States and capitals are one of the geography skills students in elementary grades are supposed to learn. However, they can be seen as hard to memorize and comprehend. Children learn and grasp concepts easier and faster through play, including games. Learning the states and capitals of the United States can be done the same way.
Use a Large Map
Get a large map of the United States and place it on a wall in the house such as the child’s bedroom. Then, you play a game using the map. Do this in short bursts such as five minutes at a time. You give a capital or state and the child has to find it on the map. As you do this more and more, the child will automatically know where the states are on the map and what capital goes with which state.
Play Games with Index Cards
Take index cards and write the states on one set and the capitals on the other. Do this in small groups such as groups of 10. There will be 10 states and their capitals in each group. Place them all face down and play memory. Match the capital with the state and claim those cards. The person with the most cards wins. Then, the game can be increased to two sets of cards together to do 20 states and capitals making the game a little harder.
Write the states and capitals on index cards. Layout the states in alphabetical order. Then match the capitals to the states. This can be done the opposite way. This is also teaching alphabetical skills which are needed in other areas of study.
Use Puzzles
Get a United States puzzle for the child to put together. For the young children, they have several wooden puzzles where the child has to put the state in the corresponding spot. The child starts to learn the shapes and names of the states as well as where in the United States each state is located.
Since children learn best through play, use play to teach the states and capitals. You play memory, put puzzles together, play find (I have been told it is almost like finding Waldo), and have fun. Your child will have the states and capitals memorized and know where they are located faster than you could have imagined. Plus, they will be having fun.
Just like when they were younger, playing was a big part of their learning. Learning through play and games later in their educational path still provides a lot of benefits. The biggest benefit is a fun way to master and retain the knowledge of states and capitals. You can read the other post called Educational Play is Essential Part of Learning.
