Truths About Growing Up In Jamaica

Growing up in Jamaica can be an exciting cultural experience. With all the many wonderful attractions and vibrant lifestyle of the people, children growing up on the island will never be bored. Take a look at 12 truths about growing up in Jamaica.

The Grand Gala celebration is annual kid-friendly fun

The Grand Gala is a massive annual Independence Day celebration that commemorates the day Jamaica became an independent state from Britain on August 6, 1962. The celebration includes agricultural exhibitions and street parades, all climaxing to the main Grand Gala event at the National Stadium in Kingston. This event is the best way for children to get to participate in the celebration of one of Jamaica‘s most historic moments.

Every child looks forward to Christmas class parties

Olympic season is one of the most exciting times

The dominance of Jamaican athletes in Track & Field has led to Olympic season being one of the most exciting times in Jamaica. Every four years, Jamaicans get ready to cheer on their favorite athletes as they compete for medals at the games. Jamaicans flock to bars, restaurants, and town centers to watch all the races and events.

Traditional Sunday dinner is a must

One of the many Jamaican culinary traditions is to have the traditional Sunday dinner cooked every week in Jamaican households. The meal of rice and peas, meat (or very often, chicken), and vegetables is the classic Jamaican dinner that you will often find being served on Sundays.

You will also have tea in the mornings

Jamaicans also believe that everyone, children especially, should have some form of tea in the mornings. Parents and grandparents often offer tea to their children in the mornings before they head off to school. Other Jamaicans also believe that many different types of tea such as ginger tea and sinkle bible ( Jamaican term for Aloe Vera) have various healing properties.

Kids grow up on Reggae and/or Dancehall music

Reggae and Dancehall are the two most popular genres of music in Jamaica. Depending on the household, a child will grow up hearing generations of reggae and/or dancehall being played around the house.

Grand Market is Christmas Eve heaven

Grand Market is an islandwide Christmas eve shopping experience in Jamaica. Children on the island look forward to going out with their parents on Christmas Eve in hopes of finding their favorite toys among the grand market deals and sales.

Every childhood is filled with ring games

No Jamaican childhood in Jamaica is complete without, at least once, participating in ring games. “Dandy Shandy,” “Brown Girl in the Ring,” and “Bull Inna Pen” are some of the most popular ring games that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Kids dream of being on local quiz shows

An aspiration of many young Jamaican scholars is to be a part of their school’s quiz team that competes in the local quiz competitions in Jamaica. The academic competition sees schools battling against each other for trophies, individual prizes, and the title of “Quiz Champ” for that year.

Anansi stories are bedtime stories

Anansi Stories were created in West Africa and brought to Jamaica by African slaves. This mischievous, fictional spider has become a popular folkloric character in Jamaican culture. The stories include riddles, folklore, and valuable lessons told to Jamaican children by older generations.

Hitting the beach on holidays is a tradition

There is something about public holidays that makes Jamaicans want to go to the beach. If you want to see the highest concentration of people at a public beach in Jamaica, try visiting on the holidays—especially Emancipation Day (August 1) and Independence Day (August 6).

Everyone Plays Dominoes

The game of domino is one of the most popular past-times in Jamaica. Children gather around domino tables to watch adults play rounds of dominoes until they are old enough to learn.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.