Fun ideas for interactive geography lessons


























If you're looking for a way for your kids to learn about geography and maps that have loads of fun built in, here are 10 neat websites to check out.



  1. Postcrossing Our family did this actively years back and it's still one of my favorite activities. It's so exciting to send or receive a postcard from a new and exciting place. Keep a map on the wall and mark all the places where you either send or receive a card.

    "The goal of this project is to allow people to receive postcards from all over the world, for free. Well, almost free! The main idea is that: if you send a postcard, you will receive one back from a random Postcrosser from somewhere in the world." Classroom Project

  2. Where Is George The purpose of Where's George? is to track the natural and geographic circulation of currency. To track a bill, a user enters the local ZIP Code, the serial number, and series of any US currency denomination.Once a bill is registered, the site reports the time between sightings, the distance between sightings, and any comments from the finders.

  3. Waymarking Waymarking is a way to mark unique locations on the planet and give them a voice. While GPS technology allows us to pinpoint any location on the planet, mark the location, and share it with others, Waymarking is the toolset for categorizing and adding unique information for that location. Want to know where all the penny smashers are along your road trip route? This is the site for you. Want to create a virtual scavenger hunt with monuments in your local area? Use this site to help you. Want to put your tiny town on the map and have the kids catalog the cool things in your town and add descriptions? Use Waymarking.

  4. Letterboxing Letterboxing is an intriguing pastime combining navigational skills and rubber stamp artistry in a charming "treasure hunt" style outdoor quest. We did a lot of this when the kids were little because it enabled them to follow simple directions rather than GPS coordinates. it's a great way to get non-outdoorsey kids into hiking, and it's loads of fun too! Combine the outdoors stuff with stamp-making for an extra art project.

  5. Whereigo WhereIGo is the next "step up" for people who like Waymarking and Geocaching. It provides walking tours and even interactive "game" experiences in real life (IRL). Video Here

  6. Geocaching Similar to Letterboxing, but instead of specific directions and landmarks, you use a GPS tracker to find the "treasure." Generally, you take something from the stash and leave something behind. Fun family adventures wherever you travel.

  7. Bookcrossing Bookcrossing is, "the World's Library. It's a smart social networking site. It's a celebration of literature and a place where books get new life. BookCrossing is the act of giving a book a unique identity so, as the book is passed from reader to reader, it can be tracked and thus connecting its readers. " You can print a unique label for a book and then "release it into the wild" to see where it might go. There are also "exchange" options where you can connect with other readers or classrooms and exchange books, give and receive feedback. Just dreamy! video

  8. Passport to the National Parks If you're doing a cross-country trip or like to do day trips to National Parks in your area, invest in one of these babies to collect stamps (rubber stamp image) from the places you visit. It's a great low-cost souvenir for any kid or collector. "Spaces in each region are designated for you to collect rubber stamp cancellations at each national park site you visit."

  9. Munzee Track down QR Codes hidden in the real world and capture them for points. Whether you are a casual player, an avid explorer, or a hardcore competition enthusiast, Munzee helps you rediscover the world around you.

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