Starchild: Why Malaysian children are excited to travel across the globe

Gilon Lee, 8

Travelling isn’t just for grown-ups; it’s a fantastic adventure for kids too. Exploring new places, meeting different people, and experiencing diverse cultures can have an impact on a child’s development.

Travel teaches kids to appreciate and respect different cultures, traditions and languages. It fosters open-mindedness, tolerance and empathy, helping them become more compassionate.

Exploring new destinations boosts a child’s self-confidence as they accomplish new things, such as ordering food in a foreign language.

Here are the letters from Starchild readers on the topic, My Favourite Destination.

Lim Sheng Hao, 10

“My favourite destination is Japan. It is a country famous for a lot of things. I like its anime, seafood and snacks. According to Japanese mythology and Shinto beliefs, Japan is believed to have been created by the mythical sun goddess Amaterasu,” says Lim Sheng Hao, 10.

Gilon Lee, eight, wants to visit Japan too. “It is a big country. It has four seasons. When I visited the country recently, it was snowing. I had to wear a jacket. I love the snow and this is why Japan is my favourite destination.”

Wong Zhi Ying, 9

Wong Zhi Ying, nine, wants to visit Tokyo Disneyland. “I’d like to visit Disneyland’s top attractions like Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue and Jungle Cruise. I would use a chunk of my savings to eat yummy food and buy souvenirs.”

Asher Wang Qi Chuen, 5

“If I can travel somewhere special, I will visit the fictional Jurassic Park from the science fiction action film series, Jurassic Park. I am very intrigued by the various dinosaurs roaming in the park. How nice it would be to see these creatures up close and personal,” writes Asher Wang Qi Chuen, five.

Wong Jie Ern, 7

“My favourite destination is Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios in Japan. My brother and I like to play Nintendo’s Super Mario games. I hope I will have a chance to visit Universal Studios with my family soon,” says Wong Jie Ern, seven.

Wong Cheng Yang, 9

Older sibling Wong Cheng Yang, nine, wants to visit Paris. “I would love to see the Eiffel Tower. It was built in just over two years. You can get a bird’s eye view of the city from the tower. I hope to see it with its very colourful lights at night.”

Chuah Seng Koon, 7

Seven-year-old Chuah Seng Koon dreams of visiting a fictional destination called Anime Man Universe. “Inside this universe, countries would be called City A to City Z. I would also be able to meet my idol, Saitama, from the manga series One-Punch Man. There would be many characters from Japanese manga series like Naruto and Dragon Ball in this universe.”

Brandon Lee Kwan Fong, 10, writes: “I would like to go to Tokyo, which blends traditional Japanese culture with modern technology. While in Japan, I can eat delicious sushi and ramen. I love cosplay, too. I also want to visit Tokyo Disneyland and ancient temples. I plan to visit Japan when cherry blossoms or sakura fully bloom.”

“My favourite destination is Tokyo. This is because I love to watch Japanese anime. I have been going for Japanese language classes. In Japan, I want to buy a kimono, and eat sushi and ramen,” says Amberly Wong, 11.

Amberly Wong, 11New Yuan Ming, 10, also dreams of visiting Japan. “I would like to eat the various food in Japan, such as chawanmushi, ramen and sushi. I would like to see the wonderful scenery in Japan and play in the snow. I also think that the Japanese language is easy to learn.”

Aston Lee Kwan Theng, 12, would like to visit the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. “It is the home of thousands of marine species. It is a paradise for scuba diving or snorkelling.”

“I hope to visit the famous Great Wall of China in Huairou District, Beijing. It was built by Emperor Qin Shi Huang to protect China against invasions by nomads from Inner Asia,” says Jarett Ko Qi Yu, 10.

Bethany Wang Qi Syuen, eight, writes: “There are many places I would enjoy travelling to, but one of my favourite destinations locally is the National Library of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. Besides a good variety of books, this place has a cheerful children’s department with a TV room to watch cartoons. There are also computers on small tables for children. It’s a place I will always visit.”

Bethany Wang Qi Syuen, 8

Rayshawn Ong Tzi Jie, 12, writes: “Japan would be my chosen destination as I want to experience their hot springs. I also want to visit Kyoto’s Shinto shrine, Fushimi Inari Taisha.

“It is famous for its closely spaced orange torii traditional Japanese gates. Lastly, I would also experiment with their toilets, known as ‘washlets’, which are known for their advanced features.”

“I would like to see the beautiful blooming sakura flowers in spring. I also like to try fresh sushi. I would take this opportunity to travel in the bullet train and visit Tokyo Disneyland,” says Ong Tze Hang, 10.

ITEM: The world is beautiful because of many things like tall trees, pretty flowers and our loving families. It’s in the kindness of people and how we learn new things. Our world is full of wonders and moments that make it really special and beautiful. Tell us what you love about the world. Don’t forget to send us a drawing too.

Email your contributions to [e-mail] by Sept 29. Please put “STARCHILD: My Beautiful World” in the subject line of your email.

Scanned drawings should be in jpeg format, with a resolution of 200dpi. Your contributions must carry your full name, age (open to children aged 12 and below only), gender, phone contact and address.