They need to know that maps and globes use other symbols and the concept of scale. They are pictures from a ''bird's eye view,'' and reduce the size of an actual place. Ages 2-3 Toddlers can't use maps. But they can become familiar with the idea that maps help people locate themselves in space. Just as they know that books have symbols that represent words, they can understand that maps and globes have symbols that represent things in the physical world.
Symbols have meaning.
Colors, lines, and markings on a map stand for something. Let your children see you reading maps and using globes. They should become familiar objects in your home. Keep a globe or a map of the United States near the television and use it to locate places talked about on television programs, or to follow the travels of your favorite sports team. Very young children won't be able to fully understand globes, but they will become familiar objects.