The games below incorporate maps which is a clever and effortless yet intentional way to make learning geography more like play. Whether you’re learning about the United States of America or the world, including some of the games below is sure to bring the desired ingredient of fun!
Ticket to Ride – Days of Wonder
USA or European versions available
Ages 8+ ● 2-5 Players ● 30-60 Minutes
Ticket to Ride has been a family favorite in our home since it came out in 2004. The object of the game is to score the most points by claiming train routes on the map. Bonus points are awarded to the player with the longest continuous route at the end. Carefully strategize which destination tickets to keep and complete routes for and which to discard, as uncompleted routes cost points. When five players are on the board, completing routes is more challenging and connections are likely to get cut off. The amount of detail that went into the creation of the train theme is impressive. It’s sure to be a classic, and you’ll want to read the storyline behind the game to appreciate the full theme.
Who Knows Where? – Wildcard Games
Ages 14+ ● 2-4 Players or Teams ● 30-60 min
Great for adult couples, youth teams or the whole family! Start each round with the question: “Who Knows Where . . .” as you show off and expand your geographical location skills. What’s not to love about a whole world map with labeled countries? And a game in which everyone plays all of the time – no waiting for turns! Regardless of geography skill level, this game can be enjoyed and even won by any player, as the object of the game is to be first to cross the finish line as you complete the circuit along the outside of the board by rolling a die and identifying the correct location of well known places in five different categories:
- capital cities
- trivia (historical events, entertainment, sports and global facts)
- guidebook aka famous tourist sites
- places (major cities and towns)
- photos of iconic landmarks, places and events (my favorite!)
Now before you get all excited about your stored trivia of important and iconic places around the world such as knowing that the “Terracotta Warriors” are in China or the “Christ the Redeemer” statue is on the coastline of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, “Who Knows Where?” takes your location skills to the next level. On this map game board, there are 18 quadrants in China and 6 on the coastline of Brazil to choose from in the regular play mode or 55 for China and 12 for Brazil’s coastline in the advanced mode. So this game helps you get to know the precise location for hundreds of places! If this scares you a bit, there are instructions to simplify the game with more generous parameters. There are no penalties for a wrong guess unless you “piggyback” on another player’s incorrect guess, so this can add an element of strategy. With multiple options including a 2-sided game board (one with labeled countries and the other with a satellite image) for making the game more challenging or easier, this game is sure to appeal to a wide range of skill levels. Everyone gets ahead in this game by learning more about world geography and history!
The World Game – Sweetips d.o.o.
board game with cards and player pieces
Ages 7+ ● 2-5 Players ● 40 minutes
Be the first to cross the finish line in a race around the world! This is another world map game in which anyone can win regardless of geography skill level, and everyone is sure to win the ultimate outcome of learning more cool facts in the process.
Every player holds a country card that changes often throughout play and shows a country’s location, capital, flag and 5 facts. Cleverly the 5 facts for each country are used to compete with your opponents for having the country with the most of any of the five facts. If you think you’re holding a country card without a lot of bragging rights, you can opt for a “challenge question” instead. Challenge questions vary in difficulty level and include: identifying the continent the country is on, identifying the flag of the country, locating the country on the map with the numbered coordinates on outlined political lines or naming the capital city. Before play you can decide together which “challenge questions” you will use in play.
The game has an added level of interest with some action cards that can be collected and played along the way. It’s our opinion that everyone who learns a few cool geography skills while playing this game is a winner!
The World Game – Sweetips d.o.o.
card game with fold out map
Ages 5+ ● 2-6 Players ● 30-90 min
This The World Game is created by the same inventors as the The World Game board game above and has similar, yet simpler, rules for play. It’s much more compact as the world map is paper rather than cardboard and folds down to fit in the card box. So this version can easily be packed in luggage for a family getaway and played in small spaces.
The object of the game is to collect the most cards. Players are dealt cards and compete for opponents’ cards by waging facts about one of the countries in their hand thought to be strongest or opting for a challenge question (continent, flag, location or capital city).
Continent Race – Byron’s Games
Ages 7+ ● 2 or more Players ● 30 min
An impressive game created by a kid that is passionate about maps! I can imagine how much was invested into the development of this adorable game. The object of the game is to collect a certain number of country cards for each continent. The number of cards required for each continent is based on the quantity of countries in each continent, for example 2 country cards for Australia/Oceania and 4 each from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe. This kid knows his stuff and you’ll learn about some territories whose sovereignty is not fully recognized as well.
+ Created by a kid for kids!
Risk – Parker Brothers
Ages 8+ ● 2-6 Players ● 45-90 minutes
Risk may be the longest standing map game still played and loved! Originally released in 1959, it’s a classic game of global domination. Ruthlessly take over your opponents’ territories through dice rolling battles and army placement strategies. A simplified map game board provides an overall familiarity with continents and a few countries. This game has stood the test of time and can be played and enjoyed by mixed generations. Remember to not take the game so seriously that your real life relationships suffer or that you destroy the game board should your armies get conquered.
Pandemic – Z-Man Games
Age 8+ ● 2-4 Players ● 45 min
There are so many things to love about this game. While it does require a little investment into learning to play, it’s well worth it and not complicated once you get going. As a cooperative game, everyone works together to rid the world of four deadly diseases. Work together and strategize to beat the game and save humanity.
Sweep the World – Mehag Inc
Ages 7+ ● 2-6 Players ● 20 minutes
While this game doesn’t have a map game board, it does boast some cool cards with countries and oceans as well as population, land area and world “wild” cards. End the game with the least amount of cards in hand when the draw pile is gone and you win! Work to match your hand with cards in play by making connections based on continent, bordering oceans, population or land area size.
Race Across the USA – Scholastic
Age 8+ ● 2-4 Players ● 30 min
A perfect game for getting familiar with each of the fifty states and some of the interesting trivia of each. Be the first to visit six states and collect the associated cards and return to your home state to win this game! You’re sure to learn some intriguing facts that will add some travel itinerary to your bucket list.
The 50 States Game – The World Game
Age 7+ ● 2-5 Players ● 20 min
Remember when you were in 5th grade and knew where all the 50 states were by memory? Put your memory to the test and while you’re at it, see how well you know specific details about each state. Would you recognize state flags? How about state nicknames or capitals? Be the first to complete your game sheet of five states! Fun and educational for the whole family!
Scrambled States of America Game – Gamewright
8+ ● 2-4 Players ● 30 minutes
Add some personality and whimsy to your 50 states game with Scrambled States of America based on the book of the same name by author Laurie Keller. Each player gets their own small folded map of the USA. Using two sets of playing cards, blue State Cards and red Find It Cards identify various characteristics of each state such as hidden words within the name, which other states or bodies of water it borders and hilarious traits by the artists of the game such as the facial features or chosen color for the map. The player with the most states in their Home Pile when the State Deck is depleted is declared winner! You’ll definitely want to read the book before you play this game. Let loose and have a little fun while learning about 50 amazing states!
And just for fun some bonus MAP games to take you to places beyond your imagination . . . .
The games below have maps that change every time you play as the “board” is made of tiles that form a different layout with every encounter. Endless possibilities for endless engagement. Choose one with a theme or element that interests your children or family and enjoy the interactive together time without the screens.
Carcassonne – Rio Grande Games
Medieval Europe (time travel)
Age 8+ ● 2-5 Players ● 45 min
Once the gameboard map is complete the game is over, and the player with the most points wins. Every game played is unique, as players create the gameboard map using the square game tiles. Points are accumulated throughout the game by completing roads, cities or cloisters with the tiles and claiming different landmarks by placing followers. There are many extension packs to add to the complexity of this game. Our family has enjoyed many hours of play with the base as well as several of the extension packs over the years. Journey back in time to medieval Europe and use your strategy to enhance and maximize your developments. Do you know where the real Carcassonne is in the world? This is a perfect accompaniment to a study of medieval Europe!
Catan – Klaus Teuber
Ages 10+ ● 3-4 Players ● 45 min
Collect the most victory points in this game of trade and commerce by using your resources to create settlements, cities, roads and armies. Choose your settlement placement wisely as resource availability is dependent on chance and not all probabilities are equal. Employ skills in economics and strategy to come out victorious by being the first player with ten victory points! This game map changes every time and especially interesting with its hexagon tile pieces.
Plunder – Lost Boy Entertainment
Pirate Themed with ships and oceans!
Ages 10+ ● 2-6 Players ● 60 min
Ahoy mates! Secure your ship and get ready to embark on a sea voyage of piracy! First player to collect ten Plunder Points is immediately declared the winner. You gain Plunder Points by adding ships to your fleet and claiming islands. You can also collect Plunder Point cards by sinking your opponents’ ships, burying treasure (collecting gold) and getting awarded the right treasure cards. Be careful as the seas can be treacherous and a storm is always brewing somewhere . . . This giant ocean and island map is randomly laid out for a different formation every time it’s played. Adding sails to your ship will increase your speed and adding canons makes you a bigger threat in a ship to ship battle. May the best pirate win!
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