Must-Have Geography Resources

When I first began homeschooling I never really considered Geography a subject. I mean, that is part of History right? Oh, I was so wrong! You see, I could barely follow a map. I knew little to nothing about our world, the state capitols of the United States or the different countries located within the seven continents. Why? Because I was never taught Geography.

Why would I do the same disservice to my children?

Instead, I decided to learn along with my kids. It ended up being much more fun than I thought, and there were a few must have geography resources that made it all possible!

Dry Erase Map

We have a huge dry erase map in our school room. With it, we find every country we discuss in History. Sometimes it’s a little difficult but our goal is to SEE the places we are learning about. This year my middle daughter has been learning about land animals and she has been mapping where the animals live as well. It’s been a fun way to add geography to our science lessons.

Stack the States App

One thing that made my kids cringe was learning the states and capitals. I mean who needs to know that right? We found a fun app a few years ago that taught the states, but the capital version wasn’t getting them anywhere. Then, someone told me about stack the states. This app has been a game changer! The girls LOVE it and actually play it outside of school time on a regular basis.

Home School in the Woods

While I have used some of their lapbooks, I’ve not used their geography program. , but I have heard the are wonderful!   There are two discs that can be purchased separately or together. There are Olde World maps, with political borders, ancient maps, and modern maps. There is a World Map disc and a United States maps and each of them has note booking pages or fact sheets that can be used to supplement your homeschool geography lessons. There are also bonus full-color flags for the countries and/or States that you can print off and use for your notebook pages.

Homeschool Creations

If you are looking for free geography printables to go along with your homeschool studies, look no further than Homeschool Creations! They offer several note booking pages you can use in your home.

Geocaching

This has been a fun way to explore the area around us. We even use it when we go on vacation. Geocaching is like a modern day treasure hunt. You and your family pick a location and you explore it looking for a “treasure”. By geocaching, my kids have learned how to use a compass, how to measure the distance between them and the object they are looking for, and about the landscape of the areas we are exploring. It’s a fun way for the family to do something together AND they are learning in the process.

Sheppard’s Games 

We have used this site as an add on for a variety of subjects. The geography section does not disappoint. Through their geography games, your child will gain a mental map of the world’s continents, countries, capitals, & landscapes!

Out of the Box 10 Days Games

These games look like so much fun! I just ordered the United States one after happening across it while writing this post. Explore the country as a family in this fun board game.

Geography of the World 

This book has been one of my most used purchases. It is full of facts about different countries and their cultures. My kids loved looking at the bright and vivid pictures when they were younger and now enjoy diving in and learning more about the country they are studying in History.

Other fun resources we have enjoyed through the years are

• Paper Dolls-You can find these on the web or purchase them. The girls loved playing with dolls from a variety of different countries and cultures through the years.
• Coloring Books- We found these on topics like flags from around the world, countries from around the world, and the United States of America. These are a great add-on for younger children who want to join in on their older siblings studies.

The key to teaching geography to kids is finding something that interests them and running with it. If they are interested in Kangaroos, study Australia, map Australia, learn about the countries in Australia. The same can be done with any topic.

These are just a few of some of our favorite geography resources through the years. These resources can enhance your child’s learning and engage them in a fun way that will get them excited about learning.

Author Bio: Misty Bailey is the voice behind the Southeast Homeschool Expo’s Facebook page, as well as one of the convention planners here at the Southeast Homeschool Expo. She has worked in the homeschool market for nearly a decade with a multitude of curriculum companies, and as a former blogger and podcaster. She brings to the table 17 years of homeschooling experience working with her own three children, as well as founding her local homeschool group.  Her goal is to encourage and inspire you on your homeschool journey by providing practical tips for real life (not cookie cutter perfection) homeschooling.