Spatial intelligence, maps & Operation World

Growing up, my parents read to us daily from Operation World, the Bible, and a missionary biography. I remember loving it, and now I want to share that joy with Elisabeth. However, I've been mindful that she's only two, and I'm inclined to be overeager. So it was with great joy that I recently saw how Elisabeth's natural abilities and interests intersect with my desire to teach.

Elisabeth loves maps, and has a remarkable spatial awareness. She can find and name somewhere between 6 and 12 countries on a world map, and can point to ask many places and say, "_____ lives there." Just this week I realized that since Operation World highlights one country each day, it would be perfect for connecting with her little laminated map. I can tell her the place, a little bit about it, and mention anyone we know who lives there - and then she can have the joy of finding and naming it on the map! So this week she has discovered Norway, Oman, and Pakistan!