learntosoar Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 My DD just turned 3 has been asking a lot of questions. Why is it colder in winter? Where does the sun go? She is also very interested in the changing size of the moon. We spend a fair bit of time at the beach. She has asked why there are low and high tides. How does one explain the moon and gravity to a three year old? Can anyone recommend a book or an app that would help explain these concepts to her? It would also be nice to get a model of the sun. moon and earth that spun and tilted. I think it would help if she could touch and turn and see what happens. Perhaps a model that would allow the other planets to be added later. She also asks a lot of geography questions? Where is America, Canada, Italy etc. I've shown her maps but I don't think she understands that the different colored areas represent countries or even what is a country I've tried to explain the concept that the earth is a big round ball or planet and it is made up of countries. I don't think I explained that to her very well.... I would appreciate any advice. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I've found that a globe has been very helpful. We allowed him to play with it and would hold it up the light (sun) to show how time and the seasons work. I think he knew every continent at 3, but didn't like the oceans because there wasn't a clear divide. We gave him an inflatable one because 3 year olds tend to break nice things. He still loves it and gives our guests geography lessons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Apparently my husband took him into a dark room and used a flashlight. That's better than my idea. Also, part of the joy of an inflatable globe as opposed to a model is that you can give it to a child. They can have it whenever they want and stare at it for as long as they want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 BFSU has that lesson in its first book (and then revisits in book 3). In addition to Slache's dh's idea, put a little tape on the map to represent your dd, and another one for somebody far from you. Then you can introduce time zones, and why we don't call grandma's before breakfast! This is a great way to set her intuitive feel for which way the earth rotates. This would also be a good lead-in to measuring solar noon in your area, and discussion, or measurement about why the Latin for sunrise and Sunday change over the year. I think you should buy BFSU. It is cheap and dense and not very user friendly, but it will help her answer these questions and help both of you tie them together with other science topics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 The 'Let's Read and Find Out Science' books were useful at that age. There are different levels. I'm pretty sure that there is one on that subject. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Let's Read and Find Out has great books for topics like these! What Makes Day and Night, Sunshine Makes the Seasons, The Moon Seems to Change, Gravity is a Mystery: http://www.amazon.ca/What-Makes-Day-Night-Revised/dp/0064450503 http://www.amazon.ca/Sunshine-Makes-The-Seasons-Reillustrated/dp/0060592052/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0Q2Z9G06HRS2Q4KP99GP http://www.amazon.ca/The-Moon-Seems-To-Change/dp/0064450651/ref=pd_sim_14_11?ie=UTF8&dpID=5151cX46b7L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0CV41DPBW6KVVTKC5EX5 http://www.amazon.ca/Gravity-Is-Mystery-Franklyn-Branley/dp/0064452018/ref=pd_sim_14_7?ie=UTF8&dpID=51OYQsbfLhL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0K2M5MJAXMT63RY6CCAT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcitedMama Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Ditto the above, that's what I was going to recommend when I read your post. My 3 yr old asks lots of why questions and has enjoyed the lets read and find out books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syllieann Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 I agree with Susan about bfsu. You can download it for $5 and read the first few lessons in each thread yourself. Next time there is a question, you will have a plan to help your child use observations that she's already made about the world to find the answers to her own questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abba12 Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Also, part of the joy of an inflatable globe as opposed to a model is that you can give it to a child. They can have it whenever they want and stare at it for as long as they want. You are awesome, I didn't even know this existed *buys inflatable globe right now for christmas* 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 You are awesome, I didn't even know this existed *buys inflatable globe right now for christmas* We also like the scrunchy maps and geopuzzles. My 5 year old knows more geography than most adults just by doing puzzles. We got the 6 pack for probably $60. It's been one of our best investments. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwilk Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 We also had some luck using a spinning top to demonstrate tilt and the way the planet has a hemisphere pointing toward the sun in summer and away from the sun in the winter. We also picked up a book of Kid's First Questions and Answers that help with those sorts of questions. Also, you may find interesting videos on youtube for some of this stuff. We aim for videos 2-4 minutes in length at that age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacbeaumont Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 http://www.amazon.ca/Gravity-Jason-Chin/dp/1596437170 This book was great for my son when he was 3, nearly 4. With the globe, we also talked about why its warmer at the equator, then I lead to why its warmer when the earth tilts. As for why or how the earth tilts, I'm embarrassed to say I don't even know why that happens (yet), but luckily he never asked why. "Me on the map" is a great book, too for explaining geography. Sent from my U9200 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoes+Ships+SealingWax Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 My DS has been obsessed w/ the solar system since he was 18mo. We have inflatable planets, a kick-ball style globe, a felt world map, apps & several books 😂 App: Earth School (version 1 is better than 2) Books: Our Solar System & Beyond, Usborne Beginners The Solar System, Dr. Seuss There's No Place Like Space Other: Pinterest Activity - connect paper Sun / Earth / Moon w/ brads to show rotation & revolution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah0000 Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 The book Where Do I Live starts a child in his room, then expanding out through his city, state, country, continent, planet, solar system, galaxy, and universe. It helps put things in perspective. You'll have to edit one page that says there are nine planets though. We have a hug a world globe that's fun to throw around and useful for showing orbits and rotation concepts. We have a miniature solar system model but that actually wasn't as useful. We also have a big world political wall map right next to DS bed. At bedtime reading we find the places that are mentioned in books. We also play a game we call Map Slap where I'll say a country, continent, sea, or ocean and he'll have to slap it as fast as he can. He's learned a surprising amount this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
learntosoar Posted December 12, 2015 Author Share Posted December 12, 2015 (edited) Thank you for all the advice. The "Let's Read and Find out" books are really helpful. They cover a number of useful topics! We were able to pick one up from the library the next day on Day and Night. My daughter will be getting some of the books for Christmas this year. Also, she will be getting puzzles, maps and a globe. It always works well if I can make learning fun for her. We will be trying our own version of " Map Slap" at one point. :) The "Me on the Map" book and "Where do I Live" books also look great. Thank you! I've been looking at BFSU. It is a bit daunting. I'm not sure I got the correct version ("Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding. A Science Curriculum for K-8 and older Beginning Science Leaners. 2nd Ed. Vol. 1, Grades K-2. by Nebel." It is a green book. ) Edited December 12, 2015 by learntosoar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 We just read Sunshine Makes the Seasons...I think she'd like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PersonalMap Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 (edited) When I was her age my dad explained it to me using a dark room, a globe, a flashlight for the sun, and an orange for the moon. It was a perfect hands-on illustration. Our daughter loves maps too. We mark things on them for her that she's interested in: here's where we live, here's where you were born, here's where the Eiffel Tower is, here's where the president lives, here's where penguins live, etc. Edited December 27, 2015 by PersonalMap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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