Friday: Play!-Teaching Geography

April 11th, 2008 in Friday: Play!, Children Product Reviews

Teaching Geography

Colin Powell : “To solve most of the major problems facing our county today – from wiping out terrorism, to minimizing global environmental problems, to eliminating the scourge of AIDS –will require every young person to learn more about other regions, cultures, and languages.”

My Idea for Toddlers:

A few months ago I saw a good deal on some laminated maps at www.amazon.com. I decided to get them even though I thought I would not use them for a few years. It included a world map and a map of the U.S.A.

My daughter saw them, pulled them out so I decided to give it a try. I used the same method I did with the Melissa & Doug Puzzles I have been using to teach her numbers. I incorporated one of her favorite things—Dora & Diego—to get her excited to participate in the activity. I told her we were going on a mission and that Dora & Diego needed to drive as fast as they could to the different countries/states. We drove from South America to Africa, from Utah to California. Then after doing it a few times with her, I would call you countries/states and she would drive her little Dora/Diego car to them. Now she can point out different countries, who would have thought!

Other Ideas for Teaching Geography to School Aged Children:

-Globe: Have a globe in your home and use it as a teaching tool to your children. Have culture nights surrounding what country your children are interested in learning in. Make a special dinner and afterwards educate them on that new place.

-Laminated Maps: Have a Map hanging in your child’s play room, on their study desk

-Check out different atlases from your local library or books on certain countries.

-National Geographic Magazine

-Planet Earth DVDs (this is what the Easter bunny brought me this year from www.amazon.com) You can use this to teach the climate, landscape and animals that live in certain countries/continents.