The Changing Face Of Mapping

Since I was little, I have been fascinated with maps and globes. I guess this is a common interest for many little kids. You see, looking at a map and globe is like having the whole world in miniature. Kids love to play make-believe games, after all. If the make-believe games you can play with a toy castle are wonderful, then the games you can play with maps and globe are truly spectacular.

My son is just five years old, but already I see traces of the same fascination that I used to have with map and globe. I think I first noticed it when he walked into the computer room while I was using Google Earth. If you've never used Google Earth before, you have to try it. It is quite a thrill. Nothing combines map and globe quite like Google does. You start off with a three-dimensional image of a rotating Earth that you can turn with your mouse. From there, you can zoom in on almost any spot on the entire planet. Although some of them have better map and globe resolution than others, most of the big cities can be seen down to the individual street, or even the individual house. I'll tell you one thing. My son was amazed.

That was when I decided to get him a map and globe of his very own. The globe that I got him was up to date and realistic. The map, however, was fantastic. It depicted the world as people had imagined it hundreds of years ago, complete with sea monsters and dragons.

Together, the map and globe give him a complete picture of the world as far as I'm concerned. You see, on the one hand, the world is a very concrete place of nations and borders, of mountains and oceans. On the other hand, however, it is a fantastic place of boundless imagination. The map and globe I got him capture both of these ideas perfectly.

Of course, I am sure that a child does not need my help to be imaginative. That is, after all, what children are best at. But still, I think it is good for him to know that I am on his side. There are so many adults, especially nowadays, who are completely concerned with practical things and give no thought to be imaginative life of children. It is important for us adults to encourage children not just to develop practical skills, but to retain imagination as well. The map and globe are my attempts to do just that.

Satellite Maps