Making a Map For Learning

Treasure Map !

Who said learning has to be done sitting at a desk? This project taps into your child’s creativity first by making a map then it challenges them to complete the tasks a long the way  to the treasure.

Gather your materials:

You will need some white paper, permanent markers ,a some used coffee grinds in the filter. The markers need to be permanent because the coffee grinds will wipe away regular markers.  If your child is too young for permanent markers and wants to participate, crayons will stand up to the wet grinds.

Using permanent markers draw a treasure map. I like to use things in my backyard as the “stops” in the map. For the activity below using real things will make it easier.Taking out most of the coffee grinds rub the outside of the filter all over your map to make it look old and dirty! Let dry. You can also use tea but it takes much longer and we all know how much kids love to wait. Randomly rip the edges to make the map look more authentic!

• The Game

A few years ago I had a small but amazing class of 2-3 year olds who challenged me because they were such smart little people. In an effort to find a fun outdoor activity I developed this map game.

Using your map you can go to each “stop” then you must complete a challenge before moving on.  The challenges are where you slip in totally unrelated learning. Depending on what you want to work on with your child you can have them sing the alphabet, count to 10, do some jumping jacks or even spell their name. The sky is the limit and this game is ever changing as new challenges are added. The treasure can be anything from stickers to a favorite book!

If your child is anything like that little class I originally played this with , it won’t be long before they make up their own challenges for the map and amaze you with their creativity!

Allie, a former teacher now spends her days finding creative ways to keep her 2 year old busy learning.  See all their fun at No Time For Flash Cards