Mealtime Geography

I decided to ditch the globe and bought a world map and a US map. But, I no longer had a place to hang the maps! One day I rolled them out on the dining room table.  They would not lay flat because they were laminated, had been rolled and were holding that rolled shape. I decided heat might relax the curve.  I got my blow dryer and began my work.  My middle daughter, age 16,  came in and said, "What is this-- National Treasure?" I laughed and explained what I was trying to do. Then I realized the maps belonged where I had them.  We piled into the van and drove to Walmart where I purchased:
--a lovely vinyl table cloth
--a piece of medium weight clear vinyl about 18 inches longer than my table top.
 When guests come for dinner or at other times when we are practicing our manners, I can place a linen table cloth over the table vinyl and set out the crystal and china. Often guests protest and think it is novel to eat on a map. 

The map comes in handy when we are studying: Currents in Time

(current events, WHOTDILCH (What Happened on this Day in LDS Church History?),
 as well as, when studying the scriptures, studying Geography, "The Family Hour," and at other interesting times. We learn the map before us as we eat.  We notice things we might never have noticed. "Mealtime Geography" is a great way to lay a foundation for the study of Geography.