Map My Day
Here's What To Do
Talk with your child about their schedule for tomorrow. Mention the places they need to go, and in what order.
Help them make a map of their day tomorrow. (It's okay if the directions on the map are not completely accurate.)
- First, draw all the places they will go. Help them label the places.
- Next, draw paths between the places.
- On the paths, draw how they'll get from place to place (bus, train, car, scooter, etc.).
- Label roads and bus numbers (etc.) if you'd like
Throughout the day that you mapped, take the map with you. Put a mark next to each place to check them off as you go.
Talk about directions as you navigate from place to place. Ask your child to give you directions if you're traveling on a familiar route.
Put PEER Into Action
Pause:
- Find a place free of distraction before you begin.
Engage:
- "Let's talk about your day tomorrow. First you'll go to school. From school we'll go to the grocery store. Then after the grocery store, we'll come home. Can you draw home, your school, and the grocery store?"
- "Now let's label our map and show how we'll get from place to place. Can you write an 'H' to start 'Home?'"
Encourage:
- "Let's check your map. Now we're going from home to school. First we make a left on 1st Street, then we make a right on Maple and walk 5 blocks. Last, we turn left onto Juniper. Then we're at school!"
- "Hmmmm... we need to go this way next. That's left, not right. Left onto 2nd Street!"
Reflect:
- "What did you think about having a map of our day today?"
Not quite ready?
If it's difficult for your child to draw or label places on their own, you can help draw parts of the map. Talk through what you're drawing so your child is still involved.
Ready for more?
Ask your child to draw directions between two familiar places from memory. Show them what they drew correctly and what is different in real life.
As your child masters this skill...
They will be able to name important places in their community, give basic directions, and draw a model of familiar locations.