10 Best History & Geography Games for Learning

Want to make history and geography fun? Check out these top 10 educational games:

1. Trekking the World - Explore global landmarks
2. Ticket to Ride: Rails & Sails - Build worldwide routes
3. The World Game - Test country knowledge
4. The Scrambled States of America - Learn U.S. geography
5. Passport to Culture - Discover global cultures
6. Guess in 10: Around the World - Deduce countries
7. Continent Race - Collect country cards
8. Who Knows Where? - Locate famous places
9. GeoGuessr - Identify locations from images
10. Professor Noggin Series - Cover various topics

These games boost geographic literacy, historical knowledge, and cultural awareness while having fun. Great for family game nights, classrooms, or self-study.

Game	Focus	Players	Age
Trekking the World	Global landmarks	2-5	10+
Ticket to Ride: Rails & Sails	World transportation	2-4	10+
The World Game	Country facts	2-5	7+
The Scrambled States of America	U.S. geography	2-4	8+
Passport to Culture	World cultures	2-6	10+
Guess in 10: Around the World	Country characteristics	2-6	8+
Continent Race	Continents and flags	2-6	7+
Who Knows Where?	Global locations	2-6	10+
GeoGuessr	Real-world geography	1+	13+
Professor Noggin Series	Various topics	2-8	7+

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1. Trekking the World

Trekking the World brings global exploration to your living room. This game lets 2-5 players visit famous landmarks and learn about cultures across a colorful world map.

Players move trekker meeples, collecting souvenirs and completing tours. The game involves:

• Hand management with Trek cards
• Strategic movement and actions
• Collecting souvenirs and destinations

What makes it special:

• Beautiful artwork of global landmarks
• Fun facts spark discussions about geography and cultures
• 30-60 minute playtime fits family game nights

Benefits for learning:

• Improves knowledge beyond countries and capitals
• Introduces diverse cultures and landmarks
• Encourages strategic thinking

One player shared: "A great family game that sparks discussions about world wonders."

Priced at $49.99, Trekking the World is an investment in both fun and education. Its Kickstarter success shows strong interest in this type of game.

2. Ticket to Ride: Rails & Sails

Ticket to Ride: Rails & Sails expands the classic game with sea routes. Players build train and ship connections, making it great for learning world geography.

The game features:

• Double-sided board: world map and Great Lakes
• Global connections on a wrap-around world map
• Mixed train and ship transportation
• Harbor building in coastal cities
• Tour Tickets for complex routes

Players learn geography by:

1. Locating cities to complete routes
2. Understanding distances between locations
3. Learning about land and sea terrain

Rails & Sails supports 2-4 players, takes about 30 minutes per player, and suits ages 10+. It costs around $75, offering more educational value than the original version.

To boost learning:

• Research real-world locations on your routes
• Discuss historical shipping lanes and train routes
• Compare the game map to actual world maps

3. The World Game

The World Game helps players learn about countries while having fun. It includes 194 country cards packed with facts about flags, capitals, and more.

Key features:

• Covers all 193 UN member states plus Vatican City
• Each card has 5 country facts (area, population, GDP)
• Colorful world map board with landmarks

Players move by answering challenges or comparing country stats, learning about:

• Flag recognition
• Capital cities
• Country locations
• Population sizes
• Economic indicators

The flexible design suits various ages and knowledge levels. One family shared: "Each country sparks talks about its history and culture. Highly recommend."

To maximize learning:

• Use cards as flashcards outside gameplay
• Share extra facts about each country
• Research interesting countries after playing

The World Game takes 30 minutes, fits 2-5 players aged 7+, and boosts geography knowledge for kids and adults alike.

4. The Scrambled States of America

The Scrambled States of America makes learning U.S. geography fun through fast-paced play. This award-winning game suits 2-4 players aged 8+.

Players match state cards with scramble cards based on:

• State shape
• Capital city
• State nickname
• Alphabetical order

The game includes:

Component	Quantity
Scramble cards	60
State cards	50
U.S. maps	4
Mini-book	1

Two challenge types:

1. Find-It Cards: Test state-specific knowledge
2. Go the Distance! Cards: Teach state locations

To boost learning:

• Locate each state on a map while playing
• Use state cards as flashcards
• Discuss interesting state facts during play

While not focused on exact locations, it introduces state shapes, nicknames, and capitals. The 30-minute playtime fits busy schedules, and at $19.99, it's an affordable way to make geography fun.

5. Passport to Culture

Passport to Culture takes players on a global adventure, teaching about different cultures. It's great for 2-6 players aged 10+.

The game includes:

Component	Quantity
Game board (20" x 20")	1
Question cards	370
Culture cards	30
Passport play cards	6
Passport stamps	60
Answer cards	18
Playing pieces	6
Six-sided die	1
Correct answers score pad	1

Players travel a world map, answering culture questions to earn passport stamps. Topics include:

• People and places
• Food and drink
• World treasures
• Greetings and gestures
• Customs and traditions

With 636 questions and 48 cultural scenarios, it offers rich learning. Example questions:

• "What should you do before entering a home in Mali?"
• "How many seasons are there in Bangladesh?"

One reviewer said: "It's becoming one of our favorite games to play. It reinforces map skills and introduces culture to my kids."

To maximize learning:

• Use question cards as flashcards
• Discuss interesting cultural facts during play
• Share personal experiences related to mentioned cultures

Passport to Culture offers an engaging way to learn world geography and cultural diversity.

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6. Guess in 10: Around the World

Guess in 10: Around the World sharpens geography knowledge through quick guessing. Players ask up to 10 yes-or-no questions to identify countries.

Key features:

Feature	Description
Players	2-6
Age Range	8 and up
Game Cards	50
Clue Cards	6
Fun Facts	300+

The game builds skills like:

• Communication
• Decision making
• Problem-solving
• Creative thinking

To boost learning:

1. Use game cards as flashcards
2. Discuss country facts as they come up
3. Share personal experiences about mentioned countries

A teacher shared: "Great game, very fun to play as a class when we have extra minutes."

7. Continent Race

Continent Race teaches world geography and flags through fast-paced play. It's good for ages 7+ and includes:

Component	Quantity
Country Cards	205
Continent Lists with Maps	5
World Map	1
Antarctica Wild Cards	3
Game Rules Card	1

Players race to collect country cards from different continents. The goal: gather 4 cards each from Africa, Asia, Europe, 4 combined from North and South America, and 2 from Australia/Oceania.

Color-coding helps younger players participate. One 9-year-old noted: "I learned some countries belong to multiple continents. It made me curious why."

To maximize learning:

1. Use Continent Lists as study aids
2. Name capitals of collected countries
3. Share interesting country facts during play

With 30-minute games, Continent Race offers quick, engaging geography lessons through competition and education.

8. Who Knows Where?

Who Knows Where? tests global knowledge by challenging players to find famous places on a world map. It covers 1,000+ locations in five categories:

Category	Description
Capitals	Major government cities
Cities and Towns	Global urban areas
Events and Facts	Historical and geographical trivia
Tourist Sites	Popular travel spots
Iconic Landmarks	Famous structures and natural wonders

The double-sided board offers:

• One side with country outlines for easier play
• A satellite image side for tougher challenges

Players move by answering location questions. They can "piggyback" on opponents' guesses, but wrong answers set them back.

The game sparks geography discussions. One 13-year-old shared: "I know that's the Eiffel Tower because I went there last year. It's in Paris."

Who Knows Where? mixes knowledge, tactics, and luck. Its blend of education and fun makes it great for boosting geographic literacy in families and classrooms.

9. GeoGuessr

GeoGuessr uses Google Street View to test geography skills. Players guess locations based on 360-degree images.

How it works:

Game Element	Description
Gameplay	Explore panoramic images
Rounds	5 per game
Time Limit	2 minutes per guess
Scoring	Up to 5,000 points per round
Total Score	Perfect game = 25,000 points

Players use clues like:

• Road signs and languages
• Driving directions
• Flora, fauna, and climate
• Landmarks and architecture

GeoGuessr offers single and multiplayer modes. It grew popular during COVID-19, reaching 40 million accounts by July 2022.

Swedish engineer Anton Wallén launched it in May 2013. Teachers use it to engage students in world geography.

To improve:

• Practice with community-made maps
• Use the sun's position for hemisphere clues
• Study writing systems to narrow down regions
• Know which countries lack Google Street View

GeoGuessr now requires a subscription ($3.49/month or $23.88/year) for full access.

10. Professor Noggin Series

Professor Noggin games make history and geography fun for kids. Each game has:

Component	Description
Cards	30 full-color cards
Questions	Trivia, true/false, multiple-choice
Difficulty Levels	Easy and hard questions per card
Special Die	Three-numbered die
Player Count	2-8 players
Age Range	7 and up

Topics include:

• Countries of the World
• Ancient Civilizations
• American Revolution
• Civil War
• Explorers
• Medieval Times
• Wonders of the World
• Geography of Canada and U.S.

These games blend learning and fun. For example, the U.S. Geography game covers earthquakes, islands, and city nicknames.

Teachers use them to liven up lessons. The Q&A format lets students quiz each other.

Tips for using Professor Noggin games:

• Warm up lessons with quick rounds
• Encourage team play for collaboration
• Rotate topics for broad learning
• Use cards as research prompts

Using These Games for Learning

Make history and geography fun with these tips:

1. Plan a "Destination Vacation"

Kids plan trips to studied places:

• Create itineraries
• Calculate costs
• Research local culture

2. Combine Games with Technology

Use GeoGuessr with Google Earth:

• Guess locations from Street View
• Explore 3D historical sites
• Create virtual tours

3. Create Learning Stations

Set up game stations:

Station	Game	Focus
1	Trekking the World	Global landmarks
2	Scrambled States	U.S. geography
3	Passport to Culture	World cultures
4	Professor Noggin's Ancient Civilizations	Historical periods

4. Use Games for Assessment

Replace tests with games:

• Host "Guess in 10" tournaments
• Have students create "Who Knows Where?" cards

5. Incorporate Music and Art

Add cultural elements:

• Play music from "Ticket to Ride" countries
• Draw scenes from "The World Game" locations

6. Family Game Nights

Host themed nights:

• "Ancient Egypt Night" with Professor Noggin
• "Explore America Night" with Scrambled States

7. Classroom Challenges

Create friendly competitions:

• Weekly GeoGuessr challenges
• Monthly Continent Race tournaments

Wrap-up

History and geography games make learning fun and effective. They help students:

• Engage with complex topics
• Remember key facts
• Develop problem-solving skills

Research shows game-based learning boosts motivation and retention. Games like GeoGuessr and Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt bring learning to life.

Teachers can use these games to:

Goal	Game Example	Benefit
Explore ancient cultures	Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt	Virtual time travel
Practice U.S. geography	Scrambled States of America	Interactive state learning
Learn world landmarks	Trekking the World	Visual global memory