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It’s officially summer, but just because school is out doesn’t mean it’s time for your grandkids to stop learning. Au contraire, my fellow Devoted Grandma! In fact, summer is the best time to learn, as we can teach our grands something new without them even realizing it.
As a lover of geography, I was looking for a low-key way to incorporate learning opportunities into my grandkids’ play, which is how I came up with this fun and educational geography quiz night that you can host for your grandkids!
Benefits of learning geography
This question may sound like a no-brainer, but I wanted to map out a few reasons why geography is so important to learn:
- Enhances cultural understanding: Geography helps us understand the various cultures, traditions, and lifestyle practices around the world, promoting cultural awareness and tolerance.
- Improves decision-making: Knowledge of geography aids in informed decision-making regarding issues like climate change, resource management, and sustainable development.
- Aids in travel planning: If you understand the geography of a place, you can navigate it better. I also find it fascinating to know about the places you visit, including their cultural and physical landscapes.
- Promotes environmental awareness: Geography helps us understand the natural world and the impact of human activities on the environment. This understanding fosters a sense of responsibility to protect our planet.
- Career opportunities: A good foundation in geography opens up various career paths, such as urban planning, environmental consultancy, transportation management, tourism, and teaching.
Creating age-appropriate geography quizzes
How does one curate a geography quiz night (and a fun one, at that)? I had too much fun putting this together, and I hope that you and your grands enjoy it, too!
For Younger Grandchildren (Ages 6-10)
At this age, focus on basic geographic concepts and facts.
- Quiz on continents and oceans: Questions can range from naming the continents and oceans to matching them on a blank map.
- Quiz on landforms: Prepare questions about different types of landforms such as mountains, valleys, plains, etc.
- Quiz on flags and country shapes: Show images of flags or country outlines and have the kids identify them.
For Older Grandchildren (Ages 11-15)
At this age, kids can handle more complex geography topics.
- Quiz on capital cities: Ask your grandkids for the capitals of various countries, or give the capital and ask them to name the country. You can even quiz them on the states and capitals!
- Quiz on geographic features: Questions can focus on significant rivers, mountain ranges, deserts, etc.
- Quiz on climate and habitats: Ask questions about different climate zones and the types of animals or plants that live there.
For Teens (Ages 16 and up)
Teens can tackle broader, more abstract geographic concepts.
- Quiz on global issues: Ask questions about climate change, population growth, migration, etc.
- Quiz on cultural geography: Prepare questions about languages, religions, and cultural practices around the world.
- Quiz on economic geography: Ask about resources, industries, and trade.
Hosting a quiz night
Now for the REALLY fun part: Hosting the quiz night! Are you ready to channel your inner Alex Trebek?
- Set Clear Rules: Make sure everyone understands how the quiz will work, including the rules for answering, scoring, and resolving disputes.
- Ensure Accessibility: Ensure that the content is accessible and enjoyable for all ages. For example, you might have some rounds where the grandchildren are expected to shine and others that play more to the grandparents’ strengths.
- Provide Visual Aids: Visual aids such as maps, flags, and pictures can make the quiz more engaging, especially for younger children.
- Use Interactive Technology: Consider using a tool like Kahoot! or Quizlet. These platforms allow you to create your own quizzes and then play them in a game-like format.
- Plan Breaks: Make sure to plan short breaks for refreshments and socializing. This will keep the evening from feeling too much like a classroom experience.
- Encourage Teamwork: To foster bonding, consider organizing the quiz in teams. Each team could be a grandparent-grandchild pair, encouraging cooperation and mutual learning.
- Prizes: Consider having small prizes for the winners – not just for the fun of it, but also to encourage friendly competition.
- Make It Regular: If the first quiz night is a success, consider making it a regular event. You could explore different themes each time, like the geography of a specific region or country. Who knows – this ongoing event can become a cherished family tradition!
Supplies
If you don’t feel like curating your own list, there are plenty of fun and engaging games that cover U.S. and world geography!
Imagimake Mapology United States & World Map Puzzle
This is such a great puzzle/game/tool for introducing or teaching geography to your younger, elementary-aged grandkids, as it comes with four puzzles, stickers, flags, and more.
The World Game
Older grandkids? The World Game is the “ultimate geography game” that will teach and quiz them on everything from flags to capitals to continents.
BEST LEARNING i-Poster My World Interactive Map
Wouldn’t you have loved to have a smart and interactive map when you were a kid? Me, too!
Conclusion
Can you tell that I feel very passionately about this? As always, I hope that you and your grandkids have as much fun with this as we have. Let me know if you try it 🙂
