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homeschoolgeography

India Unit Of Study Outline For A Unique Approach

November 7, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a unit of study outline if you’re study the country of India. Also, look at my page if you want more Best Homeschool Unit Studies.

The Indus Valley, Maurya Empire and Gupta Empire are topics you want to study when doing an ancient unit study about India. It is a fascinating country with rich history and traditions. There is much to learn.

India Unit Of Study Outline For A Unique Approach

So deciding where to begin can feel overwhelming. I’ve created many different unit studies to fit my child’s interests and learning style.

To create your own following a guide of main points is a huge time saver for you plus you’re not following a unit study created by another person.

However, one of my very favorite reasons I love a unit study outline is that helps you connect geography, history, science, literature, art, and culture into one meaningful learning experience.

Next, look at some books to include in your unit study about India.

BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT INDIA

12 Books About or Set in India for Kids

Grab some of these books about India for your unit study or learning day.

Image for T is for Taj Mahal: An India Alphabet (Discover the World)

T is for Taj Mahal: An India Alphabet (Discover the World)

From the quiet grandeur of the Himalaya Mountains to the urban city of Calcutta, T is for Taj Mahal: An India Alphabet showcases India's exotic treasures. Visit the haunting Taj Mahal, a tribute from an emperor to his dead wife. Traverse the bustling streets of Mumbai, the second most populated city in the world. Sample a traditional meal fragrant with garam masala spices, or attend a cricket match where some games have lasted up to five days! Varsha Bajaj was born in Mumbai, India. Her book, How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?, was named to the 2005 Texas Library Association 2X2 Reading List. Varsha lives in Houston, Texas. Robert Crawford's paintings have appeared on the cover of major magazines such as The Atlantic and U.S. News and World Report, as well as books. He also illustrated Sleeping Bear Press's The Legend of the Old Man of the Mountain. Robert lives in Woodbury, Connecticut.

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Image for The Lost Kingdom

The Lost Kingdom

Thirteen-year-old Rodmika is well acquainted with the crystal-clear rivers and tangled vines of the Green Jungle. So when his family moves to the other side of the jungle, leaving behind his chance for an education, Rodmika is perfectly suited to find a way to return. As Rodmika searches for a way back to the place of his schooling, he uncovers much more than a path.Set against the backdrop of a lush, untamed Indian rainforest, The Lost Kingdom weaves adventure and mystery into a thrilling tale that will resonate with readers who have a love for exploration and excitement.

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Image for Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths and Legends of India

Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths and Legends of India

A vibrant collection of Indian myths and legends illustrated in beautiful watercolors and told by one of India's sparkling personalities, Madhur Jaffrey.Seasons of Splendour is a richly illustrated treasury of stories about Indian gods and goddesses, kings and queens, princes and demons. Here are engaging and beautifully told tales of Krishna, Ram, and Sita, along with stories based on the Hindu epics the Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as others of ancient origin with no known source. When Madhur Jaffrey was a young girl growing up in her grandfather’s house in Delhi, storytelling was an integral part of life. After dinner, she would huddle with her cousins and siblings around a seated aunt, grandmother, or mother and listen.

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Image for Burying the Moon

Burying the Moon

In Latika’s village in rural India, there are no toilets. No toilets mean that the women have to wait until night to do their business in a field. There are scorpions and snakes in the field, and germs that make people sick. For the girls in the village, no toilets mean leaving school when they reach puberty.

No one in the village wants to talk about this shameful problem. But Latika has had enough. When a government representative visits their village, she sees her chance to make one of her dreams come true: the construction of public toilets, which would be safer for everybody in her village. 

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Image for Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (Illustrated)

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (Illustrated)

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is the tale of a courageous young mongoose who saves a boy and his family from the evil snakes lurking in the garden.

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Image for Aru Shah Series Books 1 - 5 Collection by Roshani Chokshi

Aru Shah Series Books 1 - 5 Collection by Roshani Chokshi

Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. Whilst her classmates are jetting off to exotic locales, she'll be at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture where her mother works. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty.

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Image for Malgudi Days

Malgudi Days

Introducing this collection of stories, R. K. Narayan describes how in India "the writer has only to look out of the window to pick up a character and thereby a story." Composed of powerful, magical portraits of all kinds of people, and comprising stories written over almost forty years, Malgudi Days presents Narayan's imaginary city in full color, revealing the essence of India and of human experience.

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Image for Tiger Boy

Tiger Boy

"One of the new tiger cubs has escaped from the reserve!"When a tiger cub escapes from a nature reserve near Neel's island village, the rangers and villagers hurry to find her before the cub's anxious mother follows suit and endangers them all. Mr. Gupta, a rich newcomer to the island, is also searching--he wants to sell the cub's body parts on the black market. Neel and his sister, Rupa, resolve to find the cub first and bring her back to the reserve where she belongs.The hunt for the cub interrupts Neel's preparations for an exam to win a prestigious scholarship at a boarding school far from home. Neel doesn't mind--he dreads the exam and would rather stay on his beloved island in the Sunderbans of West Bengal with his family and friends.

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Image for Boys without Names

Boys without Names

For eleven-year-old Gopal and his family, life in their rural Indian village is over: We stay, we starve, his baba has warned. They flee to the big city of Mumbai in hopes of finding work and a brighter future. Gopal is eager to help support his struggling family, so when a stranger approaches him with the promise of a factory job, he jumps at the offer.

?But there is no factory, just a stuffy sweatshop where he and five other boys are forced to work for no money and little food. The boys are forbidden to talk or even to call one another by their real names. Locked away in a rundown building, Gopal despairs of ever seeing his family again.

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Image for Homeless Bird: A National Book Award Winner

Homeless Bird: A National Book Award Winner

Like many girls her age in India, thirteen-year-old Koly faces her arranged marriage with hope and courage. But Koly's story takes a terrible turn when in the wake of the ceremony, she discovers she's been horribly misled—her life has been sold for a dowry. Can she forge her own future, even in the face of time-worn tradition? 

Perfect for schools and classrooms, this universally acclaimed, bestselling, and award-winning novel by master of historical fiction Gloria Whelan is a gripping tale of hope that will transport readers of all ages.

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Image for India on a Plate!: Indian Food from A to Z

India on a Plate!: Indian Food from A to Z

Kids love learning about food, they need to learn their ABC's, and this mouth-watering alphabet book covers both in the most delicious way! From spicy achaar to sweet zafrani pulao, flip through food from every corner of India, for all kinds of occasions.

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Image for Where Is the Taj Mahal?

Where Is the Taj Mahal?

The Taj Mahal may look like a palace, but it's actually a tomb and a lasting testament to one of the world's great love stories. In 1612, Mogul emperor Shah Jahan married Mumtaz Mahal. It had been love at first sight and for nineteen years they were so inseparable that Mumtaz even accompanied Shah Jahan to battlefields. When she died suddenly giving birth to their fourteenth child, the emperor set about building a magnificent memorial to his wife. Everything about the Taj was perfectly planned, from the white marble walls that shimmer in the sunlight and sparkle by moonlight, to the countless decorative flowers made from precious gems that still astound visitors today.

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And the best part is that you don’t need to follow rigid schedule or use a stack of textbooks.

Next, look at 3 more good reasons you want to use a unit study outline.

3 BENEFITS OF USING A UNIT STUDY OUTLINE

One of the reasons I mentioned briefly above.

1. SUBJECTS ARE EQUALLY INTRODUCED

Don’t get me wrong, I love unit studies that are one subject slanted. However, one of the biggest advantages to a unit study is to be able to connect all subjects together.

We want to show our child that all knowledge is connected and can weave a story. It doesn’t hurt once in a while to delve deep into subjects. I encourage it. However, an outline helps me maintain my balance with subjects.

And this next reason I wasn’t so sold on in my earlier years of homeschooling but I have become a huge advocate of hands-on learning.

2. ALLOWS TIME FOR HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES

When you know the major topics you’re covering, you have time to focus on hands-on activities for the unit study. Besides, hands-on activities are the very heart of a unit study.

By using a unit study outline about India, you can focus on activities to fit your child’s age.

3. YOU CHOOSE LIVING BOOKS INSTEAD OF A BORING TEXTBOOK

Then another reason is that we choose living books over boring textbooks. Living books make the topic come alive like a story. They capture a child’s interest and hook them on reading. Instead of talking down to a child, they nurture their love for beautiful words.

India Unit Of Study Outline For A Unique Approach

Also, when you use this India unit study outline, add these hands-on activities to your study as they fit your needs.

INDIA HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

  • Indian Crafts Easy: How to Draw a Chalk Pastel Tiger
  •  Free Lapbook India for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  •  Peacock craft
  • Handprint Henna Craft
  • Make a Taj Mahal

HOW TO GET THE INDIA UNIT STUDY OUTLINE

You can get it now!

Important: READ THIS FIRST.
Before you email me asking where your download link is or tell me that it is not working, read this to ensure that you get your pretties timely and that you don’t pay for something and not get it.

• All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store. A digital physical year calendar does not mean a physical product or calendar.
• Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.
• The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.
• Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com (of course substitute the right symbol for dot) in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.

India Unit Of Study Outline For A Unique Approach

MY GUARANTEE: To treat you like I want to be treated which means I know at times technical problems may cause glitches, so I will do everything possible to make your experience here pleasant. Also, you can email me at my personal email tinahomeschools at gmail dot com.

  • Learning Made Easy: Ancient India Unit Study Outline

    Learning Made Easy: Ancient India Unit Study Outline

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Leave a CommentFiled Under: Teach Unit Studies Tagged With: geography, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, history, homeschool geography, homeschoolgeography, India, unit studies, unit study

11 AWESOME Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map)

November 2, 2026 | 17 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have 11 awesome ways to learn geography because slapping down a map to label states and countries has never been an engaging way to teach my kids homeschool geography. Too, look at my page Hands-On Simple And Best Homeschool Geography Ideas & Tips for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

Drill and kill of boring facts to remember only worked for a short time too. These creative geography ideas can turn an ordinary lesson into an exciting adventure.

11 AWESOME Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map)

So today, I am sharing 11 awesome ways to learn geography that don’t include labeling a map because geography is so much more than writing out the names of states and countries.

Can you say snore? zzzzzzzz. (okay, okay)

And don’t get me wrong. Learning to read a map is an important skill. However, geography is so much more than knowing where countries and continents are located.

First, look at this list of living geography books.

GEOGRAPHY LIVING BOOKS FOR KIDS

Unlike a traditional geography textbook, a living book allows kids to experience a location through the eyes of someone who lives there, travels there, or explores its natural features.

The beauty of geography living books is that kids often learn geographical facts naturally while enjoying a good story.

13 Geography Living Books

Add some of these living geography books to your home library. All ages will love them.

Image for Paddle-to-the-Sea: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Sandpiper Books)

Paddle-to-the-Sea: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Sandpiper Books)

Follow the journey of a little turtle through all the great lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, not only covering; landforms but also dipping into science, and uses figurative language to help children think and understand the story better.

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Image for Seabird: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Seabird: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

A carved Ivory Gull tells of oceans all over the world and three generations of sailing families in America. 

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Image for How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

In more of a story book fashion we are led around the world to gather ingredients from all over to make an apple pie and it even includes a simple recipe for an apple pie.

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Image for Tree in the Trail

Tree in the Trail

The history of the Great Plains and the Santa Fe Trail is told in text and pictures by focusing on a cottonwood tree and the events that happen around it.

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Image for Complete Book Of Marvels

Complete Book Of Marvels

Explore the wonders of the world with America's foremost adventurer, Richard Halliburton. In the Complete Book of Marvels Halliburton takes you with him on thrilling journeys to countless wonders of the world, including natural features like Gibraltar, the Grand Canyon, and Mount Fuji, and famous or forgotten temples and ancient cities, and monuments bigger than life. He follows in the footsteps of Demetrius and traverses the Great Wall.

Replete with historical facts, maps, and a treasure trove of unique restored photographs of both well-known and hidden wonders, Halliburton journeys with the reader by his side to reveal the beauty and mystery of the world's greatest sights as if for the very first time. As a youth Richard Halliburton dreamt of seeing the many mysterious lands and exotic locales beyond the horizon, and by the time he was a teenager he set out to do just that. During his life, his voyages took him to an enormous variety of truly marvelous places, from familiar American landmarks to the far reaches of the globe.

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Image for Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe

Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe

This fascinating look at 16 children’s neighborhoods around the world broadens readers’ understanding of global cultures. This unique illustrated map book explores the neighborhoods of 16 real children from around the world. Author Margriet Ruurs, who met many of these children in her travels, tells the story of each child’s neighborhood by highlighting the places that are important to them, such as where they live, go to school and play, as well as interesting facts about their lives, including the food they eat, their religious practices and the sights and smells they encounter every day. From big cities, such as Amsterdam and Beijing, to small communities, such as Salt Spring Island in Canada and the village of Komanyana in Zambia, each place is special to the children who live there.

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Image for Minn of the Mississippi: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Minn of the Mississippi: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

The history of the Mississippi River Valley is told in text and pictures through the adventures of Minn, a snapping turtle, as she travels downstream.

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Image for National Parks of the USA (Americana, 1)

National Parks of the USA (Americana, 1)

Packed with maps and fascinating facts about the flora and fauna unique to each of the 21 parks portrayed, this lushly illustrated coast-to-coast journey documents in large format the nation’s most magnificent and sacred places—and shows why they should be preserved for future generations to enjoy. Explore Florida's river-laced Everglades, travel down the white water rapids of the Grand Canyon, trek across the deserts of Death Valley, and scale the soaring summits of the Rocky Mountains with this book that brings you up close to nature's greatest adventures. Divided by region (East, Central, Rocky Mountains, West, Tropics, and Alaska), a pictographic map at the start of each section shows the locations of the parks to be covered. Each park is introduced by a stunning, poster-worthy illustration of one of its scenes and a summary of its makeup, followed by individual illustrations of the animals and plants that make their homes there.

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Image for Strawberry Girl by: Lois Lenski

Strawberry Girl by: Lois Lenski

Strawberries -- big, ripe, and juicy. Ten-year-old Birdie Boyer can hardly wait to start picking them. But her family has just moved to the Florida backwoods, and they haven't even begun their planting. Don't count your biddies 'fore they're hatched, gal young un! her father tells her.

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Image for Wow Canada!: Exploring This Land from Coast to Coast to Coast (Wow Canada! Collection)

Wow Canada!: Exploring This Land from Coast to Coast to Coast (Wow Canada! Collection)

The multi-award-winning Wow Canada! has steadily wowed readers with its original, witty, and fabulously informative cross-country excursion. This thoroughly updated edition is filled with amazing facts, historical wonders, and descriptions, photos, and illustrations of Canada's most famous sights and hidden gems — it's the perfect accessory for that family car trip across Canada. Eleven-year-old Guy and his family travel from province to province —and even up to Canada’s territories! Guy is the ideal narrator, curious but cool and always armed with a wry comment. Incredible sidebar material offers moments of respite from the family’s high-speed travels, making Wow Canada! both the perfect car trip guidebook and a fantastic armchair travel book.

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Image for How the States Got Their Shapes

How the States Got Their Shapes

Why does Oklahoma have that panhandle? Did someone make a mistake?

We are so familiar with the map of the United States that our state
borders seem as much a part of nature as mountains and rivers. Even the oddities—the entire state of Maryland(!)—have become so ingrained that our map might as well be a giant jigsaw puzzle designed by Divine Providence. How the States Got Their Shapes is the first book to tackle why our state lines are where they are. Here are the stories behind the stories, right down to the tiny northward jog at the eastern end of Tennessee and the teeny-tiny (and little known) parts of Delaware that are not attached to Delaware but to New Jersey.

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Image for A Child's Geography of the World

A Child's Geography of the World

A Child's Geography of the World is a general course in geography for juveniles. Hillyer was headmaster at the famed Calvert School and wrote a series of books as part of the curriculum for his students. This title was the result of many years of teaching the subject to young children and of several more years in authoring it. The books is now considered in a classic in home schooling.

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Image for Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary: An Introduction To Earth's Geographical Features For Kids

Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary: An Introduction To Earth's Geographical Features For Kids

Welcome to Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary by B.C. Lester Books! This book takes you across the world's main landforms and biomes, each with a colorful illustration acWelcome to Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary by B.C. Lester Books! This book takes you across the world's main landforms and biomes, each with a colorful illustration accompanied with a child-friendly definition.

What is a mesa? Or an estuary? What is the difference between a swamp and a marsh?

Covering over 100 geography terms, this book has all the answers! This book is a great, concise introduction to the natural features of Earth for children and is a nice way to spark or develop an interest in geography for kids accompanied with a child-friendly definition.

What is a mesa? Or an estuary? What is the difference between a swamp and a marsh?

Covering over 100 geography terms, this book has all the answers! This book is a great, concise introduction to the natural features of Earth for children and is a nice way to spark or develop an interest in geography for kids.

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Including ways to teach geography to a variety of ages, I hope some of these help you to get out of your geography rut.

Geography is about understanding the world and the people who live in it.

These 11 hands-on geography activities can help you turn geography into a subject your kids look forward to studying.

11 AWESOME WAYS TO LEARN GEOGRAPHY

1. LEARN LANDMARKS.

Learning about the Grand Canyon or the Amazon Rain Forest brings life to geography.

Even when teaching about ancient civilizations, it’s easier to remember them when they are associated with landmarks.

Look here at my information and free minibook about the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

Also, I have How To Make A Mini Mount Rushmore & Landmarks Of USA and How to Build a Fun White House Sugar Cube George Washington Craft.

Build another landmark at 7 National Landmarks USA | How To Make A Fun Statue Of Liberty Torch Craft.

2. COMBINE GEOGRAPHY WITH SCIENCE.

History and geography are not the only subjects that go hand in hand.

Science can also easily be added to geography.

Whether you have a child that eats up geography and could leave science alone or you have a child that runs from geography to study science, combining the two subjects is a win-win.

For example, we made a fun lava lamp when studying about how convection currents rise and fall. Also, learn about Central America with my Free Lapbook Maya and Fun Hands-on Meso-America Unit Study Ideas.

And learn about 4 Week Free China Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas.

3. CREATE EDIBLE GEOGRAPHY PROJECTS.

Eat up and learn about geography. My kids always remind me of our edible projects.

Talking about eating, geography is especially fun if you can learn about the different foods of a country.

11 Awesome Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map)

Isolating this idea more, focus on one food like the breads of the world or the spices of a country.

Have you seen the How Did That Get Here series for learning about geography. This series has everything from the biography of corn to, tea, and wheat.

And then you can never, never go wrong with making a food from a country or region.

Looked at a few things we have made when studying about certain areas.

  • Make pan au chocolat when studying about France.
  • Make Celtic cakes when studying ancient civilizations.
  • Make baklava when studying about Ancient Greece.
  • Make victory soup when studying about the countries of World War II.
  • Make Cherokee pan bread when studying the states in the Southeastern United States.
  • Make soups from South America.
  • Make chili when doing a state study on Texas.
  • Make negrinho when doing a study about Brazil.

4. MAKE A DIY ATLAS

My boys loved making a diy atlas when we studied geography using North Star geography for middle and high school kids.

Instead of labeling for the sake of busy work or so it seems like it to your kids, a diy atlas gives them a purpose for map making.

Make the project large if you are doing a world geography tour or make it only for a certain area if you don’t want to get too overwhelmed.

I like easy projects that focus on specific areas.

We tend to get more out of our projects when we can sharpen our focus on smaller chunks of information.

5. UNLEASH YOUR INNER ARTIST. GEOGRAPHY THROUGH ART.

Another way to draw in a reluctant learner or to mix up your geography is to draw it.

Take a look at Geography Through Art or Mapping the World with Art.

Geography Through Art is a multi-age resource and has some terrific resources for hands-on activities.

6. LEARN GEOGRAPHY THROUGH TRADITIONAL CRAFTS.

And hands down doing crafts from a country or area has to be one of our very favorite. From weaving to painting to paper cutting, your kids will love learning handcrafts from different parts of the world.

Too, look at How to Make An Embroidered African Map Fun Geography Craft, Polish Crafts For Kids: How to Paint Nesting Dolls, Polish Crafts For Kids: How to Paint Nesting Dolls, Indian Crafts Easy: How to Draw a Chalk Pastel Tiger, and Unique Homeschool History Ideas With Handprint Henna For India to list a few.

7. PREPARE FUN GEOGRAPHY LAPBOOKS.

Then, here are just a few of the ones we’ve done.

  • Free Africa Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  • Free Lapbook India for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  • Free Texas Homeschool Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Free Lapbook Mexico For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • Free Lapbook Argentina for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  • Free Lapbook Canada For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning

Don’t forget to look at my page Homeschool Lapbooks – Powerful Tools For Mastery Learning for more geography lapbooks.

You know our love for lapbooks and in most all of my lapbooks, I add minibooks for geography.

Also, you can do a lapbook just on geography.

8. DITCH TEXTBOOKS AND USE GEOGRAPHY LIVING BOOKS.

Another fun combination of subjects is to mix language arts with geography. A living book brings geography alive through a story.

Tell a child a story, adding hands-on activities and they’ll see a purpose for learning about the world around them.

Though the series of living geography books by Holling C. Holling say they are for upper elementary kids, they are such a precious and meaty resource that I feel you can use them for middle school kids too.

Also, grab this free 166 .pdf supplement to enhance your study of Paddle-to-the-Sea.

9. USE GEOGRAPHY GAMES.

Of course, who can deny the benefits of learning through games?

Look at 5 Awesome National Park Educational Geography Games For Kids Who Love Games and The Benefits Of Using Games That Teach Geography | Review Of Scrambled States

10. BUILD GEOGRAPHY LANDFORMS.

Instead of simply reading about mountains, valleys, plateaus, and canyons, have your kids create their own miniature landscapes.

Use salt dough, air-dry clay, or homemade play dough to build different landforms. Look at how we incorporated these activities.

  • Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia Free Map Template & Salt Dough Map Craft
  • Marco Polo Unit Study – Salt Dough Map + Free Printable Map Flags \
  • South America Geography Salt Dough Map + Printable Pennants
  • Arctic Region Salt Dough Map + Free Map Flag Printable
  • Make a Fun and Easy Salt Dough Daniel Boone Wilderness Road Map
  • Lewis and Clark Louisiana Purchase Edible Map

11. DESIGN MYTHOLOGICAL WORLDS, ISLANDS OR COUNTRIES.

Finally, this last idea is just too fun. My kids never studied so hard to find out what myths were believed about the way the world was shaped or imaginary worlds that were nothing but myth.

Look at my post Mythological Map – Marco Polo Unit Study. This was such a perfect time to talk about the myths that existed in the time of Marco Polo because basically the world was unexplored.

Using one of these eleven ways, I hope will bring a little more pep to your step when teaching geography.

Also, check out the tips for First Grade Homeschool Curriculum for History and Geography and also 3 Reasons Why Hands-On Geography is Important in Middle and High School.

Are you following my geography board on Pinterest on my first account?

Follow Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s board Ge-og-ra-phy {Earth Writing} on Pinterest.

And are you following my newest Pinterest account too?

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.

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17 CommentsFiled Under: Geography, Hands-On Activities Tagged With: geography, handsonhomeschooling, highschoolgeography, homeschoolgeography

Free Guatemala Lapbook For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning

October 21, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a free Guatemala lapbook and resources today for a fun study about Guatemala. Too, on my Homeschool Lapbooks – Powerful Tools For Mastery Learning page you can find more free homeschool lapbooks. Also, look at my Meso-America page for more ideas.

Located in Central America, Guatemala is a country filled with towering volcanoes, tropical rainforests and ancient Maya cities.

Free Guatemala Lapbook For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning

Guatemala is especially interesting because you can study ancient history, geography and Indigenous cultures. Combine it with my Meso America unit study to learn about ancient history.

Also, Guatemala shares borders with Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. The capital of Guatemala is Guatemala City and the country’s official language is Spanish.

Too, learning about volcanoes make for a fun science study and Guatemala has fascinating volcano landscapes.

In addition, add some of these books to your study.

BOOKS ABOUT GUATEMALA FOR KIDS

These books are especially helpful in helping your children understand where Guatemala is located and understand the culture.

5 Books Set in Guatemala or About Guatemala

Add a few of these books to your home library or use it as a spine for a fun homeschool unit study.

Image for Rainbow Weaver / Tejedora del arcoíris

Rainbow Weaver / Tejedora del arcoíris

Ixchel wants to follow in the long tradition of weaving on backstrap looms, just as her mother, grandmother, and most Mayan women have done for more than two thousand years. But Ixchel's mother is too busy preparing her weavings for market. If they bring a good price, they will have money to pay for Ixchel's school and books. And besides, there is not enough extra thread for Ixchel to practice with.

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Image for The Boy With the Parrot: A Story of Guatemala

The Boy With the Parrot: A Story of Guatemala

"The Boy With the Parrot: A Story of Guatemala" is an evocative journey through the vibrant landscapes and rich cultural heritage of Central America. The story follows Sebastian, a young boy who sets out from his mountain village to seek his fortune as a peddler. Accompanied by his clever and talkative parrot, Lora, Sebastian traverses the diverse terrain of Guatemala, from bustling market towns to ancient ruins and volcanic slopes.

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Image for I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala

I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala

Now a global bestseller, the remarkable life of Rigoberta Menchú, a Guatemalan peasant woman, reflects on the experiences common to many Indian communities in Latin America. Menchú suffered gross injustice and hardship in her early life: her brother, father and mother were murdered by the Guatemalan military

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The Most Beautiful Place in the World

Seven-year-old Juan lives in Guatemala, a place of stunning beauty and grim economic reality. Abandoned by his mother, Juan lives with his grandmother and shines shoes. He passionately wants to attend school, but fears Grandmother will say no. Finally gathering his courage, he is surprised when she not only agrees to send him to school but also chides him about the importance of standing up for himself.

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Journey of Dreams

When Tomasa began whispering her story in my ear I felt compelled to record her words. In the highlands of Guatemala, each village was different. Every person who lived at that time had their own experience. But the truth lies in the places where these stories overlapped. It was from that rich soil that Tomasa's story grew.

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Next, look at these activities to accompany this free Guatemala lapbook.

Besides, hands-on activities are the heart of a memorable unit study.

HANDS ON ACTIVITIES TO LEARN ABOUT GUATEMALA

  • Free Lapbook Maya and Fun Hands-on Meso-America Unit Study Ideas
  • Hands-on Study of Volcanoes
  • Fun Mayan Mask
  • 18 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books and Fun Resources
  • Rainforest Crafts for Kindergarten: Make an Easy Paper Plate Monkey
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
  • Easy Jungle Crafts | Free Henri Rousseau Inspired Craft Kids Love

MORE HOMESCHOOL COUNTRY LAPBOOKS

  • Free Lapbook India for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  • Free Lapbook Mexico For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • Free Lapbook Argentina for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  • Free Lapbook Canada For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • Free Ireland Lapbook For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • Free Scotland Lapbook For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • Free England Lapbook For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • Free Spain Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History

Last, look at the minibooks included in this free download.

FREE GUATEMALA LAPBOOK MINIBOOKS INCLUDED:

  • All About Guatemala
  • Animals of Guatemala
  • Nature of Guatemala
  • Did You Know
  • Lake Atitlan
  • Giant Kites of Guatemala
  • Festivals & Celebrations
Free Guatemala Lapbook For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning

Now, how to grab the freebie.

It’s a subscriber freebie.

HOW TO GET THE FREE GUATEMALA LAPBOOK

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Lapbooks Tagged With: Central America, geography, Guatemala, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschoolgeography, lapbook, lapbooking, lapbookresources, lapbooks

5 Awesome National Park Educational Geography Games For Kids Who Love Games

August 17, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Educational geography games for kids are a fantastic way to teach geography, earth science, or just a healthy love of the outdoors. Too, look at my page Hands-On Simple And Best Homeschool Geography Ideas & Tips for more fun activities.

National Park board games are one of the easiest ways to sneak in learning while everyone’s having fun. They teach kids the names and locations of America’s parks, build strategy and math skills.

5 Awesome National Park Educational Geography Games For Kids Who Love Games

And often spark the “can we actually go there” conversation that turns into your next family road trip.

Whether a trip to a National Park is on the schedule in the near future or not, your family can appreciate the beauty of each unique park. Also, your kids can learn the work that went into the National Park Program to preserve these important places.

I have 5 games to share.

ACTIVITIES BEYOND THE GAME TABLE

But first, look at these fantastic extension ideas. They go beyond the game table to round out a national park unit.

  • Junior Ranger Program– Most parks offer free booklets kids complete during their visit to earn a badge. This pairs perfectly with the trivia and fact-based games above.
  • America the Beautiful Pass– If you’re planning park visits, the annual pass often pays for itself after just a few stops.
  • Plan a unit study around your next destination- Research the park’s geology, wildlife, and history before you go. Then, then let the trip serve as the “final exam.”
  • Keep a park journal- have kids sketch, press leaves, or write a short entry at each park, building a travel scrapbook over the years.
  • National Parks of the USA– a great resource full of beautiful photos and loads of great information on the major national parks that is a must-have on your bookshelf.
  • Start Local- You don’t need Yellowstone to get started. Go to a nearby national monument, seashore, or historic site counts too, and they make a great low-stakes first trip.

I also have to give honorable mention to the game Tinderblox.

5 Awesome National Park Educational Geography Games For Kids Who Love Games

While it’s not as educational as the other games listed for learning about the parks, Tinderblox is a fun one that fits the theme to take along on a camping trip to one of those parks.

It’s cute, compact, easy to learn, and can be played by 2-6 players. Too, fine motor skills are being strengthened.

5 Awesome National Park Educational Geography Games For Kids Who Love Games

Next, look at a few more activities to bring homeschool geography to life.

EDUCATIONAL GEOGRAPHY GAMES FOR KIDS

  • 11 AWESOME Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map)
  • 18+ Fun and Interactive Ways to Learn Geography With Kids
  • Navigating the Perfect Present: 22 Gifts for Geography Lovers
  • Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study
  • Hands-on Geography: Longitude/Latitude Mapmaking Activity
  • How to Make An Embroidered African Map Fun Geography Craft
  • How to Create a Fun Yosemite National Park Camping Curriculum | DIY Firestarter
  • Best Books To Use For Survival Skills Curriculum & Unit Study

5 National Park Geography Games For Kids

These national park board games are educational and help kids learn about national parks while encouraging family time.

Image for Trekking The National Parks
Photo Credit: https://www.amazon.com/

Trekking The National Parks

This is the game most homeschool families discover first, and for good reason. Up to five players take on the role of adventurers traveling across a map of the United States, collecting Park Cards and trail stones as they go. The board is dotted with real park locations, so kids naturally start absorbing where places like Acadia, Kobuk Valley, and the Virgin Islands actually are.

It plays a bit like Ticket to Ride, blending light strategy with a dash of luck, and the box includes real facts and photographs about each park. Because it's approachable for kids as young as six or seven but still has enough strategy to keep teens engaged, it works well for mixed-age homeschool groups or co-ops.

Homeschool Extension: Pull out a blank U.S. map after playing and have kids label the parks they collected during the game.

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Image for Games Parks Base Camp

Games Parks Base Camp

PARKS is a more strategic, more visually impressive example of games on this list. Each player manages two hikers moving along a trail, gathering resources like water and wood, snapping "photographs," and visiting parks to score points. The artwork is drawn from the Fifty-Nine Parks Print Series, so the cards double as a gorgeous art appreciation lesson. It's a worker-placement game underneath the pretty exterior, which means older kids get real practice with planning ahead and resource management. It also has a solo mode, which is handy for an independent study afternoon or a homeschooler who wants to play without waiting for siblings.

Homeschool Extension: Use the park cards as writing prompts; have kids pick a card and research one fact about that park to share at dinner.

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Image for Monopoly: National Parks Edition

Monopoly: National Parks Edition

Put into a familiar format with a fresh coat of paint, this version swaps Boardwalk and Park Place for more than 20 real national parks. Kids build their park empire, collecting rent, managing money, and making trades, all while getting repeated exposure to park names and imagery. Because the mechanics are already so well known, it's an easy pick for a rainy afternoon when you want the learning to feel effortless. It's also a natural fit for practicing money math counting bills, making change, and calculating rent are all built right into the gameplay.

Homeschool Extension: Have younger kids act as the "banker" for a session to practice addition and subtraction with real stakes.

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Image for National Parks Trivia Cards

National Parks Trivia Cards

Trivia cards designed to pair with a Trivial Pursuit board (sold by the National Park Foundation) are a simple, inexpensive way to layer real facts into game night. You don't need the full board to use them; they work just as well as a stand-alone quiz deck for car rides, morning circle time, or a five-minute knowledge check before a unit study. The questions cover history, wildlife, geography, and park trivia that even adults will find themselves learning from.

Homeschool Extension: Turn missed questions into a running "park research list", the next unit study topic practically writes itself.

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Image for YAHTZEE National Parks Travel Edition

YAHTZEE National Parks Travel Edition

For a lighter game that's easy to toss in a backpack or car door pocket, this travel-sized edition of the classic dice game swaps in national park theming and artwork. It's a great choice for practicing probability, addition, and quick mental math, and the compact size makes it perfect for road trips to the parks themselves. Younger kids can play a simplified version while older siblings tackle full scoring.

Homeschool Extension: Talk through the odds of rolling a Yahtzee before each turn, an easy, low-pressure intro to probability.

 

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Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: games, geography, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, homeschool, homeschool geography, homeschoolgeography, national parks

Explorer Facts and Free Printable Meet the Explorers Activity

July 20, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Your kids will learn some explorer facts with the free printable Discovering the World Meet the Explorers Activity Pack. Also, look at my page Hands-On Simple And Best Homeschool Geography Ideas & Tips for more ideas.

Geography comes alive when children discover the incredible people who dared to sail into the unknown, map uncharted lands, and change the way we see the world.

Explorer Facts and Free Printable Meet the Explorers Activity

Reading books is a fun way to learn about famous explorers, but completing engaging activities helps children connect with the people behind the discoveries.

They can learn about explorers like Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Marco Polo, Vasco da Gama, Samuel de Champlain, James Cook, and many others by including them with this study.

Also, we love adding living books to our printables to make the subject come to life.

GEOGRAPHY LIVING BOOKS FOR HOMESCHOOLERS

Too, with a fun geography living book and a few printables your child can learn independently.

Some children are ready for independent learning earlier than others. So a fun set of printables alongside a geography living book nurtures your child’s love for independence.

13 Geography Living Books

Add some of these living geography books to your home library. All ages will love them.

Image for Paddle-to-the-Sea: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Sandpiper Books)

Paddle-to-the-Sea: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Sandpiper Books)

Follow the journey of a little turtle through all the great lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, not only covering; landforms but also dipping into science, and uses figurative language to help children think and understand the story better.

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Image for Seabird: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Seabird: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

A carved Ivory Gull tells of oceans all over the world and three generations of sailing families in America. 

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Image for How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

In more of a story book fashion we are led around the world to gather ingredients from all over to make an apple pie and it even includes a simple recipe for an apple pie.

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Image for Tree in the Trail

Tree in the Trail

The history of the Great Plains and the Santa Fe Trail is told in text and pictures by focusing on a cottonwood tree and the events that happen around it.

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Complete Book Of Marvels

Explore the wonders of the world with America's foremost adventurer, Richard Halliburton. In the Complete Book of Marvels Halliburton takes you with him on thrilling journeys to countless wonders of the world, including natural features like Gibraltar, the Grand Canyon, and Mount Fuji, and famous or forgotten temples and ancient cities, and monuments bigger than life. He follows in the footsteps of Demetrius and traverses the Great Wall.

Replete with historical facts, maps, and a treasure trove of unique restored photographs of both well-known and hidden wonders, Halliburton journeys with the reader by his side to reveal the beauty and mystery of the world's greatest sights as if for the very first time. As a youth Richard Halliburton dreamt of seeing the many mysterious lands and exotic locales beyond the horizon, and by the time he was a teenager he set out to do just that. During his life, his voyages took him to an enormous variety of truly marvelous places, from familiar American landmarks to the far reaches of the globe.

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Image for Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe

Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe

This fascinating look at 16 children’s neighborhoods around the world broadens readers’ understanding of global cultures. This unique illustrated map book explores the neighborhoods of 16 real children from around the world. Author Margriet Ruurs, who met many of these children in her travels, tells the story of each child’s neighborhood by highlighting the places that are important to them, such as where they live, go to school and play, as well as interesting facts about their lives, including the food they eat, their religious practices and the sights and smells they encounter every day. From big cities, such as Amsterdam and Beijing, to small communities, such as Salt Spring Island in Canada and the village of Komanyana in Zambia, each place is special to the children who live there.

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Image for Minn of the Mississippi: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Minn of the Mississippi: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

The history of the Mississippi River Valley is told in text and pictures through the adventures of Minn, a snapping turtle, as she travels downstream.

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Image for National Parks of the USA (Americana, 1)

National Parks of the USA (Americana, 1)

Packed with maps and fascinating facts about the flora and fauna unique to each of the 21 parks portrayed, this lushly illustrated coast-to-coast journey documents in large format the nation’s most magnificent and sacred places—and shows why they should be preserved for future generations to enjoy. Explore Florida's river-laced Everglades, travel down the white water rapids of the Grand Canyon, trek across the deserts of Death Valley, and scale the soaring summits of the Rocky Mountains with this book that brings you up close to nature's greatest adventures. Divided by region (East, Central, Rocky Mountains, West, Tropics, and Alaska), a pictographic map at the start of each section shows the locations of the parks to be covered. Each park is introduced by a stunning, poster-worthy illustration of one of its scenes and a summary of its makeup, followed by individual illustrations of the animals and plants that make their homes there.

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Image for Strawberry Girl by: Lois Lenski

Strawberry Girl by: Lois Lenski

Strawberries -- big, ripe, and juicy. Ten-year-old Birdie Boyer can hardly wait to start picking them. But her family has just moved to the Florida backwoods, and they haven't even begun their planting. Don't count your biddies 'fore they're hatched, gal young un! her father tells her.

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Image for Wow Canada!: Exploring This Land from Coast to Coast to Coast (Wow Canada! Collection)

Wow Canada!: Exploring This Land from Coast to Coast to Coast (Wow Canada! Collection)

The multi-award-winning Wow Canada! has steadily wowed readers with its original, witty, and fabulously informative cross-country excursion. This thoroughly updated edition is filled with amazing facts, historical wonders, and descriptions, photos, and illustrations of Canada's most famous sights and hidden gems — it's the perfect accessory for that family car trip across Canada. Eleven-year-old Guy and his family travel from province to province —and even up to Canada’s territories! Guy is the ideal narrator, curious but cool and always armed with a wry comment. Incredible sidebar material offers moments of respite from the family’s high-speed travels, making Wow Canada! both the perfect car trip guidebook and a fantastic armchair travel book.

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Image for How the States Got Their Shapes

How the States Got Their Shapes

Why does Oklahoma have that panhandle? Did someone make a mistake?

We are so familiar with the map of the United States that our state
borders seem as much a part of nature as mountains and rivers. Even the oddities—the entire state of Maryland(!)—have become so ingrained that our map might as well be a giant jigsaw puzzle designed by Divine Providence. How the States Got Their Shapes is the first book to tackle why our state lines are where they are. Here are the stories behind the stories, right down to the tiny northward jog at the eastern end of Tennessee and the teeny-tiny (and little known) parts of Delaware that are not attached to Delaware but to New Jersey.

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Image for A Child's Geography of the World

A Child's Geography of the World

A Child's Geography of the World is a general course in geography for juveniles. Hillyer was headmaster at the famed Calvert School and wrote a series of books as part of the curriculum for his students. This title was the result of many years of teaching the subject to young children and of several more years in authoring it. The books is now considered in a classic in home schooling.

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Image for Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary: An Introduction To Earth's Geographical Features For Kids

Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary: An Introduction To Earth's Geographical Features For Kids

Welcome to Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary by B.C. Lester Books! This book takes you across the world's main landforms and biomes, each with a colorful illustration acWelcome to Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary by B.C. Lester Books! This book takes you across the world's main landforms and biomes, each with a colorful illustration accompanied with a child-friendly definition.

What is a mesa? Or an estuary? What is the difference between a swamp and a marsh?

Covering over 100 geography terms, this book has all the answers! This book is a great, concise introduction to the natural features of Earth for children and is a nice way to spark or develop an interest in geography for kids accompanied with a child-friendly definition.

What is a mesa? Or an estuary? What is the difference between a swamp and a marsh?

Covering over 100 geography terms, this book has all the answers! This book is a great, concise introduction to the natural features of Earth for children and is a nice way to spark or develop an interest in geography for kids.

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Next, look at these other geography activities for kids.

MORE GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORER ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

  • The Ultimate Guide to Brave Explorers (Great and Small)
  • Explore the World: Free Continent Printables to Color by Number
  • Free The New Seven Wonders of the World Worksheet
  • Free The World Of Columbus And Sons Lapbook For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • How To Make A Mini Mount Rushmore & Landmarks Of USA
  • The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft
  • 12 Free & Unique Geography Resource History Makers Pages
  • History Makers Notebooking Pages – Famous Persons from Ancient to Modern – Set 2
  • 18+ Fun and Interactive Ways to Learn Geography With Kids
  • 22 Homeschool Geography Go To Resources
  • The Benefits Of Using Games That Teach Geography | Review Of Scrambled States
  •  Marco Polo Unit Study and Lapbook 1254 to 1324.
  • Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study
  • Hands-on Geography: Longitude/Latitude Mapmaking Activity
  • How to Make An Edible Geography Model of Tidal Zones
Explorer Facts and Free Printable Meet the Explorers Activity

Next, look at the explorers included in this free activity pack download.

  • Christopher Columbus
  • Vasco De Gama
  • Marco Polo
  • Prince Henry the Navigator
  • Bartolomeu Dias
  • Robert Falcon Scott
  • Sally Ride and
  • David Livingstone

HOW TO GET THE FREE DISCOVERING THE WORLD MEET THE EXPLORERS ACTIVITY PACK

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic} Tagged With: geography, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, highschoolgeography, homeschool, homeschool geography, homeschoolgeography

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