Recent research in neuroscience tells that the development of the hands is a key input into the development of the growing child.
In Montessori, we are deeply concerned with the development of the hands as “instruments of the intelligence”. Thus, as with everything else in Montessori, geography too is offered to children to explore with their hands first.
Using their hands, children explore a globe with land areas covered in sandpaper, and get a rich sensorial experience of the extent to which the Earth is actually covered with water. So much better than being told to memorize a factoid!
Soon, children begin working with puzzles that represent world maps and different continents — they begin by putting the puzzle together, and soon graduate to knowing the names of these countries. It is not unusual to see children as young as five, point out a country on the map that an adult may not be aware of. [Quiz: Can you spot Mali on a map? Or Kazakhstan?]
Along the way, children create their own world maps, read more about states or countries they may have visited, and make fact sheets or booklets on geography-related topics of their own choosing. What a rich way to be exposed to our world!