Geography Resources

If you really want your kids to know and understand world geography, you'll save enough money to buy a Volkswagen bus and travel the habited continents, filling countless notebooks with observations and facts. Unfortunately, most of us aren't that financially independent (or flat-out hardcore), but that doesn't mean our kids can't have a good geography education.

Probably the best place to start is with an organized curriculum, but even the most comprehensive program will leave holes, and none of them are able to know and cater to your childrens' specific interests. Even a specific course on Africa won't necessarily spend as much time as you or your kids would like on African river tribes, the Rwenzori Mountains, or the number of non-indigenous peoples in cities like Tripoli and Johannesburg.

Which is exactly why geography resources exist. Some of them are probably sufficient to teach geography by themselves, but most of them are simply tools to fill out and enhance a more broad study. The best ones are fairly specific in content, though a lot of the reference books we carry cover large regions (including continents) and offer information you aren't likely to encounter elsewhere.

You don't have to actually go to Africa or Europe to make geography a hands-on study, either. One of the best ways to get kids to remember where things are is to have them fill in names and landmarks on a blank or rewriteable map. Or you can have them play games, complete crafts, cook an ethnic meal, make clothes or hats specific to a region, etc.

It's also a good idea to have them read literature that takes place in the area being studied. Even in works of fiction, regional stories can give a sense of place that sticks with readers more than disconnected facts. Not that the facts aren't important—but reinforcing them through other means will cement them more than rote memorization is likely to do.

Then there are the books to keep around the house, the go-to-when-you're-bored atlases, map books, and travel guides great for browsing. Almost every child is visual to some degree, and when they can actually see what a country looks like, with its terrain, lakes, cities and borders, they're far more likely to want to know more about it. Geography study doesn't always have to be formal; supplementing after school hours is often when a lot of the real learning goes on.

Just like you can't teach your kids everything there is to know, we at Exodus Books can't offer all the resources in existence. Groups like the National Geographic Society and the Smithsonian Institute offer bajillions of free online resources, as well as books, TV documentaries, magazines, activity guides, and more. Even more fun (and just as educational) are the Carmen Sandiego computer games and other products that turn geography drill into a hunt for an international supervillain.

To the right you'll find a list of online sites offering information, quizzes, and fun ways to learn geography. We also suggest making use of your local library as much as possible; atlases can be expensive and nation fact books quickly go out of date, but libraries are usually well-stocked and current (though a lot of books of this type are research materials and can't be checked out; be sure to bring a notebook!). Look for the audio-visual section, too; there are usually plenty of documentaries and supplements available.

Understanding geography is one of the first steps toward understanding our world. It affects government and politics, religion, food supply, even the entertainments a culture enjoys. It's probably one of the easiest subjects to get kids interested in, too, but oddly it's often neglected. With all the resources available, however, it can quickly become a focus of study during schooltime and during free time. And you don't even need to buy a junky bus or passports.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur.Read more of his reviews here.

 

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89 Items found Print
Active Filters: 2nd grade (Ages 7-8), In-Stock Books & Materials
50 Adventures in the 50 States
by Kate Siber, illustrated by Lydia Hill
from Wide Eyed Editions
for 2nd-Adult
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$30.00
50 Maps of the World
by Kalya Ryan and Ben Handicott, Illustrated by Sol Linero
from Quarto Publishing
for 2nd-Adult
in Oversized Geography (Location: GEO-OVER)
$30.00
50 Maps of the World
by Kalya Ryan and Ben Handicott, Illustrated by Sol Linero
from Quarto Publishing
for 2nd-Adult
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$14.99
50 Maps of the World - Activity Book
by Based on the book by Kalya Ryan and Ben Handicott, Illustrated by Sol Linero
from Wide Eyed Editions
for 1st-5th grade
in Geography Activities & Games (Location: GEO-ACT)
$12.99
Amazing World Atlas
by Alexa Ward
from Lonely Planet
for 2nd-5th grade
in Oversized Geography (Location: GEO-OVER)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Around the World with Kate and Mack
from Wycliffe Bible Translators
for 2nd-4th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$8.00 (2 in stock)
Atlas of Countries
First Discovery Book
by Gallimard Jeunesse
from Scholastic Press
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Child's Geography of the World
by V. M. Hillyer
2021 Printing from Albatross Publishers
for 2nd-6th grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$22.95
Children Just Like Me
by Anabel Kindersley, Barnabas Kindersley
from DK Publishing
for 1st-3rd grade
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$21.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Children's Atlas of the Bible
by Henry Wansbrough
1st edition
for 1st-7th grade
in Bible Study & Reference for Kids (Location: BIBR-STU)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Continents: Antarctica
by Leila Merrell Foster
from Heinemann Library
for 1st-3rd grade
in Arctic & Tundra (Location: SCI-ECO)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Draw Africa
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (2 in stock)
Draw Asia I
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (2 in stock)
Draw Asia II
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (1 in stock)
Draw Canada and Greenland
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (3 in stock)
Draw Europe
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (3 in stock)
Draw Mexico, Central and South America
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (3 in stock)
Draw Oceania
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95
Draw the Natural Wonders of Europe
by Kristin Draeger and Glen Draeger
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (1 in stock)
Draw the Natural Wonders of the USA
by Kristin Draeger and Glen Draeger
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95
Draw the USA
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (4 in stock)
Draw the World
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$19.95 $13.00 (3 in stock)
Draw the World - Complete Collection
from ArtK12
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Draw the World (Location: ELE-ARTDW)
$143.64
Elementary Geography
by Charlotte M. Mason
1st edition from Blue Sky Daisies
for 2nd-4th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$9.95
Elementary Geography
by Charlotte M. Mason
from Living Book Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$6.99
Elementary Geography
by Charlotte M. Mason
1st edition from Yesterday's Classics
for 2nd-4th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$14.95
Explore the Holy Land
A Child's Geography Volume II
by Ann Voskamp & Tonia Peckover
from Master Books
for 1st-6th grade
in Geography Curriculum (Location: GEO-CUR)
$39.19
From Akebu to Zapotec
by June Hathersmith
from Wycliffe Bible Translators
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
Geography from A to Z
by Jack Knowlton
from HarperCollins
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$11.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Geography Songs - Booklet only
Audio Memory CDs
by Larry & Kathy Troxel
5th edition from Audio Memory
for 2nd-6th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$6.95 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Geography Songs DVD
Audio Memory CDs
by Larry & Kathy Troxel
5th edition from Audio Memory
for 2nd-6th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$30.00
Geography Songs with CD
Audio Memory CDs
by Larry & Kathy Troxel
5th edition from Audio Memory
for 2nd-6th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$13.00 (1 in stock)
Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary
from B.C. Lester Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$15.99
Hands-On Geography
by Maggie S. Hogan
2nd edition from Bright Ideas Press
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Geography Activities & Games (Location: GEO-ACT)
$14.95
Hawaiian Kids - Coloring Book
from The Islander Group
for 1st-5th grade
in Nature / Geography Coloring Books (Location: COL-NAT)
$2.80 (1 in stock)
How Do I Use an Atlas?
Research Tools You Can Use
by Therese Shea
from Britannica Educational Pub.
for 2nd-4th grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
How I Learned Geography
by Uri Shulevitz
1st edition from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
for 2nd-5th grade
Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$18.69
If the World Were a Village
by David J. Smith
1st edition from Kids Can Press
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Indescribable Atlas Adventures
from Tommy Nelson
for 1st-5th grade
in Oversized Geography (Location: GEO-OVER)
$28.99
Inflatable Globe
from Learning Resources
for 1st-4th grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$7.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
Kumon Geography: US & Canada Sticker Activity Book
from Kumon Publishing
for Preschool-4th grade
in Kumon Basic Skills (Location: PRE-KUM)
$9.95
Map of the United States Sticker Picture (Dover Sticker Books)
from Dover Publications
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$7.99
Mapping Penny's World
by Loreen Leedy
from Square Fish Publishing
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$8.99
Maps & Globes
by Jack Knowlton, Harriett Barton
from HarperCollins
for 1st-3rd grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$7.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
MapTrek - Atlas
by Terri Johnson
from Master Books
for 1st-10th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$34.39
MapTrek - Atlas & Outlines
by Terri Johnson
from Master Books
for 1st-10th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
MapTrek - Outlines
by Terri Johnson
from Master Books
for 1st-10th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$34.39
MapTrek - US Edition CD-ROM
from Knowledge Quest
for 1st-12th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$19.95
Me on the Map
by Joan Sweeney & Annette Cable
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Me on the Map
by Joan Sweeney, Illustrated by Qin Leng
from Dragonfly Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$8.99
Mega-Fun Map Skills (Grades 2-3)
by Catherine Tamblyn
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Geography Activities & Games (Location: GEO-ACT)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
National Parks of the USA
by Kate Siber, Illustrated by Chris Turnham
from Wide Eyed Editions
for 2nd-Adult
in U.S. Monuments & Symbols (Location: HISV-LANUS)
$30.00
National Parks of the USA
by Kate Siber, Illustrated by Chris Turnham
from Wide Eyed Editions
for 2nd-Adult
in U.S. Monuments & Symbols (Location: HISV-LANUS)
$14.99
National Parks of the USA - Activity Book
by Claire Grace; inspired by the book by Kate Siber, illustrated by Chris Turnham
from Quarto Publishing
for 2nd-6th grade
in U.S. Monuments & Symbols (Location: HISV-LANUS)
$10.99
Nelson's 3-D Bible Mapbook
by Simon Jenkins
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for All Ages
in Bible Geography and Surveys (Location: XBI-GEO)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Norte, sur, este y oeste
by Allan Fowler
from Children's Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Nursery Geography
by George S. Dickson, illustrated by George Morrow
Undated from T.C. & E.C. Jack
for 1st-4th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$20.00 (1 in stock)
Our Globe, Our World
by Kate Petty
from Barron's
for 2nd-5th grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Play, Learn, Explore: The World
from Yoyo Books
for 1st-4th grade
in Geography Activities & Games (Location: GEO-ACT)
$10.99
Puzzle Maps U.S.A.
by Nancy L. Clouse
1st edition
for 2nd-5th grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Rand McNally Classroom Atlas
by Rand McNally Staff
from Rand McNally
for 1st-6th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Rand McNally Classroom Atlas
by Rand McNally Staff
from Rand McNally
for 1st-6th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Rand McNally Classroom Atlas of the World
by Rand McNally Staff
13th edition from Rand McNally
for 1st-6th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$18.00 $9.00 (4 in stock)
Rand McNally Junior Classroom Atlas
by Brett Gover
Reprint from Rand McNally
for 1st-4th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$6.95
Rand McNally Junior Classroom Atlas (old cover)
from Rand McNally
for 1st-4th grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Scrambled States of America
by Laurie Keller
1st edition from Square Fish Publishing
for 1st-3rd grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$9.99
South America
from Bridgestone Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
States & Capitals Songs with CD
Audio Memory CDs
by Larry & Kathy Troxel
from Audio Memory
for 2nd-5th grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$12.95
Train of States
by Peter Sis
Reprint from Greenwillow Books
for Preschool-3rd grade
in American History Reference (Location: HISA-REF)
$7.64
Trivium at the Table Placemats: Geography Cycle 1
3rd edition from Classical Conversations
for 2nd-6th grade
in Classical Conversations (Location: CUR-CC)
$15.50
Trivium at the Table Placemats: Geography Cycle 1 (old)
2nd edition from Classical Conversations
for 2nd-6th grade
in Classical Conversations (Location: CUR-CC)
$15.00
Trivium at the Table Placemats: Geography Cycle 2
from Classical Conversations
for 2nd-6th grade
in Classical Conversations (Location: CUR-CC)
$15.00
Trivium Tables Cycle 1 Geography
5th edition from Classical Conversations
for 2nd-8th grade
in Classical Conversations (Location: CUR-CC)
$14.40 $9.00 (4 in stock)
Trivium Tables Cycle 2 Geography
revised from Classical Conversations
for 2nd-8th grade
in Classical Conversations (Location: CUR-CC)
$14.40 $9.00 (2 in stock)
Trivium Tables Cycle 3 Geography
from Classical Conversations
for 2nd-8th grade
in Classical Conversations (Location: CUR-CC)
$14.00
U.S. Map Poster (32 X 50 Inches) - Laminated
from Barcharts
for 2nd-12th grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$10.95
Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide (old)
by Maggie Hogan & Cindy Wiggers
3rd edition from GeoCreations
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in Clearance: History & Geography (Location: ZCLE-HIS)
$20.00
Uncle Josh's Outline Map Book
by George Wiggers, Hannah (Wiggers) Gullett
3rd edition from Geography Matters
for 2nd-10th grade
in Geography Matters products (Location: GEO-GEOM)
$14.00 (1 in stock)
Uncle Josh's Outline Map CD-ROM
by George & Hannah Wiggers
2nd edition from Geography Matters
for 2nd-10th grade
in Geography Matters products (Location: GEO-GEOM)
$15.00 (1 in stock)
United States Activity and Fact Book
from Dylanna Publishing
for 1st-3rd grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$13.99
United States Maps
by Amy Pak
from Home School in the Woods
for All Ages
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$19.95 $14.00 (2 in stock)
USA Puzzle Fun!
from Dover Publications
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Dover Maze & Activity Books (Location: COL-MAZE)
$5.09
USA/World Mark-It Map (folded)
by George & Hannah Wiggers
from Geography Matters
for 2nd-10th grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$9.95
Usborne Big Picture Atlas
by Emily Bone, illustrated by Daniel Taylor
from Usborne
for 1st-4th grade
in Introductory Geography (Location: GEO-INTRO)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Book of Peoples of the World
by Roma Trundle
from Usborne
for 1st-3rd grade
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$2.00 (3 in stock)
Usborne Children's Picture Atlas
by Ruth Brocklehurst
from Usborne
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in World & U.S. Atlases (Location: GEO-ATLAS)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Where?
by William D. Pattison, illustrated by William Neebe
from Rand McNally
for 1st-3rd grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
World Map Laminated Poster (32 X 50 Inches)
from QuickStudy
for 2nd-12th grade
in Cartography & Mapping Resources (Location: GEO-MAP)
$10.95
Young Discoverers: Rivers and Oceans
by Barbara Taylor
from Kingfisher
for 2nd-4th grade
in Water Cycle (Location: SCI-EARTH)
$5.00 (1 in stock)