“I hate geography.” That was a sentence I would hear a lot from my mom growing up. She did not like geography one bit. I used to just kind of laugh because my mom is one of the kindest people you will ever meet, and rarely would the word hate come out of her mouth at all. Yet, when geography was mentioned—there it was.

Once I became a homeschool mom and started exploring the world with my own children, I realized that filling in blank maps and knowing their capitals was not super useful. I remember doing that in school myself. I would study and memorize all the states, countries, capitals—their names and where they were located on a map. Then I would take the test, and—nothing. That was it. Rarely did we learn about the places we were memorizing.

Fast forward to being an adult and I went and lived in Russia for 15 months as a missionary for my church. Well after spending my entire life in the United States, with the rare trip to Canada, I had never left the country before and had never been immersed in a culture that wasn’t my own.

“Shock” hardly seems like a strong enough word. Different language. Different food. Different living conditions. Different traditions and values. I very much felt like a fish out of water. That poor fish with no water.

But then something amazing happened. I learned about the people. Their culture, their jobs, their favorite things. I learned about what was important to them and why. I learned they were different than me, but also similar. I learned to appreciate our differences. It was there that I realized geography wasn’t something you memorized—it was something you experienced. It wasn’t about places on a map anymore, it was about understanding the people who lived there.

The good news is that geography for kids doesn’t have to look like endless memorization. Geography is more than memorizing maps and capitals. It’s more than knowing the difference between an island and a peninsula. And it is definitely more than knowing random facts to pass a test.

Geography is both physical and human. When studied in its fullness, we learn about people, places, landscapes, food, traditions, climate, animals, and more. It helps us understand different cultures, build empathy, connect to both science and history, and appreciate the world around us.

Bringing Geography to Life

So how do you do it? How do you take all these wonderful subjects inside a subject and teach them to your children? We already have so much to do and keep track of as homeschool parents. For years, I simply lumped geography in with history. Maybe you do too—and if that works well for your family, that’s okay.

Not every homeschool needs to look the same. But if you are looking for ways to make geography a bigger part of your children’s education, you’ve come to the right place.

In our homeschool, we use books, recipes, crafts, music, maps, field trips (when we can), and documentaries (the less boring the better for children—and adults. We can be honest about this.) to learn about different areas around the world. Ask questions. Even ones you don’t know the answer to. Then find out together. My kids love to call them mysteries, or quests when we need to figure something out. All of it though is an adventure we go on together.

They might not remember the capital of India. That’s ok. It’s more likely they will remember making their own Rangoli art designs, and learning about one of the seven wonders of the world, and tasting delicious flavors (seriously have you tried Indian food? Oh goodness, it is my favorite! Butter Chicken has become one of our kids’ favorite meals—it’s been mine for so long!).

So where do you start? Anywhere you like! Isn’t that great? You can start by learning about different states or different countries. You can start by learning about holidays and celebrations around the world (those are always memorable).

For us, the first place I start is the public library. Once we have a topic, I pick up books on that subject and keep them in our book basket for the kids to go through and read. Once the topic is introduced in the family, you can watch your children become curious to learn more about it on their own. The best part is watching curiosity take over. Eventually, your kids start asking the questions before you do. I still have some younger kids and their older siblings read to them about different countries and cultures. I love that I don’t always have to be the one teaching.

One word of encouragement. You don’t have to make a perfect plan. It doesn’t have to be carried out perfectly. It can be as simple as getting some books from the library, picking a Pinterest-worthy recipe or asking and researching questions together. Go from there.

Enjoy your journey through the world with your family, without leaving the house! And one day I hope you will hear your children say, “I love geography!” I know my mom well enough to know if she did this as a kid, she would love it as well!

Geography doesn’t have to become another subject on your checklist. It can become one of the adventures your family remembers most.

Happy Exploring!