As many as one in five American children are incapable of finding their home country on a map. There still isn’t a dedicated geography course for children within the US, but educators are starting to put a greater emphasis on geography in order to rectify the situation. This involves finding ways to measure progress that are compatible with how young children reason, and finding ways to connect geography to other disciplines in a way that’s compelling. With a little effort and cooperation, parents and educators can teach kids geography and ensure that kids grow up to become geographically literate adults. Here are some fun educational geography games kids will enjoy as they learn more about their world.
World Geography Games Kids Will Enjoy:
Geography Puzzles
My kids love geography puzzles. They really help a child understand the shape and placement of each state and often to visualize an important product from each state (depending on the puzzle). USA puzzles are a great place to start and then world puzzles are a great next step.
Drawing Maps
Drawing maps can be turned into geography games kids will enjoy. One of the easiest ways to measure progress is to have kids draw maps of the entire world from memory. This should be done at the beginning and the end of the school year. Geography is in many ways a visual discipline. Children who are encouraged to map out spaces within their heads will likely grasp key concepts more easily than those who are asked to memorize lists of locations. Make it fun by challenging them to draw a map of the United States against you or a sibling and see whose map turns out better. Then afterwards, they can refer to real maps and make improvements and they just may want to hang them in their rooms.
Put Maps Everywhere
A child should always have access to maps whether they are hanging on the wall or there is an atlas on the nearest bookshelf. My daughter got a globe for her sixth birthday and she spends some of her spare time spinning it and looking at all of the countries of the world. Exposure breeds familiarity and it can also breed curiosity. In some cases merely stoking the flames of a child’s innate desire to learn is enough to improve his performance and teach him what he wouldn’t learn otherwise. You can sit next to a map and challenge each other to come up with the capital of each state. Whoever gets the most capitals correct wins!
Make Locations Real to Children
It’s one thing to talk about China. It’s something altogether different to discuss Mandarin and it’s unique properties compared to English, and to show kids pictures of city streets and how they’re laid out from above. Some kids learn more easily when they can connect people and culture to places, and they have more of a reason to remember where countries are if they possess supplementary knowledge about why they would or wouldn’t want to go there. There are monthly subscription boxes such as Little Passports that come with geography games kids will enjoy and make this easy. Or you can take trips to the library together and find cool fun books on a place your child wants to learn more about. Then you can read together, find recipes to cook together, and ask each other questions about the place to see who remembers the most facts.
Challenge Kids to Design Countries
The easiest way to grasp why maps are structured the way they are is to create one. Try creating detailed and less detailed maps. Some may just outline countries while others may account for roads and major structures. When children understand the processes that map creators go through, it’s easier for them to understand what someone else has created. You may just find out that you have a little map maker on your hands. If you want more ideas for this, you can read these map design tips.
Show Changes Over Time
A country’s borders aren’t static, and neither is its population or the layouts of its towns, villages and cities. This has the added benefit of tying into history. Some children have an easier time with names, locations and dates when they can piece together what the environment may have looked like during the era they’re studying. You can get 5 maps of the same area and challenge them to put them in the correct order. Getting a chocolate for each correct map in these geography games for kids is sure to give them motivation.
Travel or Do A “Travel” Project
If it’s possible to travel, taking a child to see different places is the best teaching tool! Travel can be a luxury that not every family can afford but with this world geography kids craft– every kid can travel in their mind. Encouraging him to think about the places he’d like to visit makes a great substitute. It also provides all the more motivation for him to excel both in school and in life.
Hold a Geography Trivia Night
Get together with some friends and test your geography knowledge! This is a great excuse to have a fun gathering and bond with family and/or friends. Here’s how to gear trivia questions toward geography! Hosting a trivia night for USA states is a fun way to test knowledge of state capitals, famous landmarks, and historical events while sparking friendly competition about the United States of America.
Geography Board Games
There are lots of fun geography board games for kids to play as well. Here are a few of our favorites :
- Ticket to Ride – A fun way to explore major cities and train routes across the United States of America and beyond.
- Where in the World? – Helps kids learn about different countries, flags, and capitals while sparking curiosity about world cultures.
- GeoBingo – A fast-paced game that teaches kids about countries, landmarks, and geographic features in an interactive way.
- BrainBox: The World – A memory-based game that introduces major cities, different countries, and quick facts kids will love.
- 10 Days in the USA (or Europe) – An educational geography game where kids plan trips across the United States of America or another continent, learning locations and travel routes.
- The World Game (affiliate Amazon link) – Engaging educational geography game where players identify countries, capitals, flags, and geographic features while exploring different countries across the globe.
- Continent Race – Colorful educational geography game where kids race to collect country cards, learn about different continents, and explore major cities around the world.
- The Scrambled States Of America – Fast-paced, educational geography game where kids match states, capitals, and geographic features while having fun learning about the United States of America.
- Trekking The National Parks – A family-friendly board game where players journey across the United States of America, visiting national parks, collecting cards, and learning about the country’s stunning geographic features.
- Race Across The USA – Fun educational geography board game where kids race to visit different states, learn major cities, and explore the map of the United States of America.
Kids Geography Games Conclusion
Wrapping up, geography games for kids are a fun and interactive way to spark curiosity about the world around them. Whether they’re learning about different countries, identifying major cities, or exploring unique geographic features, an educational geography game can make the subject come alive. From local landmarks in the United States of America to faraway places across the globe, these games not only build knowledge but also inspire a love of travel, culture, and discovery.
Be involved. Kids always learn better with a hands-on approach. Activities like cooking international cuisine with their parents or celebrating cultural holidays can do wonders for a child’s capacity to understand the world beyond his home. What are your favorite geography games kids will enjoy?
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Robin says
We have a US states puzzle and I know my 3rd grader is working on learning the states and their capitols in school. Thanks for the fun fun geography activity ideas.
BK says
Thank you for appreciating the activity ideas! There are so many creative ways to make geography exciting for kids—like state bingo, flashcards, map coloring, or even songs about the capitals. These kinds of interactive experiences not only help them memorize the facts but also spark curiosity about different places, cultures, and history across the U.S.
You’re doing a great job supporting your child’s learning at home, and it’s always a joy to hear how families are connecting over educational activities. Keep up the amazing work, and I hope your third grader continues to enjoy their geography journey!
Jacqueline says
Great advice. Kids AND their parents need to be geographically literate. An educational game is a great way to get the family learning together.
Meryl van der Merwe says
There are also great online websites and apps like Stack the Countries that make learning geography fun. Reading novels set in foreign countries is another way to introduce children to different cultures and places.
Alice Beatrice says
What a fantastic and engaging resource for making geography fun! These educational games are a brilliant way to help kids learn about the world, cultures, and maps through interactive play. It’s so important to nurture curiosity early, and turning lessons into games is the perfect approach. This list is a wonderful tool for parents and teachers alike. Thank you for compiling this!