Forget 2-D maps. It's time for 3-D! One way that kids learn about their community is by making maps that help them become aware of the people and places around them. Give your kid a stack of paper bags, swing by the police station, the fire house, and the other important buildings in your neighborhood, and get building.
What You Need:
- 10 brown paper bags (lunch sacks work well)
- Child safety scissors
- Construction paper in various colors
- Glue
- Crayons or markers
What You Do:
- Explain to your child that together, you are going to create a 3-D map of where you live! Talk with your child about what your house looks like from the outside (how many doors, windows, colors, etc.) Have your child use the construction paper, crayons, and glue to create a brown bag model of your house. This could include drawing or gluing squares for windows, doors, roof, and so on. Don't forget to make a number to attach to the front of your bag to show your house number.
- Now ask your child to think about the important buildings in your city. Try to include community helper buildings and familiar features such as a police station, fire station, bakery, grocery store, post office, doctor's office, library, bank, and your local park. Help your child make paper bag models of at least 4 of these special places. Then place them on the floor together to show their location, in relation to where you live. For example, if your local library is 1 block from your house, place the library bag a few feet from your house bag, and so forth. Help your child label each bag with the name of each building.
- When you're finished, ask your child a few questions about the city:
- Where is our house?
- How many buildings are on your map?
- Do you know which direction is North from our house?
- How would we get to the police station from our house?
- Who are our neighbors to the right and left of our house?
- What is your favorite place to visit in our city?
- Where would we go to mail a package?
- You can extend this activity by helping your child make street signs for each of the streets represented on the 3-D map. She can have fun using small cars or trucks to pretend she's traveling to different places in the city. If you're willing to let your city stand for a few days, you can add buildings a little bit at a time.
Not only is a city of bags a nice way to reuse and recycle, but it's a cool project to get kids to think spatially. Plus, it's a great way to help your child practice map skills while affirming your family's place in the community around you.
By Mary Anne Edwards
Mary Anne Edwards is a freelance writer with teaching experience in Preschool, First, and Fourth Grades. She has also taught Second Grade Title One reading groups.
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