Early Mapping Skills - Picture Copying

This simple learning activity doesn't take many materials or preparation, but it boosts all sorts of cognitive abilities in your little ones...

Going on a Bear Hunt: Making Maps

I've been doing the "Going on a Bear Hunt" chant with the girls (3 years old) since they were tiny babies, and it's still a favorite.  Even Baby H enjoys doing it with us.  If you don't know what I'm taking about, watch the dramatic reading of Going on a Bear Hunt by it's author, Michael Rosen, on YouTube.  I'm trying to reinforce what we've been learning about maps with the kids before we go on a road trip later this week, so I created a map for us to follow on our bear hunt.  Then L and E drew their own maps of our journey...

Introduction to Maps

Yesterday we used sand and water to make various natural formations.  Today I wanted to show the girls that we can use symbols to represent some of these land and water forms.  I drew some examples of symbols and invited L and E (33 months) to try to copy them or to make up their own...