100 Ways to Explore Geography with Your Kids
Looking for ideas and inspiration while you are studying Geography with kids?
I’ve got you covered with 100 ways to Explore Geography. From map skills to websites to apps, you’ll find plenty of ideas to choose from.
{This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure.}
Geography with Kids: Map Skills
1. Play Battleship – learn to read grids and coordinates
2. Explore an Atlas
3. Print and Color in a wall-size map – I like to print 3×3 maps (9 sheets of paper)
4. Trace a Map
5. Make a Salt Dough Map
6. Participate in Journey North – a global game of hide-and-seek to find mystery locations
7. Play with a Create-A-Scene Magnetic USA Map
8. Read a book:
- Maps and Globes
- The Once Upon a Time Map Book
- Me On a Map
- Discover Science: Maps and Mapping
- Mapping Penny’s World
- Follow That Map: A First Book of Mapping Skills
9. Sketch the continents on a blue balloon
10. Hang a Wall Map at home – try a dry erase wall decal world map
11. Play on an interactive Smart Globe
12. Make a Fantasy Map
13. Pin locations on a Pin It Map – World Set Review; USA set Review
14. Make a Treasure Map
15. Create a 3D town
16. Make a Homemade Compass
17. Watch this video about the Mercator Projection
18. Create a Geography Picture Dictionary with your kids
19. Make a Paper Mache Globe
20. Complete this Latitude and Longitude Map Activity with your Kids
Geography with Kids: Get Outside
21. Use a city map to walk around downtown
22. Read a map while planning your garden
23. Go Geocaching or Letterboxing: Read how one mom got started
24. Explore the US National Parks and become a Junior Ranger.
25. Take a trip – in your own country or across borders
- Take a trip to the Southwest USA using my complete guide and itinerary
General Geography
26. Subscribe to Little Passports for monthly geography fun
27. Go on a Geography Quest
28. Read: Give Your Child the World, for all of the resources you need
29. Read the Children Just Like Me books and meet kids around the world
30. Watch John Green’s Crash Course Kids: Landforms
31. Watch CNN 10 for 10 minutes of World News every day.
32. Enjoy a Poetry Teatime focused on one country or culture
- Around the World in 80 Poems
- This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems from Around the World
- My Village: Rhymes from Around the World
33. Host a Geography Fair for your kids and their friends
34. Sing Geography Songs
Geography with Kids: Play
35. Professor Noggin Countries of the World
36. Professor Noggins Countries of the World II
37. Professor Noggins Geography of the United States
38. Scrambled States of America
39. Brainbox: The World
40. GeoBingo World
41. GeoBingo USA
42. World Edition Borderline
43. Ticket to Ride (USA; Europe; Asia; Nordic; United Kingdom)
44. Flag Frenzy
45. Flags of the World
46. Passport to Culture
47. Sequence States and Capitals
48. GeoPuzzles (Floor puzzles) – One for every continent
49. Continent Puzzles (framed puzzles)
50. 3D World Globe Puzzle
Geography with Kids: Apps
51. Stack the States – answer state trivia and then balance the states
52. Stack the Countries – answer trivia and then stack the countries
53. Kids Maps – US and various continents available
54. State Bingo and Geography Crossword – two fun-filled games
55. Geography Drive – USA trivia about everything from state capitals to US landmarks
56. Earth 101 – an amazing atlas full of maps and information
57. Barefoot World Atlas – explore an interactive globe
58. Jazzy World Tour – young kid friendly – learn about music, animals and culture
59. GeoBee Challenge – challenging game for grades 4 and up
Geography with Kids: Websites
60. Sheppard Software – Play USA and World Geography Games
61. Seterra Online – Map quizzes measured by accuracy and time. We love to race!
62. Google Earth – Explore the world. Look at landmarks. Walk the streets in Streetview. I have a Facebook Live video with a demonstration.
63. Geoguessr – Can you guess where you are based on the photo?
64. National Geographic Kids – videos, games, information, and more
65. World Geography Games – physical geography games.
66. Learn Around the World Facebook Group – my Facebook Group for resource and idea sharing
67. Great Big Story – Watch the untold stories of people from around the world. I shared a Facebook Live demonstration about this website.
Geography with Kids: Eat New Foods
68. Make a meal from another country – I recommend this cookbook.
69. Visit a restaurant specializing in ethnic cuisine
70. Enjoy a local cultural festival
71. Share a drink from around the world
72.Shop at an ethnic grocery store
73. Subscribe to Universal Yums and receive monthly country themed food boxes
Oceania/Australia
74. Read a few books:
- Audrey of the Outback – think Australia’s Pippi Longstocking
- Patterns of Australia
- D is for Down Under
- Why I love Australia
- Are We There Yet?: A Journey Around Australia
- Big Rain Coming
- New Zealand ABC’s
75. Let Jonathan’s Blue World YouTube introduce you to the Great Barrier Reef
76. Bake ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) biscuits
77. Tour the Royal Australian Mint
Europe
78. Read a few books:
- The Cat Who Walked Across France
- Rechenka’s Eggs (Russia)
- This is London
- The Greatest Skating Race: A WWII Story from the Netherlands
- Linnea in Monet’s Garden
- B is for Big Ben (England)
- C is for Ciao (Italy)
79. Listen to stories from Europe using Around the World Stories – You can read about my experience.
80. Enjoy Classical Music and learn about Classical Composers by listening to Classical Kids.
My favorites:
81. Watch a documentary about the Grimm Brothers.
Asia
82. Read a few books:
- The Name Jar (Move from Korea to the US)
- Zen Shorts
- Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Chinese folklore)
- Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji (India)
83. Chinese Paper Lantern – learn about them and make one
84. Japanese Origami – learn and create
85. Explore India through great videos and books
Africa
86. Read a few books:
- Mama Panya’s Pancakes (Kenya)
- Jambo Means Hello: A Swahili Alphabet Book (East Africa)
- Africa is Not a Country (one of my favorites)
- A is for Africa
87. Watch this video series with David Attenborough (We loved this one!)
88. Listen to the Music of the African Playground
89. Pin the flags of each country on a Pin It Map of Africa
South America
90. Read a few books:
- The Rainforest Grew All Around
- A Kids Guide to South America
- Journey to the River Sea (Amazon River – chapter book)
- Up and Down the Andes
- On the Pampas
91. Take a tour of Macchu Picchu with Travel Kids
92. Watch a video of a Carnival Parade
93. Practice the samba
Antarctica
94. Read a few books:
- The Endurance: Shackleton’s Perilous Expedition in Antarctica
- Mr. Popper’s Penguins
- Antarctica
- Little Penguin: The Emporer of Antarctica
95. Watch Happy Feet
96. Cut Paper Snowflakes
97. Learn how to dress for your journey
North America
98. Read a few books:
- P is for Pinata (Mexico)
- Esperanza Rising (Mexico to the USA)
- Weird But True Canada: 300 Facts about the True North
99. Draw American Landmarks with chalk pastels
100. Watch and learn about the Candian Government
Dive in. Dig in. And Go For it. Most of all, have a great time exploring the world with your kids.
Related Posts
Hands-On World Geography with Pin It Maps
Our Plan to Learn Around the World
Learn Physical Geography Using Fun and Games
Geography Morning Basket Resources
Geography Using Brave Writer
Want more “100 Things” fun? Check out the 100 Things Round-Up at iHomeschool Network.
She believes that creativity, laughter, and fun are the backbone for engaging and inspiring homeschools. You can find her encouragement and tips on this blog, Mary Hanna Wilson.
She is an enneagram 7 and an extrovert. She enjoys traveling, tea (iced or hot), good conversations, and books. You can connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.
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This is a GREAT resource, Mary!!! Great post!