Longitude and Latitude

Hi there. I am a secret hug that wraps around the whole wide world. You can't see me, but I am always here. I have lines that go up and down, from the tippy-top of the world to the very bottom. I also have lines that go around the middle, like a big belt. My lines make a giant net with lots of little squares all over the Earth. I am your secret map. My name is Longitude and Latitude.

A long, long, long time ago, big wooden ships sailed on the big blue sea. Splash. The sailors wanted to know where they were going. They looked at the bright, warm sun. They looked at the sparkly, twinkly stars at night. But it was tricky. So they used me to help. My up-and-down lines showed them if they were going east or west. My side-to-side lines showed them if they were going north or south. I helped them draw maps. With my help, the sailors could find new, fun places and always find their way back home to their cozy beds.

Today, I help you too. When your grown-up uses a map on a phone to go to the park, that's me helping. Vroom, vroom. I show them the exact spot to go. Every single place has a special spot on my net. Your house has a spot. The playground has a spot. Even your favorite toy has a spot. I help everyone know just where they are, so we can all go on adventures and always find our way home.