What is Geography for Kids?
We all talk, read books, watch documentaries, and wonder about the sky, sea, landforms. We discuss mountains, forests, new and ancient fields for animals to survive, fresh and salty water bodies, but understanding the fundamental geographical concepts is tricky.
Geography is not just about state and country capitals or the imports of food items or the name of rivers and mountains. There is more to it. Geography helps us answer more significant questions, such as the process of humans changing and adapting to other environments, the story of the big bang theory, etc.
What is the story of the Earth or the reason behind mountain formation at a particular location? Acquaint your kids with these amazing geography facts and nurture an early interest in this otherwise difficult subject.
Fun Geography Facts for Kids About the Earth
#1. Earth is the third planet closest to the sun after mercury and venus. The distance is about 93 million miles, with its space called the Goldilock Zone. This means that it is in a habitable space that is at moderate temperature, not too hot or too cold.
The lesser-known fact here is that the Earth’s being in this zone allows water to be in liquid form, making life possible. Leave your children to find answers to the questions like what would happen if the Earth was further away or too close to the sun?
Let them think and imagine for a while, and then explain how the Earth’s being far away from the sun can make it dark and frozen. Again, if it was closer, the heat will cause water to evaporate into the atmosphere rapidly.
#2. Earth is called the blue planet 71 per cent of its surface is water. The remaining 29 per cent island. The fun fact is that only three per cent of it is freshwater, which we can use, and the remaining 97 per cent is salty ocean water.
#3. Research says that the earth is the fifth largest planet in the solar system because it has a diameter of roughly around 12,742 km, which means it is about 3.5 billion times larger than an average human.
Many years ago, Earth didn’t have seven continents but had one big supercontinent called Pangea. Then the phenomenon called continental drift took place where Pangea began to break apart. The continents move and drift continuously by 225cm every year. The interesting fact here is that you can teach your kids that it is the same rate at which our fingernails grow.
Interesting Geography Facts for Kids about Different Countries/ Continents
#1. The Mississippi River in the United States is the 3rd largest watershed and fourth-largest river in the world. An interesting fact about this river is that it will take 90 days for a drop to travel from the beginning of the river to the end.
Ask your kids to imagine being in four states at one time. Is it even possible? Yes, it is possible in the US by going to the place called four corners in America, where four states meet. The states are southeast Utah, North East Arizona, southwest Colorado, and Northwest New Mexico. These States intersect at a right angle.
#2. Asia has overwhelming biodiversity of plants and animals. Asia is the largest continent globally and is considered the roof of the Earth because it has the ten tallest mountain peaks around the world.
The most amazing fact about Asia is that it is part of the supercontinent known as Eurasia. This technically means that Asia and Europe aren’t separated physiographically, which explains why some countries are on both continents.
#3. The smallest country in the world is the Vatican City in Europe. This is a tiny country located inside another country. It is a part of Rome, Italy, and it is less than a quarter of a square mile, which is only about 109 acres.
The Danube river is the second largest river in Europe which flows through 10 different countries.
Iceland is often called the land of ice and fire. Interestingly Ironic, right? About 11 per cent of this country is covered in glaciers. At the same time, it is home to 32 volcanic systems and almost 132 volcanic mountains. The most interesting fact about Iceland is that due to cold temperatures and the lack of shallow ponds, the country does not have mosquitos.
Some Must Know interesting Geography Facts
#1. Chimborazo is an inactive volcano located at the farthest point from the centre of the earth. Interestingly, though Mount Everest is the tallest mountain measured from sea level, Chimborazo is closer to the moon and stars in space.
#2. Though China is about the same size as the USA, it only has one official time zone, whereas the USA has four.
#3. Brazil shares the Iguazu Falls, the largest waterfall system in the world, with Argentina. There are 275 waterfalls in this waterfall system.
#4. The Chenab bridge located in India is the highest rail bridge in the world, expanding to 1178 feet above the water.
#5. The world’s wettest place is Mawsynram in Meghalaya, India. The place annually experiences about 10,000 millilitres of rain.
#6. A fascinating geographic feature of Canada is that the country is home to a huge number of lakes, 1.42 million, to be exact. That accounts for more than half of the lakes globally.
#7. Are deserts always hot, sandy, and dry? Ask your kids. Most certainly, everybody would say yes. But interestingly, not all deserts are hot and sandy; you can find cold deserts near mountains or on plateaus. They are hot in summer, but they can go as cold as -2-4 degrees C during winters.
Conclusion
Enhance your kid’s knowledge by teaching them more interesting topics and ignite their interest in studies. The Real School Of Montessori can help you out through this journey with its interesting child-friendly online courses. We are a trusted Edutech platform that helps parents guide their children and make learning fun and comfortable. Book a masterclass to experience our innovative teaching methods first-hand.
