What Do Children Draw When Asked to Draw a Map? Results of a Mental Map Experiment

When asked to draw a map reflecting on their experience, what do children draw? The authors offer possible answers through the eyes of children aged 6 to 14 who visited the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment on the campus of Texas State University; the 332 maps children were asked to draw after their visit are the focus. Results indicate that according to children, a map can be qualitatively understood as a graphic representation of the child’s experience that includes people and animals, places, and events, and natural and built environments. Children use both mimetic and abstract symbols that vary in shape, are often used repeatedly to create texture or patterns, and can vary in colour that often—but not always—abide by traditional colour denotations. Cartographic scales, legends, or north arrows are rarely used. The abundant use of written labels or descriptive words on their maps suggests that children understand maps as an expressive form that blends symbols and text. In efforts to contribute to the ultimate questioning of what makes a map a map, this study provides a strong empirical case for the what and how of children’s map-making processes concentrating on traditional cartographic conventions and elements.