Around Your World

Introduction

Introduce your child to the seven continents through literacy.

Materials:

• Paper (oversized or sheets of paper)
• Pencils
• Crayons
• Scissors (*Adults only)
• *Paint (optional)
• *Paintbrush (optional)

Directions:

• Help your child draw the continents on a large piece of paper
• Have an adult cut out the continents.
• Write the name of each continent in them so that each one is labeled
• Then have your child draw the different types of geography that are found on each continent. For example, he can draw the Bamboo forests in Asia or the Rocky Mountains in North America. Then have your child write the word forest or mountains and do the same thing for all the geography that they draw.
• When your child has finished the geography have him make a map of the world by placing them where they would be on a map. You can use a large sheet of paper to draw an oval and place them inside of it or simply lay them out on a table or on the floor.
• Have your child write the words North, South, East and West on pieces of paper. Then help them figure out where they go on the map.

Take it further:

• Animals Around the World - Help your child learn what kind of animals live on each continent. Have him draw the animals on a separate piece of paper. Then, he can write the name of each animal underneath the animal he has drawn. Have an adult cut out the animals along with the name of the animal. Your child can then place the animals on the correct continents.
• Alphabet Continents - Have your child put the continents in alphabetical order. For another challenge have him put the animals in alphabetical order.

Talk about it:

• How far away is each continent if you were to fly there on an airplane? Has your child been to any other continents besides the one that he lives on? Have you? If so tell them stories about when you traveled there. Where else have you and your child traveled in your own continent, country or state? Ask your child where he would want to go if he could go anywhere in the world and why he would want to go there.
• Does your child know what a climate is? Talk about what kind of climate or climates each continent typically has.