Geography Crafts for Kids

You know, I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for a while now and have looked at it off and on. Not quite the same as when I’m looking at a book to tell someone else about it though. Geography Crafts for Kids is filled with 50 different projects and activities to help expand one’s knowledge of geography. I really like this book!

From the cover:

How did early explorers keep from getting hopelessly lost?
Where is the center of the world
What does a cow in Finland sound like?

Want the answer? Check inside, and soon you’ll be doing and creating cool things that will help you experience geography like never before! Map your friend’s face, predict the weather, and find out if you have what it takes to pass your own country’s citizenship quiz. Search for eco-invaders in your backyard, or turn tomorrow’s trash into treasure. You’ll never look at Earth the same way again!

What you Get

Five chapters, templates and 50 different projects.

The five chapters are

Where in the World are you?
Maps, Maps, and Even more Maps
We are different, we are the same
The Earth Shapes you
You Shape the earth

Each chapter contains a number of interesting projects such as making a Mariner’s Cross Staff, a compass, a timezone clock, an antique map & case, a novel map, stamp box, world drum, take a citizenship quiz, read tree rings, make a Pangea pudding puzzle or even a debate book. So many different and exciting options to try. Learn the history or the reason behind each craft.

THIS I liked. Projects in a geography book that you wouldn’t expect. Who would think about putting a project about brick making in a book about geography? But when you stop and think about it, homes all over the world are made from bricks, so it makes sense. Many of the projects are ones that I would not have anticipated.

Lots of different ways to make maps were explored, one I thought was unique was printing off an antique map and printing it off on a t-shirt or pillow case. It’s just a matter of finding some transfer paper. Some were ones I expected like doing a neighbourhood or a trade route map. It’s great to mix the expected with the unexpected isn’t it?

My Thoughts:

I love the variety presented within the pages of this book. To see the options available to help your students learn geography its a great thing. This book would be an excellent addition to any teacher who wants to add hands on elements to teaching geography. I hope to make a cross staff with my lad when we study war by sea. We are taught how to use it as well. I even found a video that talks about this navigational tool. Another excellent book is can be found here.