I’ve created that map based on Montessori websites for my 17 old months baby. He reads continents (not so clearly yet:). This is great activity for a baby. Eaton is enjoying putting names of the continents on the board. First simple map with outlines only. We will use that board for teaching oceans, animals of different lands etc…
I plan to create more of these maps for each continent. This way is more affordable than buying maps from montessori websites. I did consider doing that before but I changed my mind. Eaton likes that sound when he is pulling cards from the board and he has a lot of different nobs puzzles he enjoys.
I’ve started collecting some stuff like: boxes, bottles, scraps of color papers etc few months ago. That big foam came with a joystick my husband bought for himself and I kept that. But you can buy alternative in craft store. They are foams for flower arrangments that work pretty good too.
And yes, I cut these Islands by myself. It’s very easy project but time consuming. It took me about 3.5 hours with printing, cutting laminating and gluing.
Martusia, This method of yours is fantastic. Karma to you. Can you please tell me what it is you use for the words to stick on the board?
Ever since we’ve returned home from visiting family in London a couple of months ago, I’ve been trying to gather material to teach my son where his grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins live. A month ago I ordered a world map wall decal to put on his bedroom wall (we plan to do this tomorrow). I am hoping that it’ll will help him to start recognizing different places and continents…
Thank you Rugrat,
And I have a great idea from you! Thanks so much for sharing.
The dots are velcro. I bought them in Walmart in sawing section. You can buy circles or squares. I prefer circles as they are smaller. I hope that help.
Your boy is adorable especially with that hammer!
Can I ask you where you got the pegs fom?? I think I will try that too although my LO still mouths the hammer
These are Golf Tees I bought in Walmart: sport section for about $3. There were 90 of them ( hardwood), plenty to create many of these activities!
I introduce that activity at 17 months but I think he was ready about 16. He was always banging on something with wooden hammer. But at that time I would probably need to hold a golf tee for him. At 17 he is totally enjoying it independently.
I love watching the videos you kindly shared. Your son is so gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your fun ideas.
I was hoping you would also share the method you used to print the continents onto your coloured card stock. I cannot notice lots of joins on your continents in the video. Your work looks so beautiful.
However, the 2x2 maps (4 pages) option you used prints onto 4 pages (as stated) and splits up many of the continents. I thought of making a template of each split continent (and all the other split land masses such as islands), cutting out the templates, copying the templates to coloured card stock and then cutting out the coloured card stock. But this means double cutting! My fingers are starting to hurt as I think about all that cutting and they are hoping your method is better than the plan I have devised.
Thank you again for sharing. You are an enormous inspiration.
Mum,
The method you described is the one I used. I need to add that I taped black and white map to color map. It started to move at one point. I couldn’t think about other method. It’s time consuming, but when you cut first continent it looks so nice that you don’t mind doing the rest
How did I teach him the map?
I put the map of the world on my baby’s room wall. There is a song on youtube about continents http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf--PQNDn7g I used to sing to my baby that song with showing him the continents on regular map. But then I realized that he can’t see the outlines of continents. Montessori idea with colors was the solution. There are ocean songs too I will be using for teaching.
That was enough for my baby. He picked up from the song.
