An Atlas Just for Your Backseat Driver

Last Updated on May 26, 2014 by

As we made our way across half the country Brenna would ask, quite often, to see our road atlas. We would do our best to show her where we were, where we planned to drive and anything we thought might interest her. She listened intently and did her best to follow along.

But our map is made for adults. It’s big, rather unwieldy and, honestly, isn’t very interesting. it wasn’t until after we arrived that I found the Rand Mcnally Kids’ Road Atlas, which I snatched up for our drive home.

This book begins with two pages on using an atlas; including the legend, scale and coordinates to find locations on a map. And it’s done in a way that makes it seem like fun, not (gasp!) learning.

Next is a US map with the interstate system and our largest lakes & rivers. Not as many squiggly lines as on our big atlas. And beside that is more learning! This time state abbreviations, with hints on how to figure them out using the atlas.

Then it’s on to the states. Each state has a page showing larger cities and main roads, the state tree, flower and bird, and a game of some sort (more learning!).

Canada and Mexico are also included, as is an index; just like in a “real” atlas.

Brenna may be a bit young for the puzzles and games, but she enjoys having her own atlas. She’ll grow into it.

Rand McNally has an entire line of maps and books for kids of all ages. I highly recommend the Kids’ Road Atlas and I will be looking into the others as the girls get older and we continue our travels.