Children use all of their senses to learn
about the world around them.
The objects that they can touch, see,
smell, taste, and hear all help them understand the link between a model and
the real thing that it represents.
A good example is a map, which represents
land masses. Using information from maps and models can help guide your
children to a better understanding of the concepts of geography.
For example: Find puzzles of the United
States, the world, or even California. By touching and looking at the pieces,
children can get a better understanding of where one place is located in
relation to others.
Point out where your home is located and
then point out where a distant relative or friend lives. Show how far away it
is and what route you would travel to get there.
It also helps to use images from books or
the Internet to help your children associate geographic terms with visual
images.
A picture of a desert, for example, can
stimulate conversation about the features of a desert — dry and barren.
Identifying lakes and rivers can start
discussions about wildlife and early settlers.
Talk about many different places with
your children and help them imagine what it would be like to visit them.
All these discussions help children get a
solid concept of geography and why it is important.
