by Charlee Bee
“What do you notice about this place?” Open Amazing Landforms and Water Wonders: A Geography Adventure to a picture your child likes and see where that question takes you. Then get out some paper and draw a place of your own. A mountain, a river and an invented name are plenty to start with.
Table of Contents
Which book are we exploring?
Amazing Landforms and Water Wonders: A Geography Adventure by Charlie Wildhart introduces islands, deserts, forests, mountains and water features through pictures, simple definitions and examples of real places. This activity is an extra idea for reading together, not an exercise presented as part of the book.
How do we begin with a picture?
Let your child choose a page. Read together and allow time to look. Ask what they notice before asking them to name anything. They might talk about colours, shapes, plants, water or a place the family has visited. Follow one observation and connect it with a word on the page.
When you encounter a new term, use the book’s explanation and look for it in the picture. If a question goes beyond the information available, write it down to explore later. “I do not know yet” is a useful part of investigating a place together.
How can we make an imaginary landscape?
- Put paper sideways or use a larger sheet if you have one.
- Choose two or three features from the book.
- Draw the landscape and decide which parts are land and which are water.
- Add labels, dictate labels to an adult, or point and describe.
- Give the place an invented name and tell someone about it.
The drawing can be simple. A young child might use broad shapes and tell you what they represent. Another child may enjoy adding paths, a key or labels. Let the activity grow from their interest instead of requiring a detailed map.
Which questions can keep the conversation going?
Try “Which part would you like to look at more closely?” or “What would you want to find out before visiting a place like this?” Ask your child to explain one label or show you a detail. Enjoy an imaginary picture while keeping factual definitions clear when you return to the book.
Can we connect the drawing with a real place?
Choose a place named in the book or somewhere familiar to your family. Find it on a map or globe and look at a photograph from a source you choose together. Notice one similarity and one difference between the real place and the invented landscape. Give the drawing an invented name so it’s clear which place you made up.
How can siblings take part?
Give each child a sheet or divide a shared sheet into sections. One person can draw while another chooses a label or asks a question. If interests differ, finish after a few minutes and leave materials available for later. There is no requirement to complete a matching set of features.
Where do we go next?
Save the drawing with a note about your child’s favourite discovery. Next time, revisit a page or choose another title from our Earth Sciences collection. You can also view Amazing Landforms and Water Wonders on Amazon for available formats and current pricing.
Bubbly Books publishes the featured book. Purchases through its Amazon listing may earn book royalties.