Fun fact: years ago my husband and I planned a trip to the Cayman Islands, but there was a hurricane so we ended up going to South Padre Island instead. I’d still like to go there some day, so let’s learn about it.
Cayman Islands Basics
- The Cayman Islands is the largest self-governing British Overseas Territory, made up of three islands that measure 102 square miles or 264 square kilometers.
- They are considered part of the Caribbean and the Greater Antilles island groups.
- There is no evidence that people lived on the islands before Europeans landed, and Christopher Columbus is thought to be the first European to see the islands in 1503. He called them Las Tortugas because of the large population of turtles there, but they came to be known as the Caymans, the word for crocodile in the Arawak-Taino language.
- England took control of the islands and Jamaica in 1670, and the first permanent settlement on the islands dates back to the 1730s.
- The islands served as a haven for pirates, which gives you lots of options for kids activities tangentially related to the islands.
- The capital and largest city is George Town, and the total population of the islands is about 88,000.
- As a parliamentary dependency, the Cayman Islands have a governor and a premier.
Cayman Islands National Symbols
The Cayman Islands flag has a blue background, with the British Union Jack in the upper left corner and the British Overseas Territory coast of arms on the right side. It includes a turtle and pineapple on top of a crest with a lion, three stars on an ocean background and the words “He Hath Founded it Upon the Seas.”
A similar flag was adopted in 1959 when the islands were granted self- government, though the current version has only been in use since 1999.
The national anthem is “God Save the King” but they also have a national song, “Beloved Isle Cayman,” which was composed in 1930 and officially adopted as an anthem in 1993.
The Cayman parrot is the national bird. There are a bout 2,000 parrots that live on the islands, including the small Cayman Brac Parrot and the larger Grand Cayman Parrot.
The national tree is the silver thatch palm, which was once used to make rope that was a chief export of the islands.
The banana orchid is the national flower and is only found in the Cayman Islands. It is considered endangered both because of climate change and international plant thieves. Maybe older kids can write a story about a plant thief and how one steals and smuggles plants out of the country!
Cayman Island Activities for Kids
Learn about turtles from the Cayman Island Turtle Centre and pull out all your sea turtle crafts and educational activities.
There are a few printables and other activities about the Cayman Islands available from Teachers Pay Teachers.
Turtle stew is considered the national dish of the Cayman Islands. If you don’t want to make it yourself, you can check out a video. For things a little more kid-friendly, try Caymanian coconut rice and beans or custard-topped cornbread.
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