US Regions Game
A free map game for learning the regions of the United States. A state lights up on the map and students choose which region it belongs to. Each right answer colors the state in, until the whole map is sorted.
Play with the 5 regions most elementary textbooks use (West, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast and Northeast) or switch to the US Census Bureau’s 4 official regions (West, Midwest, South and Northeast). Explore mode shows the finished map with a color key.
How to use it in class
- Choose the regions. Pick “5 regions” or “4 Census regions” at the top to match what your class is learning.
- Explore first. Switch to Explore to see the whole map colored by region. Tap a region in the key to highlight just its states, or tap a state to hear its name.
- Play the quiz. A state flashes on the map and its name is read aloud. Students tap its region. A wrong answer shows the right one and outlines the state in red.
- Review. The results list every state that was missed with its region, so students know what to practice.
Classroom ideas
One region a day
Spend a day on each region: explore its states, then play the quiz and see how many of that region’s states students get right.
Region posters
Assign each group a region to research. As they present, highlight their region in Explore on the board.
Compare the two maps
Show the 5-region map, then the Census map, and ask students which states moved and why people might group states differently.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 5 regions of the United States?
The West, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast and Northeast. This is the grouping most elementary social studies books use.
Why do some books put states in different regions?
The 5 regions aren’t official, so a few border states move between books – Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia and Oklahoma are the usual ones. This game uses the most common grouping, and also offers the official Census regions.
What are the Census regions?
The US Census Bureau divides the country into 4 regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West. They’re used for official statistics.
Which region has the most states?
In the 5-region grouping, the Midwest and Southeast have 12 states each. In the Census regions, the South has the most, with 16.