The Badge Archive

Teach kindergarteners about community places and how to create a simple neighborhood map in a fun and interactive way.

Items Needed:

• Sidewalk chalk
• Option 1 – Sheets of paper or card stock and Coloring Supplies (crayons, markers, colored pencils) to draw pictures on individual sheets representing each place (home, school, post office, library, fire station, police station, grocery store)
• Option 2 – Printed icons representing each place (home, school, post office, library, fire station, police station, grocery store) – Sample here
• Sample map for reference – (Draw your own grid and place small icons where you prefer)
• Two sample maps for the scout groups to draw on
• Strong tape or weight (like rocks) to keep the paper buildings in the locations you put them
• Optional: Small toy cars and figures for additional play

Before this meeting:

1. Draw or print the represented buildings (one for each printed page).

Instructions:

1. Introduction (5-10 minutes):
   • Gather the scouts in a circle and explain the activity.
   • Review the icons and explain what each one represents (e.g., “This is a school. This is where you go to learn and play with your friends.”). These would be the printed icons, or the drawn images the scouts drew in a previous meeting.
   • Discuss the importance of each place (e.g., “Why is the fire station important?”).
2. Show the Sample Map (5-10 minutes):
   • Show them the sample map with the grid roads and legend. Explain what a legend is and what landmarks are on the map. Then get the scouts excited that they are going to make their own town today that looks like this one!
3. Create the Map Base (10-15 minutes):
   • Find a suitable outdoor area with enough space.
   • Use sidewalk chalk to draw simple roads in a grid layout, as shown in the sample map. Leave enough room between the roads to fit the papers with the buildings in the correct spots. Scouts may need help with approximate locations of the roads, but let the scouts draw the roads, even if they aren’t exact.
4. Place Buildings (10 minutes):
   • Give each child an icon for a specific place. Place the buildings on the chalk-drawn map in the appropriate spots, following the sample map. You may need strong tape, or a weight (like rocks) to keep the paper buildings in place.
5. Add Details (10 minutes):
   • If extra time, encourage the children to add more details to the map, such as trees, cars, or people.
6. Navigate the Map (10 minutes):
   • Split into two groups. Have a leader in each group write down simple directions the group decides the other group should follow for a tour of their new town. Where does the other group start? Which stops do they take (add in at least two stops before the end)? Where do they end up? Draw the lines and circle the start, stops, and end point.
   • Give a set of directions and the road map for the created tours to the opposite group. One at a time, let the groups navigate the town using the new instructions. Were the instructions clear? Did they make it to all the stops and the final destination? Switch and let the second group go.
7. Extra Time
   • Encourage the children to “navigate” their giant town by using the sample map as their guide.
   • They can use small toy cars and figures to visit different places on the map or walk the streets themselves.

Wrap-up:

• Congratulate the scouts on their hard work.
• Take a photo of the map to send to the scout families before you remove the buildings and clean off the chalk.

Have fun creating your giant neighborhood map!