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The Map of My Home

Follow the route your child remembers around home and record their directions in a simple map.

  • 2 years
  • Quick prep
  • Neighborhood
  • About 30 minutes
Focus
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Developmental benefits

  • Cognitive：Drawing a neighborhood map asks your child to recall familiar places and the route that connects them.
  • Language：Talking about directions, routes, and events along the way gives your child practice describing a familiar journey.

Preparation

What You’ll Need

  1. 1

    Paper

  2. 2

    a drawing tool

Step 1

Draw the Map

Start a simple map of the area around home. Ask your child to name nearby places and show where they belong while you add them to the map.

What to notice

  • Recalls places near home and names them, such as a supermarket or park Memory
  • Talks about what a place is used for or shares an experience or story about it Communicating and Speaking

Tips

  • Use place stickers or familiar photos to represent each location your child points out on the map.
  • Prompt your child to recall landmarks from regular walks and which way you travel after passing each one.

Step 2

Let Your Child Lead the Tour

Let your child choose a destination. At each turn or intersection, ask which way to go and follow their direction.

What to notice

  • Indicates which way to go by pointing or saying, “Go this way.” Communicating and Speaking
  • Chooses which direction to travel Initiative and Curiosity

Tips

  • Acknowledge your child’s directions and follow the route they choose.
  • If your child becomes tired, carry them and let them stay in the commander role, pointing an arm in the direction to travel.

Step 3

Follow the Route Again

At the destination, open the map and trace the route from home. Add marks as you recall what happened and which directions your child chose. Invite them to add their own lines or symbols.

What to notice

  • Recalls a turn or route at an intersection and describes it with words or gestures Memory
  • Holds a drawing tool and draws a route on the paper Fine Motor

Tips

  • When your child recalls a turn or something that happened, build on it: “That’s right—you led us this way. This is the left side.”
  • Help your child remember a turn: “At this intersection, which way did we go to the park—left or right?” Point both ways as you ask.
  • Bring the map on later walks and outings too.

Better Parenting Content Team · Updated September 11, 2026