Geography teaches us about difference – different countries, environments and people. And in today’s increasingly diverse world, that’s more important than ever. So here are our top tips to inspire a love of geography at home, that will see your children go far.
Start at home – children enjoy a subject more if it feels relevant to them. So start by exploring your local community together – both urban and rural environments provide rich opportunities for fieldwork.
Broaden their horizons – we may have grown accustomed to using our smartphones to navigate, but when it comes to teaching children about the world you can’t beat a traditional globe or world map. Look out for interactive options, where you can mark off the countries you’ve been to – or challenge your children to sketch out their own map.
Travel, travel, travel – whether you holiday at home or abroad, use every trip as an opportunity to point out new places to your children, introducing them to new experiences, languages and cultures.
Become a culture vulture – while visits to the Natural History Museum or Science Museum are clearly great for inspiring young geographers, there’s plenty to be picked up from other museums and galleries too. Whether anthropological or ecological, historical or allegorical, we can learn about our place in the world from cultural sights around the country.
Spark their imagination – reading is a fantastic way to explore new worlds from the comfort of home. From evocative travel writing to fictional exploits set in far-flung lands, great literature stirs the senses and inspires the mind.
Get connected – there are plenty of ways for children to connect with like-minded peers. By subscribing to the National Geographical Magazine or joining the Royal Geographical Society, they’ll become part of an engaging and diverse community.
Experiment with new disciplines – geography is incredibly broad, and touches on multiple subjects. Try researching environmental science experiments you can do at home – from simple gardening tricks to creating your own weather, there are loads of fun ways to get creative with the world around you.
For more ideas on how to get geography going in your home, read this month’s interview with Richard Maurice, Lead Geography Consultant for the Harris Federation. Or get in touch with the Figtree team to see how we can help through our tailored tuition.
