Places around the world
Grade 1 · Geography
Explore places, read maps and discover the world around you.
Choose a game
Take your time, try a game and collect stars.
UK countries, capital cities and seas
What is the capital of Wales? Which sea is between England and France? A free elementary geography game about the UK’s countries, capitals and seas.
Play UK countries, capital cities and seas
Learning about places around the world
In this Grade 1 geography collection, you can practice UK countries, capital cities and seas. Choose a game above for a short activity, or explore the examples below before you play. The full guide for each game explains its controls, gives more examples and includes a free printable for practice away from the screen.
Talk it through
Keep a globe, atlas or simple map nearby. Ask your child to point to a place or direction before naming it. Relate a map symbol or feature to a real example, and compare places rather than memorising isolated names.
Ask: “Where would you look to check your answer?” Give your child time to explain. Return to an example after playing and ask whether they would approach it differently.
UK countries, capital cities and seas
England, Scotland and Wales share the island of Great Britain, while Northern Ireland is on the island of Ireland, next to the Republic of Ireland. The UK is surrounded by water: the North Sea to the east, the English Channel to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean beyond.
Try an example: What is the capital city of Wales?
Wales is to the west of England. Its capital is on the south coast of Wales.
Show the answer
Cardiff.
What to look out for
Thinking London is the capital of Scotland or Wales. London is the capital of England and of the whole UK, but each country has its own capital too.
Practice away from the screen
- Find where you live on a UK map, then find your nearest capital city.
Curriculum connections
UK countries, capital cities and seas
Suggested grade 1 practice, selected by skill and reading demand. US states and schools teach these topics in different grades; this is not a state-standards alignment claim. This activity explores the United Kingdom as a world-geography topic; its questions are about UK places.
NCSS C3 Framework teaching connection: Geographic representations and places. Use place names, compass directions and physical features as background for reading maps and asking questions about places. Extend the game with a map or photograph; recognizing labels alone is not a complete geographic inquiry. Read the framework.
Questions families ask
Where should we start with places around the world?
Start with UK countries, capital cities and seas. Look at the worked example together, then try a round. If the task feels unfamiliar, use the full game guide or its free printable before trying again.
Does this cover everything taught at this level?
No. These games provide focused practice. Grade suggestions do not replace your school’s curriculum, and any Common Core connection applies only to the skill described.