What your child will discover
Help the child understand that a map represents selected features of a place from a simplified viewpoint. Teach symbols, position, orientation, routes, landmarks, legend, and basic scale.
Lesson 211 of 300
What Is a Map?
Learn that a map is a selective, scaled representation of a real or imagined place using positions, symbols, colours, labels, and directions.
4–5 yearsEarth, Society & How Things WorkAdult guided
Earth, Society & How Things Work · KnowledgeForKids.com
Listen together · adult controls the audio
The spoken lesson
"A map is a simplified representation of a real or imagined place. It may show a room, playground, city, country, route, or world. Maps use positions, lines, colours, labels, and symbols. A legend or key explains what the symbols mean. A direction arrow shows how the map is oriented. A route connects a starting point to a destination. Landmarks help people recognise places. Map scale connects a small distance on paper with a larger real distance. A map leaves out many details and may become outdated. A map uses symbols and positions to represent a place." DESIGN REQUIREMENTS: Use a fictional place and a clearly corresponding map. Avoid real addresses, satellite imagery of the user, live location, route tracking, commercial map styling, or assuming all maps place north at the top.
Words to notice together
MAPPLACESYMBOLLEGENDDIRECTIONROUTELANDMARKSCALE
Make it real
Pause, point, name what you notice, and connect the idea to something familiar in your child's day. Repetition, a calm voice, shared attention and dependable care matter more than finishing quickly.