‘We find our way!’ Preschool children express their mapping skills

ABSTRACT

Raising consciousness about the concept of the physical environment and learning ways to find a street or targeted destination in early childhood are important in developing children’s cognitive skills. Map skills and spatial thinking can help children to solve a wide variety of problems in their daily lives (Gökçe, 2015). This study aimed to explore how preschool (five-year-old) children understand and use geographic knowledge in practice. A case study using the Mosaic approach was run to collect data from a series of seven carefully planned sessions, conducted in a rural public preschool in a city of southern Turkey. Pre- and post-activity tests were used to gauge children’s knowledge of maps and mapping, and observations were made as to how children reacted to mapping skills activities. Utilisation of mapping tools was taught and children’s knowledge about mapping skills was increased.

Keywords:

• children
• map skills
• spatial thinking
• geographical skills

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sevim Karaoglu

Sevim Karaoglu is Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education, Preschool Education Department, Agri Ibrahim Cecen University, Türkiye.

Ipek Ozbay

Ipek Ozbay is Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education, Early Childhood Education Department, Yozgat Bozok University, Türkiye