Activities to get to know your neighbourhood

Difficulty: Explorer (Level 1)

The best way to get around is with a map. For centuries, maps have helped us understand the world around us. While today you can easily pull up an interactive version on a phone or electronic device within seconds, maps were originally drawn out on paper – and before that, they were carved!

The science or practice of map-making is called cartography. People who make maps are called cartographers. It dates back to 600BC, during the Babylonian era. These ancient people lived in what is present-day Iraq. They would carve maps out on clay tablets, but they were not very precise.

Cartography expanded and reached ancient Greece and Rome, as well as China and India. Maps soon became made on paper. Today, they are usually digital and easily accessible.

Photo: Shutterstock

Make a map of your neighbourhood

Materials

• a large piece of paper

• crayons or coloured pencils and pens

• a phone, laptop or tablet with Google Maps or another map app

Instructions

1. Before you make this map, you have to understand what your neighbourhood looks like from the sky – a “bird’s eye” view. Open Google Maps and search for your area. Decide on the region you want to focus on and study it carefully.

2. Time to draw! Start by labelling your paper with the name of your neighbourhood. Place your home in the centre of the paper map with a dot. Then, draw the streets around your home and label them.

3. Now mark any important locations. These can be your favourite shops and restaurants, nearby parks, an MTR station or bus stop and even your friends’ homes. Use a dot or any shape you want, like a star or triangle.

4. Now that you have everything mapped out, colour and decorate it. Draw in buildings and add any greenery, like trees, rivers or bodies of water.

Photo: Shutterstock

Neighbourhood clean-up

Materials

• rubbish bags

• rubber gloves

• friends and family to help

Instructions

1. We want our neighbourhoods to feel like home for the whole community. That is why it is important to keep them clean. One thing we can do is pick up litter.

2. With friends, grab some rubbish bags and choose an area to clean up. Each person can take one or two bags. Make sure to have a parent or guardian accompany you.

3. Put on your rubber gloves and start picking up litter. Do not pick up anything that is very dirty or looks dangerous, like glass. If you are unsure, ask an adult.

4. Put the litter in the bag. Once you have filled the bags, a parent can help you dispose of the rubbish properly.