The U.S. States Book for Kids is one of my favorite resources for teaching geography to younger children. Too, look at my page Hands-On Simple And Best Homeschool Geography Ideas & Tips for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.
It is a fun, colorful, oversized book full of maps and fantastic information for learning about each of our 50 states.
If you’re studying the 50 states in your homeschool or classroom, combining a fun book with a hands-on craft is a great way to make the lesson come alive
Just look at all the wonderful information each double-page spread includes for teaching every state from Alabama to Wyoming.
Each map includes:
- A moment to remember box with a list of significant dates and their events in the state’s history
- A welcome box with a short introduction to the state
- Key facts, including the capital, state bird, flower, and tree, and statehood order
- State icons celebrating the state’s people, places, and history
- Six inspiring people who have a connection to the state
- Region spotlight bubbles to allow you to discover more about one particular place
First, look at these other geography books for kids.
GEOGRAPHY BOOKS FOR KIDS
10 Geography Children's Books
I have a list of some of my favorite books for different ages, locations, and styles to help you choose a few to add to your library.
In 51 charmingly illustrated infographic maps, explore every state of the USA from Alabama to Wyoming and the nation’s capital to discover more than 2,000 facts that celebrate the people, cities, nature, and historic events that have helped make America what it is today. You'll also get an expansive guide to the state flags and US presidents. Ghost towns, swamp tours, the center of the universe…bacon donuts, brainy berries, salmon jerky…The French Fry King, The Mother of Oregon, The Queen of Blues…be inspired by the inventiveness, beauty, and diversity of the United States in this curious collection of fact-filled maps.
For curious kids, this is the chance to embark on the journey of a lifetime—and see how faraway countries have more in common than you might expect! Hopscotch from country to country in a chain of connecting attractions: Explore Mexico’s glittering cave of crystals, then visit the world’s largest cave in Vietnam. Peer over a 355-foot waterfall in Zambia, then learn how Antarctica’s Blood Falls got their mysterious color. Or see mysterious mummies in Japan and France, then majestic ice caves in both Argentina and Austria.
From the map experts at National Geographic comes the sixth edition of the award-winning Student World Atlas―the best resource ever for middle and high school students to become informed global citizens.This latest edition, created with the help of a geography educator, has everything kids want and need to know about our changing world. Dynamic, user-friendly content includes stunning photos, fascinating facts, charts, graphics, and full-color political, physical, and thematic maps on important topics. This edition includes:
•New thematic maps for every continent
•New and updated infographics
•Updated maps and statistics
Travel the world without leaving your living room.
This book of maps is a visual feast for readers of all ages, with lavishly drawn illustrations from the incomparable Mizielinskis. It features not only borders, cities, rivers, and peaks, but also places of historical and cultural interest, eminent personalities, iconic animals and plants, cultural events, and many more fascinating facts associated with every region of our planet.
From North America's mountains to Africa's deserts, this book will help kids learn the locations of states, countries, and continents around the world. They will also learn about the features that make up each region, including:
- What's growing in the Amazon Rainforest;
- The longest river in the world - the Nile in Africa;
- The "frozen Ts" of Asia - the tundra and the taiga;
- Shelves of ice in Antarctica;
- The uniqueness of the Australian Outback;
- And more!
With exciting puzzles and activities, this book is a great tool for teachers and parents who want to make learning fun for kids. Before long, young readers will be reading maps and navigating tough terrain like bona fide geographers!
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 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.
Exciting World Travel activities for kids with continents, flags, animals, landmarks, cities and more.
Welcome to World Geography: The Activity Book For Kids Aged 4-8 by B.C. Lester Books! Our activity book is perfect for kids who love geography or travel! This book features a range of drawings including maps, flags animals, landscapes, landmarks, cities, animals over a range of activities that includes coloring pages, color by number, mazes, wordsearches, dot-to-dot and spot the difference. Let their creativity run wild!
Help your kids to be the best in their geography class. This book will help you to understand what they’re being taught so you can answer all their geography questions. This book is what every frustrated parent needs. Its innovative approach combines colorful diagrams and illustrations with step-by-step explanations, making geography easier to understand than ever before.
Take a tour of America's great outdoors and discover the beauty and diversity of its most iconic and majestic national parks. *A 2019 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students: K–12 (National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council)* 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.
Pack your bags and let’s go on an action-packed tour around the world with this geography book for kids!
On the adventure, you’ll travel back in time to see how the continents have evolved, marvel at incredible geographical features, see the world's cities and landmarks, and admire incredible wildlife. The unique children’s atlas brings the Earth into your living room:
• Each map brings an instant understanding of both the subject and its spatial distribution.
• Every spread features a key that supports the main map to give a richer understanding of the topic.
• Extra panels develop the map’s subject, offering new angles into the topic or providing background information.
Then, look at a few more facts about the book.
ABOUT THE U.S. STATES BOOK FOR KIDS
It saves you a lot of time pulling all this neat info together and is so much more engaging than a dry textbook.
You will be surprised how much your child will retain from this more relaxed approach to geography.
Each state’s map also contains information about which states it neighbors, its bodies of water, and its borders, as well as where it is situated in the country.
Did you know that while Hawaii shares its border with no one, both Missouri and Tennessee border eight other states? Many state parks, battlefields, national forests, and reservations are also included to
Today, we are going to explore the U.S. states book for kids and focus on one in particular as we create an easy Michigan handprint map craft that helps children remember “The Mitten State.”
Also, look how to use it as a geography spine.
HOW TO USE THE U.S. STATES BOOK FOR KIDS AS A GEOGRAPHY SPINE
- Take one state per week to focus on, dig deep.
- Mark each state on a map as you read.
- Talk about symbols like Michigan’s state bird (the American Robin) or state flower (the apple blossom).
- Study famous people and landmarks from each state.
- Add in hands-on learning, like crafts, recipes, or state reports.
- Draw or print pictures of each state’s symbols.
- Write a few sentences about what makes each state unique.
- Challenge older kids to learn the state capitals.
- Check out videos on landmarks, flora, and fauna from each one.
Next, look at more activities.
RESOURCES TO USE WITH THE U.S. STATES BOOK FOR KIDS
- Free Resources: Worksheets To Learn The 50 States With Ease
- How To Teach The 50 States To Preschoolers | 50 States Busy Book
- 7 National Landmarks USA | How To Make A Fun Statue Of Liberty Torch Craft
- How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books
- Layers Of The Earth Easy Quick Study For Kids
- How To Make Geography For Children Fun: Free 50 States Park Quest
- Amazing Geography Landforms: An Engaging Triorama Tutorial for Kids
- 13 Living Geography Books For Kids Who Love Exploring
- Learn US Geography the Fun Way: Free States 3-Part Flashcards
- 100 BEST Books for Kids from all 50 States (Easy Geography)
- Lewis & Clark Free Mighty Mississippi Book and Easy Sediment Activity
- Free My Little Book Of Landforms Images With Names
Finally, look at how to make this fun map of Michigan.
EASY MICHIGAN HANDPRINT MAP CRAFT
This simple craft is a creative way to help kids remember Michigan’s shape and location.
You will need:
- Fun background paper
- Green cardstock or construction paper
- Blue cardstock or construction paper
- Glue stick
- scissors
First, trace your child’s left hand onto a piece of green cardstock, but rather than tracing each finger, draw around it in a mitten shape, grouping the 4 fingers and the thumb.
It should basically look like this.
Cut out the mitten shape as well as the general shape of the upper peninsula.
For the Great Lakes tear pieces of blue paper into each of the 5.
Label- Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Superior, and Lake Erie around your mitten.
Let your child glue the upper and lower peninsula into place on a fun background.
We chose a patterned paper with snowflakes because it created a great opportunity to talk about the climate of a state so different than our own.
Add the lakes in their correct spots around Michigan.
