Archived: Early Childhood: Where Learning Begins Geography

Activities

Direction

Concepts of location begin early in life. By age 2, children are able to distinguish between

objects that are near and can be grasped, and those that are farther away.  They can notice

features of their immediate surroundings, such as the bedroom or yard.

The idea of direction is a difficult concept. Children develop the concept of direction through

experiences such as climbing, jumping, running, and rolling around.  Children need to physically

experience themselves in space.  First, children need to develop body awareness; to understand

where their body is in a room, including its size and level (upright, crawling or stooping, or on

the floor); how the body's different parts are put together with wriggling wrists and wobbling

ankles, and how to move in directions like forward, backward, or sideways. When they know

how their body moves, they will have the basis for learning precise directions and locations later

in life.  The more opportunities children have to run and move about, the greater their ability to

keep track of position and location.

Children with disabilities have a special need to experience space, direction, and location.  Even

when using a wheelchair, children can play simple dancing games that help them orient

themselves in space. They can take field trips into the community and use maps to follow

directions.