Naturally my children are drawn to their Global and U.S. Maps. Often they pull them out without me asking them to do so. Our seven year old daughter is the one who pulls the maps and globes out the most. She loves to read the countries, continent and states on the maps. She also likes matching the puzzle pieces of the maps to the part of the map the countries, continent and states. She enjoys it. I see her light up when she matches each puzzle piece right. She likes the discovery of different places and that the different places have different shapes and cultures.She doesn't have them all right but she is getting there and our 5 year old is follow suit.
Peter came to me and hand me a piece of the Europe puzzle map and what to know what that country was I told him, "Lithunia.". He repeated "Lithunia.". Peter began to the orange maps pieces of Asia and Russia and the campus key together. He did it successfully. With delight on his face, He looked up at me and said, "These go together?." I told me, "Yes.". I had just done it with me out of his eyes moments ago. - Showing me a red-orange piece and asking me what it is. I told him Bulgaria. He repeated Bulgaria. He handed me another piece and asked what country it was I told him Moldova. He repeated and so did his sister Ave. Next the baby, Aslan, brought over a puzzle piece of the map and wanted to join in and learn the name of the country he handed me. I looked at it and told him, "Norway.".
Ave excitedly told me, "I found Black Sea.". She was looking at the map that was on the floor in our living room. Then she goes on, "This is Egypt.". She then began to point the country Egypt out on the map. Other countries she read out are Australia and Asia that I didn't write below.
She came to me with a puzzle piece and said, "This is Turkey the Green part.". She return to her spot on the floor then came back to me and said, "This is United Kingdom and itssssssssssssssss reeeeeeeed.". She came back and said, "I found Middle East.". Showing me a Light yellow orange Middle East Puzzle piece in her little hand. Added, "Turkey is the middle and it is green.". Showing me the full map.
She return to her spot on the floor and came back to me, I was sitting in one of our living room chairs. She said to me, "This is Sweden and its red-violet.". Showing me a Sweden puzzle piece. Continuing, "This is Africa and it is at the bottom.". Showing me the puzzle piece of Africa underneath the Mediterranean Sea.
At this point, Peter (as I listed above) has brought me a puzzle piece and asked me to tell him the name of the country that is listed on that puzzle piece. She says to me with excitement and confidence, "Mom, I found it!". She brought me the full map and said "I found Bulgaria on it.". Peter disagreed with her but I told him see was right. She proceeds, "So the gray parts are Mexico and Canada. Here is the other States.". I told here Mexico and Canada aren't states but Countries. And Henry said the same thing I had said.
She begin to say I found states, countries and cities. Peter and Ave Hi-Five each other. Ave begin to show me the U.S. Map with capitals of the states. She pointed at Little Rock and Arkansas. She told me, "I found Egypt but we don't live in Egypt we live in North America. I was a Macaroni Penguin. N.O.R.T.H. A.F.R.I.C.A. I spelled North America." Henry began to spell A.U.S.T.R.A.L.I.A. He states, "I spelled Australia mom." He spells Asia and Antarctica afterwards. Then Europe. Then he spelled Mexico and She spelled South America. He spelled North America. She spelled Arctic Ocean. And says "They have two c's." She spelled Pacific Ocean. I know the words and spelling. Then she pointed out and counted out the countries and oceans she spelled.
This went on for a another hour and Ave puts the maps up. This is how my children learn most of the time. In the end we all learn wherever we are. Wherever we are and whomever we are with. Bottom line , for me, don't sweat the small stuff and make every minute count. Let them learn naturally.
The maps our children use were Leapfrog Interactive U.S. America Map and LeapFrog International Interactive Map and GeoPuzzle Europe Puzzle Map.