Australia Day Special Part 2: Australian Geography for kids

It's important to know the geography of our country. So it doesn't hurt to get started at home, especially if you have headed off or are about to head off on holiday to an Australian destination.

In this post I am looking at two Apps that focus on this: Map Me Australia and Australia Puzzle Map. They could be used for fun or as a homework/home learning activity, especially as children in Australian Schools are expected to have an understanding of this in the middle years of primary school.

screenshot from iPad

Map Me Australia

Publisher: Yat Tat Lee
Format: iOS 3.0 or later
Cost at time of review: $0.99
In App purchases: No

Age Rating: 4+
Curriculum Links:
Ausvels/Australian Curriculum: Humanities (History and Geography) 

What does it do?

screenshot from iPad

This App has an information section with a brief overview of the name, capital and population of each Australian State and Territory. There are also two mapping activities, one menu will take you to a matching game, where you match the shape of the state/territory to the name and the other will take you to a puzzle where you slide panels to reassemble a map of Australia and times you while you do it. 

I have played the puzzle game & it was challenging to get everything in the right place. My son was trying to help me out and was able to tell me which parts were right quite easily.

screenshot from iPad

Australia Puzzle Map

Publisher: Jenny Sun
Format: iOS 4.3 or later
Cost at time of review: $1.99 (at time of review)

In App purchases: No
Age Rating: 4+
Curriculum Links:
Ausvels/Australian Curriculum: Humanities (History and Geography)

What does it do?

screenshot from iPad

This App is a little more interactive and is part of a series of Apps you can purchase with maps of other countries. This App has a puzzle section and a quiz section. The puzzle section times you while you drag and drop each State or Territory into the correct place. A voice tells you the name of each piece as you drop it in. The quiz section lets you choose if you want to be quizzed on the name of each State/Territory or the Capital. The quiz displays a location beside a map of Australia with multiple choice answers. Verbal and visual feedback is given when you answer as well.

The only downside of this App is that the verbal feedback does not come with an Australian accent.

Happy Australia Day everybody! 

Liz