Continents and Oceans Game
A free map game for learning the 7 continents and 5 oceans. The game names a continent or ocean and students tap it on the world map – or in Hard mode, they type all twelve from memory while the map fills in.
It’s made for kindergarten through 3rd grade, when most students first learn the continents and oceans, and it works well on the smartboard as a whole-class warm-up. Each name is read aloud, so even pre-readers can play.
How to use it in class
- Start with Explore. Open Explore on the board and tap each continent and ocean together. Its name is read aloud and labeled on the map.
- Play Classic. The game names a continent or ocean, and students tap it. Each one turns green on the first try, yellow on the second and orange on the third. After three misses it flashes red and has to be tapped before moving on.
- Try Hard mode. Older students type all 7 continents and 5 oceans from memory. Each one fills in as soon as it’s spelled correctly.
- Print a blank map. The printable maps page has a blank continents and oceans map for labeling on paper.
- Share a challenge. At the end, “Challenge a friend” makes a link with the score for someone else to beat.
Classroom ideas
Continent song check
After singing a continents song, have students take turns at the board tapping each continent as the class names it.
Oceans first
Play a few rounds that focus on the oceans: ask students which ocean you would cross to travel from one continent to another.
Paper and screen
Have students label the blank printable map, then check their answers with a round of Classic on the board.
All 12 continents and oceans in this quiz
- Africa
- Antarctica
- Arctic Ocean
- Asia
- Atlantic Ocean
- Australia & Oceania
- Europe
- Indian Ocean
- North America
- Pacific Ocean
- South America
- Southern Ocean
Frequently asked questions
What are the 7 continents?
Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia (often taught as Australia and Oceania), Europe, North America and South America.
What are the 5 oceans?
The Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Southern Oceans. The Pacific is the largest and the Arctic is the smallest.
Why does the map say “Australia & Oceania”?
The continent of Australia is grouped with New Zealand and the Pacific islands as Oceania, so the whole area counts. Typing “Australia” or “Oceania” both work.
Where do Europe and Asia meet?
The map follows Natural Earth’s continent outlines, which split Europe from Asia along the Ural Mountains, the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus.
Is the Southern Ocean a real ocean?
Yes. It surrounds Antarctica, and National Geographic began recognizing it as the fifth ocean in 2021.