amazed at the significance that this one person's adventure had on exploration, not just for Marco Polo but for Europe.  Christopher Columbus made notes in his copy of "The Travels".

For the kids, going to Marco Polo at home is stepping back in time, but valuable none the less.  I found a few books at the library and thrift store.  I am looking at the "for kids" series (Marco Polo for Kids by Janis Herbert isbn 978155652377).  The Marco Polo one focuses on the countries and cultures he visited, so it is less about Marco Polo than with things he encountered on his travels.  The activities are a great help for kids that don't hours of inactive study.  The Who Was Marco Polo by Joan Holub (isbn 9780448445403) is an easier read than the Penguin Classics Latham translation of The Travels.

Although it is a great resource to look at as adult or teen, the text of the original is daunting. 

We also used maps to trace Marco Polos route to Asia and back.  There are trivial academia tirades on where exactly he went and what he did there, but overall, unimportant at this point in our studies.

Update:  Waiting on my library copy of You Wouldn't Want to Explore with Marco Polo!: A Really Long Trip You'd Rather Not Take to come in.  My kids have really enjoyed the "You Wouldn't Want" series.