Peru for Kids: A Cultural Adventure
Learn Spanish phrases, meet friendly llamas, and discover the mountains and history of Peru with MaiMai.
Peru is a wonderful place for kids to explore — from Lima to coastlines and mountains, from Spanish greetings to festival foods. Machu Picchu is a 500-year-old Inca city built high in the Andes Mountains, hidden in the clouds. This guide gives families everything you need to introduce Peru in a way that goes beyond stereotypes: real cultural context, language basics, age-appropriate activities, and printables you can use today.
Key Facts
- Capital: Lima
- Language: Spanish
- Continent: Americas
- Greeting: Hola
- Famous For: Machu Picchu is a 500-year-old Inca city built high in the Andes Mountains, hidden in the clouds
- Food: Peru is the birthplace of the potato — there are over 4,000 varieties grown there!
- Festival: Inti Raymi celebrates the Incan sun god each June with colorful costumes and music in Cusco
- Wildlife: Llamas and alpacas have been raised in Peru for thousands of years for their warm, soft wool
What your child will learn
- Say hello, thank you, and goodbye in Spanish, Peru's main language
- Discover Machu Picchu, an ancient city high in the mountains
- Meet llamas and alpacas, woolly animals of the Andes
- Learn about the Inca people who built amazing stone cities
- Explore how potatoes were first grown in Peru long ago
- Find out that some Peruvians also speak Quechua, an Inca language
Say it in Spanish
- Hola — OH-lah — Hello
- Gracias — GRAH-see-ahs — Thank you
- Adios — ah-dee-OHS — Goodbye
- Si — SEE — Yes
- Amigo — ah-MEE-goh — Friend
Fun facts about Peru
- Machu Picchu is an ancient Inca city built high up in the Andes Mountains.
- There are thousands of kinds of potatoes grown in Peru.
- Llamas and alpacas give soft wool that people use to make warm clothes.
- Part of the Amazon rainforest, full of amazing animals, is in Peru.
- The Inca built long stone roads and bridges through the mountains without modern tools.
Activities to try at home
- Draw or paint a llama with a colorful woven blanket
- Make a model mountain city out of clay or blocks
- Weave a simple paper or yarn pattern like Andean textiles
- Practice saying Hola and Gracias with your family
- Help cook a simple potato dish with a grown-up
Adapted for every age
- Ages 3–5: Bright pictures and friendly llama sounds introduce Peru through animals and colors.
- Ages 6–8: Short stories and a weaving craft teach greetings and everyday life in Peru.
- Ages 9–12: Kids explore geography, the Inca, and food with a phrase challenge and quiz.
- Ages 13–18: Older learners dive into Peruvian history, the Andes, and Inca culture with deeper reading.
Free Peru printables
- Peru Coloring Pages — Flags, food, landmarks
- Peru Word Search — Vocabulary, festivals, geography
- Peru World Map — Find Peru and its neighbors
- Vocabulary Flashcards — Native pronunciation included
- Greeting Cards — Print and write a friend abroad
- Craft Templates — Hands-on cultural projects
Bring Peru to Life Inside MaiMai
Sign up free and unlock interactive adventures, language pronunciation, and a printable passport for every culture you explore.
- Interactive adventures that adapt to your child's age and reading level
- Native pronunciation audio for greetings, numbers, and key vocabulary
- A digital passport that fills with stamps as kids explore each country
- Printable lesson plans, coloring pages, and activity sheets included
- COPPA-compliant, ad-free, and safe for kids 3–18
Questions parents ask
Is this Peru adventure okay for young children?
Yes. Content is gentle, age-adapted, and reviewed by educators for kids as young as three.
Do we need to know any Spanish already?
Not at all. Every phrase comes with simple pronunciation so beginners can join in right away.
What will my child learn?
Common Spanish greetings, a hands-on craft, surprising facts, and respect for Peruvian and Inca culture.
Is the Peru adventure free?
Japan, India, and Mexico are free forever, and the Peru adventure is part of our full membership.
More country adventures
Ready to explore Peru?
Join thousands of families learning about the world with MaiMai — stories, language, crafts, and quizzes for kids ages 3 to 18.