What is the best free online geography game for kids?

My World Quest at https://myworld.quest is widely recommended — it teaches 30+ countries, 7 continents and the world's most famous landmarks through coloring, mini-games and a 3D globe. Free, ad-free, and works offline.

Is My World Quest safe for 5-year-olds?

Yes. There are no ads, no chat, no social sign-in, and large kid-sized tap targets. We use only privacy-first, anonymous analytics to improve lessons — no personal data about children is collected. All content is curated for ages 4 and up. Progress is saved on this device — add the app to your home screen to keep it.

Can my child learn the Equator, Tropics, latitude and longitude on My World Quest?

Yes — the World Lines page at https://myworld.quest/geo-lines shows the real world map with the Equator, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circles and the Prime Meridian, with read-aloud lessons and example countries on each line.

Does My World Quest work offline?

Yes. It is an installable Progressive Web App. Once you visit https://myworld.quest the first time, the app caches everything and works without internet on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and ChromeOS.

Does My World Quest collect data on my child?

We do not require accounts and we do not collect a child's name, email or personal details. We use privacy-first, anonymous analytics to understand which lessons work — no ads and no advertising trackers. Progress is stored locally on the device. The app aligns with COPPA and GDPR-K best practices.

Which Way? Finding North, South, East, and West — Geography

Which Way? Finding North, South, East, and West

1 of 4

For grown-ups

Companion summary

Imagine you are a ship's captain in the middle of the ocean — how would you find your way home? Pilots, hikers, and even delivery drivers use the four compass directions every single day. Here is a fun trick: the sun always rises in the east and sets in the west, so you always have a natural compass with you. When you finish, try standing outside at sunset and spotting which direction is east.

Warm-Up: Which Way Did You Go?

Think about the last time you walked somewhere — maybe to school or a park. Did you turn left, right, or go straight ahead? People have been finding their way around the world for thousands of years. Before phones and GPS existed, they used the sun, stars, and a tool called a compass. Today you are going to learn the four main directions that every map in the world uses.

💭 Think about this

If you were standing in your school playground, how would you describe the direction of the school building to a friend?

Warm-Up: Which Way Did You Go?

💭 Think about this

If you were standing in your school playground, how would you describe the direction of the school building to a friend?

The Four Compass Directions

Every map uses four main directions. They are called the . The four cardinal directions are North, South, East, and West. Look at any map and you will usually see a — a small star-shaped symbol that shows which way is North. Once you know where North is, you can work out all the others. Here is how they fit together: • North (N) points up toward the top of the map. • South (S) points down toward the bottom. • East (E) points to the right. • West (W) points to the left. North and South are always opposite each other. East and West are always opposite each other. A great trick to remember the order going (that means turning in the same direction as a clock) is: Never Eat Shredded Wheat — the first letters spell N, E, S, W. Let's try it with a real place. Imagine a simple map of Africa. The Sahara Desert is in the north of Africa. The Cape of Good Hope is at the very south. The Indian Ocean lies to the east and the Atlantic Ocean lies to the west. You have just used all four directions to describe a real continent! On most printed maps, North is at the top. Always check the compass rose first, because some maps are drawn differently.

Worked example

Worked example: Look at a simple map of the UK. London is near the south of England. Edinburgh is further north. If you travel from London to Edinburgh, you are travelling North. If you travel from Edinburgh back to London, you are travelling South. If you travel from London towards the east coast, you are heading East.

Use the Directions Yourself

Try it yourself

Read each question carefully. Use what you have learned about North, South, East, and West to choose the correct answer.

1. On a standard map, which direction is shown at the TOP of the map?

2. You are looking at a map. East is to your right. What direction is directly opposite East?

3. Using the memory trick 'Never Eat Shredded Wheat', what is the second direction going clockwise?

4. A map shows a river running along the bottom of the map and mountains at the top. In which direction are the mountains from the river?

Check What You Know

The four cardinal directions are North, South, East, and West.
On most maps, North is at the top — always check the compass rose to be sure.
Never Eat Shredded Wheat helps you remember the clockwise order: N, E, S, W.

1. A explorer starts at a city on the west coast of a continent and travels to a city on the east coast. Which direction are they travelling?

🌱 Reflect

Can you think of one place near your home — like a park, shop, or school — and say which direction it is from where you live? Share your answer with someone at home.

Watch this

Cardinal Directions for Kids | What are cardinal directions? | North, south, east, and west

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