How did you find all the post cards? What exactly did a child do at this center for 15 min.?
This is a two part question, so I will answer it as such:
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As for where I found the post cards-I joined the Yahoo group Postcard Kids to get most of the ones I needed for the 50 states. [I haven't been on this group in eons, so not sure how well the exchanges are working now-you'll have to investigate that to know for sure]. I did run into a couple of issues tho:
#1: I couldn't find folks that had the cards for the "challenging to find states"; or who could find a few of the cards I needed [not there fault-they just were not available] so, I solved that issue by getting some when I traveled, or by finding a picture of one online and then copy/pasting it to my Paint program to make a postcard. But I believe I only had to do that for a 2 or 3 and that was after about a year of trying to find em via the group.
#2-some folks are not [well, how can I say this nicely?] uh, "mindful" of returning the agreed upon card(s) in exchange for what I sent. I got burned on a few in the beginning, but the group moderator was great at bumping those postcard bums outta the group. So do be mindful of this problem-but usually folks are very, very good at exchanging. Also, give folks time to get yours to ya...like a couple weeks is fair (after all life goes on and sometimes getting the cards out has to be delayed due to stuff happening). All in all it was a great experience.
As to what the child does whilst at the center-now that is totally up to you and what you want to accomplish. But around here that usually involves a few things:
1. Coloring in the states we have covered on the laminated sheet of the US.
2. Opening the mailbox to see what new cards have arrived and filing them when done (into a plastic card box). Examine the Circle with the State names and Capitals too.
3. Looking over any new maps I put in or worksheets that I added.
4. Doing a puzzle of the US.
5. As for the added worksheets-I have failed a bit there but my big plan is to have ones that use the little compass and ask him to do something (like go outside and stand on the porch-which way does the front of our house point? Or What corner of the back of the house points W? Things like that. I can also do Long./Lat. pages where he has to use the mini-help guides [in the pocket] to answer questions. Things like that).
6. Read a book on the state we are covering.
These are merely suggestions. Remember too-we do NOT do the center everyday nor do we even do it once a week (yep, I could but usually don't). I try to set it up once we have covered 5 states, then ask him to do the above #1-4 and any additional stuff I find to toss in there.
Again-use what you have laying around the house. Find simple games, puzzles, projects that you could toss near the center for the child to do and set the time according to the amount of activities you want them to accomplish. I am sure other folks have some awesome ideas too-and if you know of some, please share. I have been looking at the shower curtain {just trying to justify that cost! Eww} with the world on it for when we do the world geography-thinking of games and such we can do using that. So there are tons of ideas-just depends on what you want to accomplish!
HTH ya out a bit! Thanks for asking too!
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