Students Explore Korea Through All Five Senses

From November 3-14, 2026, elementary students celebrated their host nation with a week of Experience Korea. Each grade participated in events designed to help them experience Korea in multiple ways: through tasting, making, watching, and going.

Taste

For all grades, the “taste” event was making kimbap. Students received a brief presentation on the history of kimbap and its many variations as a traditional picnic food. Then, after a tutorial on how to assemble the roll using the bamboo mat, each child created their own kimbap to enjoy with their classmates. 

Make

During the Experience Korea event, YISS partnered with the Korea Craft Museum to offer hands-on “Make” craft sessions. Each grade level explored a different aspect of traditional Korean craftsmanship and created a project of their own to take home.

• Kindergarten: Coffee Ground Clay Craft

• 1st Grade: Norigae Craft

• 2nd Grade: Barley Stalk Craft

• 3rd Grade: Mother-of-pearl Craft

• 4th Grade: Eco-bag Decorating

• 5th Grade: Tumbler Painting

The instructors from the Korea Craft Museum provided thoughtful instruction and cultural insight, which made each “Make” experience meaningful for students.

Watch

The elementary welcomed the Seoul Traditional Art Samulnori Group and the Hoki Taekwondo Team for cultural performances. 

Samulnori and Taekwondo both originated in Korea. Samulnori, a traditional percussion ensemble, represents the sounds of nature through its four instruments—drum, gong, small gong, and hourglass drum—bringing energy and rhythm to celebrations. Taekwondo, Korea’s national martial art, combines discipline, respect, and powerful movement, reflecting the strength and spirit of Korean culture.

Go

During the Experience Korea event, elementary students took their learning beyond the classroom—visiting museums and a folk village to immerse themselves in Korean culture. As an international community, these experiences helped students connect more deeply with the country they call home.

• Kindergarten: Sejong Center 

• 1st Grade: National Museum of Contemporary History

• 2nd Grade: National Folk Museum

• 3rd Grade: National Museum of Korea

• 4th Grade: Seoul Museum of History

• 5th Grade: Suwon Folk Village

After two weeks of activities, the students were full of new experiences in Korea! Thank you to all of the teachers, staff, and outside instructors who helped make the event possible.