5 Fun Geography Activities to Do at Home

Do your students wish they could travel the globe without leaving their house? When learning about a certain topic or subject, immersing students in real-world projects and hands-on experiments is a great way to spark their curiosity and keep them engaged. In today’s blog, we’ll explore why studying Geography is so valuable and share five fun geography activities that students can do from the comfort of their own home. 

 

 The benefits of studying Geography 

Studying Geography offers a wide range of benefits beyond simply learning how to read a map or interpret landscapes. It equips students with valuable knowledge and transferable skills that are highly relevant in today’s world. Here are just some of the reasons why Geography matters: 

Understanding our planet

One of the most significant benefits of studying Geography is gaining environmental awareness. According to a 2023 Oftsed subject report, Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman highlights “Geography is vital to children’s understanding of our physical world.” Students learn about the delicate balance of ecosystems, the impact of human actions, issues like climate change, and how we can work towards a more sustainable future. 

Global citizenship

Geography also fosters a strong sense of global citizenship. By exploring different cultures, traditions, and perspectives, students develop a greater appreciation for the people and places that make our world so unique. From the forces that shape societies and the challenges they face, to the interconnectedness of global systems like trade, migration, and politics.

Developing essential skills

Moreover, Geography equips students with vital life skills that are highly transferable and sought after by employers as they move into further education or work. For instance, by examining maps or land formations, students develop critical thinking, research, and analytical skills through gathering and interpreting data. In some cases, students must learn to present their findings as part of an individual or group project. This in turn, improves their literacy and communication skills—all essential to everyday life. 

Career opportunities

Finally, a Geographic background can open doors to diverse and rewarding career paths.  From environmental management and urban planning to cartography, teaching, and research, Geography provides a solid foundation for careers that address some of the most pressing challenges facing our world.

 

5 Geography activities 

Now let’s dive into the fun geography activities that your students can get involved with at home. The best part? These are perfect for a variety of ages and interests, making them accessible for everyone!

Create a weather diary

This could be an interesting homework activity for your students. Whatever year group you’re teaching, it can be adapted to require more or less detailed observations. All they need is a piece of paper/notepad and a pen (maybe some colours for any younger classes). What your students need to do is keep an eye on the weather when they’re back from school and make a diary of what they have observed.

It can be as simple as noting down if it rained or was sunny, all the way to more in-depth variables and information. This provides an excellent opportunity for your students to apply their knowledge effectively and is a brilliant activity to do at home.

Paper mache volcanoes

Creating paper mache volcanoes stands as a timeless and beloved geography activity, consistently earning the title of a classroom favourite. Using their knowledge of how volcanoes look and form, your students will need to create their miniature volcano out of paper mache and paint it too. On the day when your class brings in their creations to share with the class, you could also perform a chemical reaction in class to replicate a volcano eruption and observe how the ‘lava’ flows out of the crater.

Explore a forest or park using a map

Learning map skills? Why not ask your students to go on an exploration adventure around their local forest or park, plotting their route using a map? There’s often a public map on display at the entrances, so it’s a perfect opportunity for students to plan which way they’ll go and identify other features highlighted on the map. By interpreting symbols, scales, and directions, this not only enhances their spatial awareness, but also problem solving abilities and confidence to navigate independently.

Investigate rocks in your local area

Your students could go on a hunt to find a collection of different rocks in the local area. Think beaches, lakes and rivers. Can your budding geologists identify the various types of rocks in these areas, and maybe even predict the kinds that they’ll find? It’s what makes geography activities at home so incredible—they can be enjoyed from anywhere in the world! Everybody will get different results depending on their geographical location and this can be fascinating for students.

Create a holiday brochure

You could assign a destination to each of your students and ask them to design their own holiday brochure. This activity encourages students to delve into their geographical understanding, considering the unique features, attractions, and cultural highlights that draw visitors to the area, ultimately persuading them to book a holiday.

 

Book a Geography field trip with PGL!

We hope your students enjoy these geography activities at home! If you’re interested in taking your Geography students on a field trip then why not take a look at our residential school trips which include Geography GCSE trips, Geography KS3 trips, Geography A-Level trips and Self-taught Field trips.

We provide school trips for primary schools and secondary schools that are all about outdoor education! Take a look at some of our programmes: