This activity is one that my kids still see every day because the circles are hanging in our Work Room, and it’s one that we talk about frequently.
That is absolutely not to say that my children have a firm understanding of their little place in this big world, but I’m trying.
It’s a really difficult concept to understand–that we live on a planet, on a continent, in a country, in a state, in a county, in a city, in a neighborhood, etc.–so I think the earlier we start explaining, the better.
As part of our Smart Summer Challenge, this #7 post about how to teach kids where in the world they live, is one that still gets tons of hits each month. I really love it, and I still give huge thanks to Jenn from Finally in First for giving me the idea way back when.
It’s an easy activity, one that can be done on a rainy weekend afternoon or in the classroom, and it can be taken to different levels, which I think is cool. For older kids, they can do part of the research to find out how to complete each circle with maps or illustrations; younger kids can do basic coloring and cutting and pasting from a parent or teacher’s templates.
I think it could even be used to help kiddos understand other big-small concepts, too, like food chains, government, numbers, you name it. Perhaps that’s a focus for later this year–
Here it is. . .
- teach mama’s top 10 all-time best countdown, #7: Me on the Map — How to teach kids where in the world they live
Me on the Map — How to teach kids where in the world they live
Younger kids sometimes get confused when we tell them they live on a continent, in a country, in a state, in a city.
How can they live in so many places at once? . . .
This Me on the Map activity spotlights where kids live from big picture to small–their planet to their home (or school). It allows them to hold in their hands all of the places they can call ‘home’ which is why I really love it.
I created circles for each part which can be downloaded . . . and you can find those circles on the original post.
Tomorrow: teach mama’s top 10 all-time best countdown, #6.
