Map My Yard

How long it’ll take:

40 min - 1 hour

What the goal is:

Campers will have created a map of their own backyard, complete with a correct compass rose and key.

What the objectives are:

Teach campers about perspective and orientation.

What you’ll need:

• 1-2 Pieces of Paper (construction, printer, one sided all ok)

• Drawing materials - markers, pens, crayons, colored pencils, etc.

• Clipboard or book to bring with you to draw/color on

• Compass (optional)

What you’ll do

1. Have campers pick an area they’d like to base their maps on. Could be their backyard, front yard, house, or neighborhood.

2. Have them start by orienting their piece of paper to match the area they’ll be mapping.

3. Next, have them start drawing boundaries of larger objects in their chosen area.

4. Then, have them add smaller details like trees, roads, plants, hills, etc. Different colors, shapes, and patterns can help distinguish items on the map.

5. Using a compass, have them draw a compass rose that tells which direction is North.

6. Have campers make a key. A key is helpful when a map has symbols on it and you need to know what the symbols mean. If campers would like to use symbols instead of drawing objects, encourage them to do so.

7. Give them 20-30 minutes to work on their maps. If they finish early ask them to add even more detail.

8. ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE: Have campers hide something and mark it on their maps. Then have them switch maps and see if other campers can find their hidden treasure.