With Krea
Cartography for kids
Cartography is the making of maps. A map shows a place from above, uses symbols for what's there, and says which way is north. In this course your kid maps your own street: they measure it in steps with you, draw it to scale, add a legend and a compass rose, then walk it to check. Krea hosts four short films. Plan about 3 minutes of films and 45–60 minutes of walking and drawing.
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▶ 1:45 tourWhat your kid makes
Your kid ends with a map of your own street, drawn to scale on grid paper, with a legend, a compass rose, and a title, checked on a walk with you.
- Ages
- 6 to 13
- Time
- 4 films, about 3 minutes, then 45–60 minutes of walking and drawing
- You need
- Grid paper, or plain paper and a ruler, a pencil and colored pencils, a grown-up for the walks, a phone with a compass app (optional)
- Host
- Krea
The 4 lessons
Lesson 1. A bird's-eye view
A map shows a place from above, so your kid draws the tops of things.
- Picture your room from the ceiling
- Draw the bed, the rug, and the door as shapes
- Put each one in the right spot
Where: Paper
Lesson 2. Measure with your feet
Steps turn into squares on paper, so the map is to scale.
- Walk to the corner with a grown-up
- Count every step and write it down
- Pick a scale, like 1 square for 5 steps
Where: At home
Lesson 3. Symbols and north
Symbols and a legend say what's on the map, and a compass rose shows north.
- Make five symbols, like a circle for a tree
- Put them in a legend box
- Draw a compass rose and find north
Where: Paper
Lesson 4. Draw your street
Your kid draws the street to scale, then walks it with you to check.
- Draw the road, then houses and trees
- Add the legend, the compass rose, and a title
- Walk the street and add what's missing
Where: Paper
Take the quiz
Krea asks 3 questions about the films. Get 2 right and you finish the course.
Transcript
Lesson 1: A bird's-eye view
Hi, I'm Krea! Today you make a real map. A map of your own street!
A map is a picture of a place, seen from above. Like a bird flying over it.
People who make maps are called cartographers. It's a real job!
Let's start small, with a bedroom. Here it is, seen from the ceiling.
From above, the bed is a rectangle. The rug is a circle. The desk is a little box.
You don't draw the sides of things. Only their tops, right where they are.
Your turn. Draw your room from above. Put the bed, the rug, and the door in the right spots. Then press Next.
Lesson 2: Measure with your feet
To map your street, you need to know how long it is. So let's measure it, with your feet!
Always walk and measure with a grown-up. Stay on the sidewalk.
Start at your front door. Walk to the corner, and count every step. One, two, three!
Write the number down. My corner is forty steps away.
Now pick a scale. On grid paper, one square can be five steps.
So forty steps is eight squares. Now the road on your paper matches your real street!
Your turn. With a grown-up, walk to the corner and count your steps. Write the number down. Then press Next.
Lesson 3: Symbols and north
Maps use little pictures called symbols. A circle can be a tree. A square can be a house.
Stripes can be a crossing. A blue blob can be a pond.
Put your symbols in a box, and write what each one means. That box is called a legend.
Maps also show which way is north. Draw a compass rose. North, east, south, west.
To find north, find the sun in the morning. It comes up in the east. Face it, and north is on your left.
Or ask a grown-up to open the compass on a phone. The N points north.
Your turn. Make a legend with five symbols. Draw a compass rose, and find north. Then press Next.
Lesson 4: Draw your street
Time to draw your street! Start with the road. Use your scale, so it's the right length.
Add the houses, the trees, and the crossing. Use the symbols from your legend.
Put your legend in a corner. Add your compass rose, with N pointing north.
Last, give it a title at the top. My Street!
Now walk your street with a grown-up, map in hand. Does each house and tree match?
Something missing? Add it! Real map makers fix their maps all the time.
Your turn. Draw your street map, give it a title, and walk it with a grown-up. You made a map of your street!
Free guides to practise with
Questions parents ask
What is cartography, in plain words?
Cartography is making maps. A cartographer shows a place from above, picks symbols for what's there, draws it to scale, and marks which way is north.
Is the walking part safe?
Every walk and every step count happens with a grown-up, on the sidewalk. The films say so each time. Your kid never measures the street alone.
How do we find north without a compass?
In the morning, the sun rises in the east. Face it, and north is on your left. A phone's compass app works too.